WHILE Rolie Polie chased the barley rabbit, and in turn was being chased by the barley bull, Big Bill and his two Buccaneers were lying in ambush further down the road. The one who had been left up the hill at the gate, had hidden behind some bushes, and when the company came through and Mr. Poodle spoke of the strangeness of their not being met by any of the Toy people, he chuckled so loudly, that it was a wonder the noise did not lead to his being discovered. After the salute had been fired and the company started on their downward journey, the Buccaneer, when he saw how the soldiers were sent on ahead, leaving Helen and Tommy {50} no greater protection than that afforded by the little old toymaker and Rolie Polie, again laughed out loud; and it was only when the company passed from sight that the Buccaneer left his hiding place and set forth by a short cut, which soon brought him to the ambush and his waiting companions.

When Big Bill heard how the company had been divided, he said: “Didn’t I tell you so? Didn’t I say that that boy and girl would have to be lagging along behind to see the sights? I tell you, I know a thing or two. They can’t fool Big Bill. Come, my hearties, we must get ready! Every man see to the loading and priming of his pistols! We won’t need to fire any shots; the sight of our swords and pistols will be enough to frighten them. Like as not, at the first glimpse of us, Peter Poodle and that little clown will run; then we can capture the boy and girl.”

The tramp of men and horses was now heard coming around the bend further up the road. “We must lay low,” said Big Bill, “and keep out of sight until these soldiers pass; then, we can poke out the muzzles of our pistols and be ready for the others.”

Hardly had Big Bill finished speaking when to their ears came the startling sound of a great roaring bellow. One of the Buccaneers jumped to his feet, his legs shook and trembled while his face went white as chalk. “It is the barley bull,” he whispered between his chattering teeth. Again they heard the bellow, this time nearer than before. “Listen! listen!” cried the frightened Buccaneer, his voice no more than a hoarse croak; “listen, Big Bill, it is the barley bull; the barley bull is after us!” Then his legs giving way, he fell in a heap on the ground. {51}

Big Bill jumped to his feet. “Are you crazy?” he cried. “The barley bull can’t hurt you. He is in the pasture up the hill.”

Presently, the bellow came again, and now so near that even Big Bill trembled and turned pale, and shaking and shivering he drew his pistol, while his two men, their faces blanched with fear, fell on their knees, and frantically clasped their arms about his knees.

The bellowing of the barley bull now came to them again and roared in their ears like rolling thunder. “He will get us, he will get us!” cried the three. “We must run for our lives!” Then they heard a crash in the bushes above them and the next second something landed right on the head of Big Bill, tumbling him and his companions over and leaving them sprawling on the ground.

The breath was knocked out of Big Bill. He could not speak even in a whisper. “He has us, he has us; the barley bull has us!” was what he tried to say, but never a single word came over his parched lips. Then with the last ounce of strength that remained in their bodies, Big Bill and his two men got on their feet and started to run as fast as ever their shaking legs could carry them. Never once did any of them stop for even a second to look back, and I very much doubt if they heard the shouts of Captain Pinkle and Captain Poddle and their soldiers, or even heard the reports of the musket shots that were being fired. No, they thought the barley bull had come through the bushes tearing after them; which was too much for the bravery of these three bold Buccaneers.

But it wasn’t the barley bull that had tumbled the three Buccaneers to the ground; it was a no more harmful {52} creature that had come crashing through the trees, to land on their broad backs, than the little clown, Rolie Polie. If Big Bill and his two fellows had seen Rolie Polie sitting on the ground and laughing at their hasty retreat, it certainly would have made them more angry than they were now scared.

Meanwhile, having seen Rolie Polie jump, Mr. Poodle and Tommy hurried back to the roadway, and, followed by Helen, ran hurriedly down and around the bend.

“Have you found Rolie Polie? Is he hurt? Has he any joints broken?” called Mr. Poodle the moment he came in sight of the soldiers.

“No,” answered Captain Pinkle, “Rolie Polie is not hurt and he certainly has served us well this day, by saving Miss Helen and Master Tommy from the Grumbletown Buccaneers.”

When Mr. Poodle looked at the ambush, and realized how near Helen and Tommy had come to being captured, he was very thankful for such a lucky escape. “We must keep together the rest of the journey,” he said to the two captains. “These Buccaneers will get over their fright by and by, and you may be sure they won’t give up trying to capture Helen and Tommy; so we must be continually on the lookout for another attack.”