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they made a big hole in the wall and entered the house
through it. Even though they were
the burglars but still Granny
Though our neighbours had told us to close all the doors calmly gave them the keys of
Just a Minute!
and windows leading to each room the safe. Why do you think
and not to sleep in the outer rooms, she did this?
Grandpa had not followed their

advice. So, the burglars were able to
go straight into his room.

The leader, a huge dark man, with
long black hair, pulled Grandpa

out of bed and asked him where
the jewellery and money were kept.
Grandpa refused to answer. One of
the men stabbed him and he fell to
the ground, bleeding.

‘Come, I’ll show you where it is,’
said Granny coolly.

My father came in just then and tried
to grab one of the thieves. Granny

pushed him away.

‘Keep quiet,’ she said. ‘It is no use.
They will stab or kill you. Look after your father.’

She took them into the room where the safe was and gave them the keys.

‘Take whatever you want, only don’t hurt any of us,’ she said.

The robbers wanted the ornaments she was wearing and my mother’s too. Both were

allowed to keep their wedding necklaces.

‘All right, now go out!’ she was told.

My grandmother was a clever woman. The robbers were so busy opening the safe and
admiring the jewels, they did not notice that when she went out, she not only closed the
door, but bolted it from outside! There was no other way of getting out, and the door

could not be broken open easily.

Inside the room, the men yelled, cursed, and banged on the door. Granny laughed and
said to my father, ‘Run and call the police and a doctor, quick! Children, you go to the
front yard and shout. Tell our neighbours we have caught the thieves!’

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