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ld hear nothing but the roar of the omnibuses； nor could I see anything。 I went up and down the path； but it was all one。 I could see no other impression but that one。 I went to it again； to see if there were any more； and to observe if it might not be my fancy。 But there was no room for that； for there was exactly the print of an Englishman's hobnailed shoe；the heavy heel； the prints of the heads of the nails。 There was even a piece of patch which had been put on it； though it had never been half…soled。
How it came there I knew not； neither could I in the least imagine。 But； as I say； like a man perfectly confused and out of myself； I rushed home into my hut； not feeling the ground I went upon。 I fled into it like one pursued； and； as my mother said； when I fell into my chair； panting； I looked as if I had seen a ghost。
It was worse than that； as I said to her。
PART II
I cannot well tell you how much dismay this sight of a footprint in the ground gave me； nor how many sleepless nights it cost me。 All the time I was trying to make my mother think that there was no ground for anxiety； and yet all the time I was showing her that I was very anxious。 The more I pretended that I was not troubled； the more absent…minded； and so the more troubled； I appeared to her。 And yet； if I made no pretence； and told her what I really feared； I should have driven her almost wild by the story of my terrors。 To have our pretty home broken up； perhaps to be put in the newspaperswhich was a lot that； so far； we had always escaped in our quiet and modest lifeall this was more than she or I could bear to think of。
In the midst of these cogitations； apprehensions； and reflections； it came into my thoughts one day； as I was working at my shop down…town with my men； that all this might be a chimera of my own； and that the foot might be the print of my own boot as I had left it in the soil some days before when I was looking at my melons。 This cheered me up a little； too。 I considered that I could by no means tell for certain where I had trod and where I had not； and that if at last this was the print of my own boot； I had played the part of those fools who strive to make stories of spectres； and then are themselves frightened at them more than anybody else。
So I returned home that day in very good spirits。 I carried to my mother a copy of Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper； which had in it some pictures that I knew would please her； and I talked with her in as light… hearted a way as I could； to try to make her think that I had forgotten my alarm。 And afterward we played two or three games of Egyptian solitaire at the table； and I went to bed unusually early。 But； at the first break of day； when I fancied or hoped that she was still asleep； I rose quickly； and half…dressing myself； crept out to the melon…patch to examine again the imprint of the foot and to make sure that it was mine。
Alas！ it was no more mine than it was Queen Victoria's。 If it had only been cloven； I could easily have persuaded myself whose it was； so much grief and trouble had it cost me。 When I came to measure the mark with my own boot； I found； just as I had seen before； that mine was not nearly so large as this mark was。 Also； this was； as I have said； the mark of a heavy brogansuch as I never woreand there was the mark of a strange patch near the toe； such as I had never seen； nor； indeed； have seen since； from that hour to this hour。 All these things renewed my terrors。 I went home like a whipped dog； wholly certain now that some one had found the secret of our home： we might be surprised in it before I was aware； and what course to take for my security I knew not。
As we breakfasted； I opened my whole heart to my mother。 If she said so； I would carry all our little property； piece by piece； back to old Thunberg； the junk… dealer； and with her parrot and my umbrella we would go out to Kansas； as we used to propose。 We would give up the game。 Or； if she thought best； we would stand on the defensive。 I would put bottle…glass on the upper edges of the fences all the way round。
There were four or five odd revolvers at The Ship； and I would buy them all； with powder and buck…shot enough for a long siege。 I would teach her how to load； and while she loaded I would fire； till they had quite enough of attacking us in our home。 Now it has all gone by； I should be ashamed to set down in writing the frightful contrivances I hatched for destroying these 〃creatures；〃 as I called them； or； at least； frightening them； so as to prevent their coming thither any more。
〃Robin； my boy；〃 said my mother to me； when I gave her a chance at last； 〃if they came in here to…night whoever ‘they' may bevery little is the harm that they could do us。 But if Mr。 Kennedy and twenty of his police should come in here over the bodies offive times five are twenty…five； twenty…five times eleven aretwo hundred and seventy…five people whom you will have killed by that time； if I load as fast as thee tells me I can； why； Robin； my boy； it will go hard for thee and me when the day of the assizes comes。 They will put handcuffs on thy poor old mother and on thee； and if they do not send thee to Jack Ketch； they will send thee to Bloomingdale。〃
I could not but see that there was sense in what she said。 Anyway； it cooled me down for the time； and I kissed her and went to my work less eager； and； indeed； less anxious； than I had been the night before。 As I went down…town in the car； I had a chance to ask myself what right I had to take away the lives of these poor savages of the neighborhood merely because they entered on my possessions。 Was it their fault that they had not been apprenticed to carpenters？ Could they help themselves in the arrangements which had left them savages？ Had any one ever given them a chance to fence in an up…town lot？ Was it； in a word； I said to myself was it my merit or my good luck which made me as good as a landed proprietor； while the Fordyce heirs had their education？ Such thoughts； before I came to my shop； had quite tamed me down； and when I arrived there I was quite off my design； and I concluded that I had taken a wrong measure in my resolution to attack the savages； as I had begun to call men who might be merely harmless loafers。
It was clearly not my business to meddle with them unless they first attacked me。 This it was my business to prevent； if I were discovered and attacked； then I knew my duty。
With these thoughts I went into my shop that day； and with such thoughts as these； and with my mother's good sense in keeping me employed in pleasanter things than hunting for traces of savages； I got into a healthier way of thinking。
The crop of melons came in well； and many a good feast we had from them。 Once and again I was able to carry a nice fresh melon to an old lady my mother was fond of； who now lay sick with a tertian ague。
Then we had the best sweet corn for dinner every day that any man had in New York。 For at Delmonico's itself； the corn the grandees had had been picked the night before； and had started at two o'clock in the morning on its long journey to town。 But my mother picked my corn just a