Ringing the Bell . . .

The next day Pa hears the bell and takes off for home. When he arrives Ma says "Them boys are givin me a hard time about doin the chores and little Sammy done stuck the butter knife in the molasses without lickin the blade clean first."

Pa says "you mean I just run all the way in from the fields for this. next time it had better be important."

The next day Pa hears the bell and takes off for home again. When he arrives his wife is in tears standing over a broke clothes line. "Pa"; she says "somebody came ridin through here on a mule and ran right through the clothes line and rurnt the washin."

Pa yells "I told you not to ring that bell unless something bad was goin on. If this happens again I'm goin to whap you with a board."

The next day Pa hears the bell again and grabbin up a board heads for home. When he arrives Ma is clinging to the porch rail with a spear in her back, the house behind her is in flames and the chickens are laying dead in the front yard, shot full of arrows.