The furious rattle of the wagon prevented Tom's catching the words, and the terrified farmer did not repeat them, but lashed his team harder than ever, vanishing in a cloud of dust raised by his own wheels.
"He must be crazy," said Tom, unable to think of any other explanation of the old man's frantic behavior.
The lad stood with his head turned toward the cloud of dust, wondering and speculating over the strange affair, when hurried footsteps caused him to turn quickly and look again in the direction of the village.
This time it was Jim Travers, who was panting from his running, and whose face was a picture of consternation, equal to that of Farmer MacDowell.
"What's the matter, Jim ?" asked Tom as his schoolmate reached him.
"O Tom, ain't it awful ?" gasped the new arrival, coming to a halt, still panting, and casting affrighted glances in the direction of Briggsville.
"Ain't _what_ awful ?" "Gracious! hain't you heard the news?
I thought everybody knowed it." And the tired boy took off his hat and rubbed his sleeve across his steaming forehead, as though his expression of surprise at Tom's ignorance communicated of itself the news to him.

Tom, as may be supposed, was on needles; for, as yet, he had not received the first hint of the occurrence, which certainly must have been of a stirring nature.
"Sam Harper, Jack Habersham, and Bill Dunham--_all killed_ before any one could help 'em! Did you ever hear of anything like it ?" continued Jim.
"I haven't heard of _that_ yet.

I don't know what you're talking about, Jim; if you can't tell me, why, shut up!" "So you hain't heard the news?
I forgot; it scared me almost to death.

I thought everybody knowed it.

I must hurry home." And the bewildered youngster was on the point of dashing off again, after partially recovering his wind, when he seemed to awaken to the fact that he owed something in the way of enlightenment to his friend.
"I forgot, Tom; but I did think you knowed it: guess you're the only boy in a thousand miles that hain't heard of it.