The Lincoln Boys

the thief is caught

Tad: maybe he's crazy you scared them you can't ever catch an animal when you're chasing it with a hoe

Major Watt: i'm going to kill those goats first chance I get I'm going to shoot them

Tad: NO

Major Watt: look at my rose garden those goats ruined my rose bed

Tad: shucks just a few old roses you got lots of better flowers around here

Major Watt: nobody touches that rose bed nobody touches that rose bed you see i'm going to court martial those goats and shoot them myself

Willie: funny isn't it how when there's a war everybody gets in it everybody has to help in some way

Tad: that's right

Willie: pa is in it Bob's gone to  Harvard and now we're in it too

Tad: and we're got to do our part we've got to

Abe: are you asleep my little Tadpole well again I am too late to hear your prayers but at least I can kiss you goodnight GREAT SNAKES WHAT HAVE YOU GOT IN BED WITH YOU

Tad: goats

Abe: I know this is a nice big house and Washington is crowded but if you want to take in roomers you should get references I think these fellows are scoundrels

Tad: they aren't scoundrels

Abe: what are they

Tad: they're fugitives

Abe: from what

Tad: from a court martial the gardener is going to shoot them for digging up his garden

Abe: nonsense

Tad: honest

Abe: well that's pretty serious come to my office in the morning and I will write them a pardon

Tad: pa day is it true that the plans for the Monitor were stolen

Abe: several important papers have disappeared the secret service is working on it so don't bother your little head about it why makes you ask a question like that

Willie: it's all dark Tad are you ready to go

Abe: what's going on here

Willie: oh I didn't know

Tad: pa day we think we know where those stolen papers might be

Abe: what you children can't know anything about that you'd better get into bed where you belong

Tad: this is awful important would you just stay here and mind the goats for a few minutes for us Willie and I have work to do

Abe: you might get hurt people who steal papers are pretty desperate characters

Tad: we'll be back

Both boys: we got it

Tad: I never liked that man even before the goats came

Abe: what man

Willie: the new gardener

Abe: what are you talking about and look at you mud

Willie: we got the stolen papers

Abe: get in there and wash_ you what

Tad: got the stolen papers

Abe: let me see that box as I live so you did all right now start from the beginning

Tad: well I was thinking about how somebody must be taking things and sending information to the enemy when that gardener cane after me with the hoe and made such a fuss about his old rose garden specially right under the trellis I decided he was the one who had been taking things and that was where they were hidden nobody would get so mad at goats just for digging

Abe: go on

Tad: and anyway people that raise flowers are kind and gentle he was wrong all around that's all there is to it we went out and dug around ourselves and looked what we found its his all right

Willie: will they arrest him

Abe: yes at once

Tad: and the goats go back in the barn tomorrow and will all this be in the papers

Abe: I'm sure of it

Tad: in Mr Nonton's paper too

Abe: of course why

Tad: pretty important that's why

Abe: now you boys get cleaned up then both of you better sleep in Willie's room for the night and get those goats out of here first thing in the morning goats don't belong in the White House and furthermore your mother is coming home tomorrow

Tad: green umbrella I'll have the goats out early

Abe: by the way I think you two hero's should be rewarded for your good work I appoint you both honorary lieutenants in the Union Army

Tad: with uniforms

Abe: certainly

Both boys: hurrah

Abe: report to me in the morning

Both boys: yes sir