CHAPTER XVAT THE OLD TAVERNPhil offered no objection, but took the walking stick and at once entered the porch, making as little noise as possible. Billy came close behind, feeling the rubber tube to make sure that it could stun, if not kill, when handled with due precision and force.As has been stated before, portions of the porch floor had been previously broken in, where the elements had too heavily tested the wood. Phil finally passed into the office without making any noise but Billy was not so lucky. Despite his care, he misjudged where he trod when he was near the doorway, when there was an ominous crackling sound under his last footstep.“Cr-r-r-r—a-c-c-k!” Down went his leg, clear above his knee. In the effort to rise, down went the other leg with a similar crunchingcrumble, and there was Billy submerged, so to speak, to the waist. Nor did it stop there, for under the porch was a cellar that extended pretty well under the fore part of the ancient building.For half a moment Billy’s form remained waist deep under the porch, when from below there came another crackling, crunching sound, and Billy began to descend at first slowly, as the rafters over the cellar began to collapse. Then down he went amid a cloud of dust from the rotting woodwork, as with a feverish exclamation he vanished from sight. Just at this instant Phil wheeled, startled by the noise Worth was making and started to whisper a cautionary “Silence!”At this juncture Billy vanished from sight, though Phil heard him, as he struck the earth of the partially filled cellar, give voice as follows:“Hullo, Phil! I’m gone!” And that was all Phil then heard from Billy.Just then there came a scuffling noise fromthe interior, where a door, partially open, led from the old office to the rear room. Knowing that someone must be inside, for the noise was not from where Billy had gone down, Phil grasped his cane harder and dashed through the open door into the back room where he had before seen the forge and the tools, which he had not been able to understand at the time.Right in front of him was another open door, beyond the hastily constructed forge; and down what seemed to be a cellar stairway he could see the head and shoulders of a man. The stranger was struggling upward, impeded by some burden he was carrying with difficulty.It was difficult in the half light that filtered through the overhanging shade trees without to distinguish anything distinctly. All Phil could see was that the man wore a slouch hat, combed with cobwebs from the cellar region below. All at once came the conviction to the lad:“This must be Dippy, whom the other was calling for so often.”With this came Phil’s resolve to boldly moveup and prevent this mysterious fellow’s escape. He dashed forward, calling out:“Halt, you! Give an account of yourself! I—”Here the stranger, dropping the bundle he was carrying, attempted to spring up the last two steps, at the same time reaching behind and pulling forth something small that glittered in the semi-twilight. What could it be—a pistol? At the mere thought, Phil leaped nearer, struck at the glittering toy, while the descending blow knocked the fellow’s hat off and, partially stunning him, sent him back down the gloomy stairway. The lower end of this was shrouded in deeper gloom, though some light from a cellar window shed a little pale glow from the outside daylight.Following closely, Phil began to stumble down the stairway, when he heard another’s unmistakable advance below. For Billy, still armed with the rubber tube, had heard the mix-up going on above, together with Phil’s loud tones and the succeeding fracas; and he saw dimly thetumbling of some bulky weight, followed by the heavier fall of a man’s body.“Great goodness!” thought Worth. “Can that be Phil?”With the thought he scrambled forward over heaps of loose earth to the firmer floor of the main part of the cellar, until he stood over a figure trying to rise. At the same time down stumbled his comrade, saying:“I’ll get you yet—mind that!”Satisfied now that it was not Phil at his feet, Billy brought down his heavy rubber tube over the man’s head, who sank back uttering a groan of pain. At the same time Phil, reaching the bottom of the stairway, saw something twinkle in the dirt at his feet. He picked it up.“Here is the pistol he was trying to shoot me with, Billy. Don’t let him up while I feel for some cord I brought along.”Billy, standing astride the prostrate man, took the pistol, a small affair. As the stranger groaned and moved Billy gave him another sharp tap with the tubing that seemed to settlehis hash, as the boys later expressed it.Fingering the weapon, Billy found that it was loaded, all except one chamber. He looked up, saying:“I bet a nickel against a cent that this is the same pistol that shot—what’s his name?—Horr.”Meantime Phil, having produced several cords that he had taken from the tool box of the Six, proceeded to bind the stranger’s wrists together behind his back as he lay half stunned by Billy’s attack. While so doing, he stumbled against a heavy object that proved to be a cheap suitcase, filled by something that rattled metallically as it was moved. Having tied the man’s wrists, they half carried him up the stairway, through the back room and into the old office. Here Billy stood guard armed with the tube and the pistol. This last they discovered was enough like the one Billy had at home to be its mate. Also one chamber being empty, Phil at once felt sure—with Worth—that they now held the very weapon that had been fired atHorr, the supposed comrade of the man now recovering his senses at their feet.“Watch him close, Billy,” cautioned Phil, “while I go below and get that suitcase, and look around a little before we go back to Feeney’s.”“Don’t be uneasy, Phil. I’ll watch him all right. Ain’t I just getting even for the way those two did me when they ran away with our car?”While Phil was gone below the stranger, recovering his senses, and seeing only a boy standing over him, looked up with cunning, yet imploring eyes.“Say, kid,” he weakly began, “that was a bad blow you hit me. My head’s about to bust. You’ve tied my arms too tight. Please loose me. I won’t do anything.”“No, you won’t! Not while I’m in sight! Remember how you and your pal, who’s been calling on you constantly, did for me when you caught me fast asleep? Not much will you get away! Just bank on that, will you?”“I mean all right, boy. ’Deed I do! Justcame back here for a few things that belong to us. Be a good boy. Turn me loose. I’ll go with you all right.”“No, you won’t! We don’t trust you. Besides that, your pal’s begging us hard to fetch ‘Dippy’ back. Wants to see you and ask you why you shot him after stealing our car. Do you catch on?”At this the man, whose head and shoulder was bruised and aching from the effect of Billy’s rubber tube, seemed to give up. But Worth had one more arrow. He produced the pistol, showed the man the one empty chamber, and said:“Look here, Quinn. That’s your name or the one you go by, for Horr said it was. See that empty cartridge? I know these Smith & Wesson twenty-twos, for I’ve got one at home myself. We got the bullet, too. It glanced off and came out. You might as well own up now and thank your stars you didn’t kill your pal, or you would be in for murder as well as these other jobs.”But before the man could make any rejoinder back came Phil with the suitcase which seemed quite heavy. In the other hand he carried the stranger’s black felt hat, from which Phil had brushed most of the dust and cobwebs and placed it on the man’s head as he now sat leaning against the edge of the tottering counter behind which the boys had found Billy after his capture by the two who attempted to escape with the Six.“Can you stand and walk?” queried Phil. “We’ve got to put you in our car; the one you and Horr tried to steal.”The man, now sullen enough, made no reply. Without more ado they helped him up and started with him towards the porch. Though his hands were tied, he went grudgingly until he saw the big, yawning open space made by Worth when the boy fell through both porch floor and the cellar roofing below. The sight seemed to nerve the man to a final effort.As they stood at the outer office entrance he suddenly pushed against Phil on one side andat the same time butted his head into Worth as forcibly as possible. Worth fell down while Phil, overborne by the weight of the suitcase, seemed in danger of stepping into the hole in front. The man, seeing a wild chance, drew back his foot, and was about to kick at the suitcase as if to send it through the hole in front.“You would, would you?” grunted Billy, recovering in time to put his back against the door-facing and administer a push with his foot to the man, still standing on one leg in the act of kicking at the suitcase.Down he went, the intended kick going wild. At the same moment Phil, having dropped the suitcase, sprang upon the man and with Billy’s ready aid, managed to bind both legs fast together, so that he lay helpless. After that the boys dragged their prisoner across the porch, then they carried him to where the car stood amid the shrubbery and placed him in the tonneau.“Now, Billy,” said Phil, “you watch him close. I’ll go back, get that bag of his, shut thedoors and come back. Don’t take your eyes off him. He’s tricky!”And Phil again went back while Worth stood over the man watchful and wary.He was a sullen looking chap, like and yet unlike the stranger whom, with his partner, Billy had briefly seen that day at Feeney’s. His eyes, roving about, avoided Billy, while he apparently looked for some further loop-hole that might offer another chance to resist or afford a possible escape.“No good, old man,” remarked Worth, standing over him with the tube in hand, ready for any move the bound man might make. “You’ve got to go with us.”“Look here!” suddenly said the fellow. “We’ve got money—me and my partner. Why not turn us loose on the quiet? We’ll make it all right—sure.”“How do we know you’ll make it all right? Didn’t you shoot your own partner? He says you did. He calls you Dippy Quinn. That your name?”“Oh, that’s nothing! I was reloading the pistol. It went off ’fore I knew a thing. That’s the real goods, boy! As I said, he and me have the dough. Two hundred of it’s yours, provided you’ll turn us loose—on the quiet.”“You’re talking to no good, Quinn. I wouldn’t be party to turning either you or Horr loose, not if you placed twice that amount in my hands right now.”About this time Phil was seen coming, lugging what appeared to be a very heavy suitcase, evidently packed full of something that weighed about as much as Phil could carry. At sight of this the man seemed beside himself with anger. He almost spat in Billy’s face as he declared:“You’re both a dirty set of rogues! Yes, both of you! That,” pointing at the packed bag, “is mine—mine and my partner’s. We wasn’t bothering you—”“Oh, no!” laughed Billy. “Come, that’s good! All you did was to gag and tie me and try to steal our car. That’s a mere nothing, of course.”Phil, by this time arriving, seated himself at the wheel, putting the bag beside him. Then he looked warningly at Worth, saying:“Keep a sharp eye out, Billy. If he gets too obstreperous, just use the tube. If that don’t quiet him, try his pistol.”Then he started the car, steering carefully until they had turned round and were headed up the old road leading through the timber towards Feeney’s. As the car bumped along over the rough places, Quinn seemed to be suffering greatly, his tightly bound ankles being the cause of his present misery.“Honest, boy,” he began, “at least loose my legs! I sprained my ankle somehow in our scrap back yonder. Besides, there’s a boil on my leg. Just loosen it up a bit—that’s a good kid!”One would have supposed that with the previous experience they had had with this man, Billy would have given no heed. But Billy, naturally soft-hearted, saw real tears in the man’s eyes. His looks and manner now were in suchsharp contrast to that exhibited when he felt himself on the verge of an escape that even Worth felt a certain compunction. Could the man be shamming all the time, first in one way, then in another?With a side look at Phil, who was watching the road as he steered, he bent forward as he said:“Does the cord hurt you like that? Will you promise to be quiet if I loosen up those leg cords a bit? But mind you, none of your shenanigan, if I do!”“No—no—no—course not!” Thus the man mumbled, his breath coming and going tremulously, but his wet eyes, resting on Billy appealingly, suddenly changed their expression as Billy’s head bent down over the cord, and a swift, crafty gleam shot from under his treacherous brows, while Worth was bending over the confined legs. Meantime Phil, trusting to Billy’s watchfulness, was fully occupied with the wheel and the brakes, for right here was a bad bit of going.In manipulating the cord so as to loosen it a little—not too much—and while, in order to deceive Billy, the fellow kept up his groaning, Billy’s fingers were all needed. He hastily tucked under his arm the tube for a moment, as he contended with a stubborn portion of the knot.Watching both the condition of the loosening knot and noting that no one else seemed to be regarding them, the man shoved his legs apart. At the same time he seized the tube with both hands, jerking it from the arms of Worth. Then, springing to his feet, he raised the tube upward—all in the twinkling of an eye, so to speak.With one shoulder he pushed Billy heavily, so that the boy dropped back into his seat just as Quinn levelled a quick blow across the tonneau at Phil, still busy at the wheel. The blow came as a complete surprise to the latter, still fully occupied with the wheel and the brakes. Fortunately Phil happened to bend forward in shifting gears, and the blow aimed for Phil’s headfell glancingly along his shoulder. Even then the force was temporarily paralyzing.The boy shrunk still further forward under the blow, the movement causing him to press his foot on the brake. Hence they began to slow towards a stop. With his faculties still shaken, he mechanically threw on the halting gear, thus bringing the car to a gradual stop.Meanwhile Billy, seeing at once how he had been duped, raised up so forcibly that he bumped against the prisoner, who was trying to throw himself from the tonneau to the ground, his legs now being practically loose.“Ha, you will, eh?” gasped Worth. “I’ll show you!”Reaching forth he grabbed a leg of the leaping fugitive, holding on for dear life, so that instead of alighting on his feet, the fellow actually fell forward over the tonneau with his head and arms dragging along with the car. Reaching the earth, the man managed to wrench free from Billy’s clutch and finally kick himself loose, though with his arms still bound.Meantime Phil, having recovered, was already climbing from the car, and as the man scrambled to his feet he started in pursuit.“After him, Phil!” shouted Worth, bursting through the tonneau door. “He fooled me! Don’t give up! I’m behind you!”From then on it became a sharp though short race. First the fugitive, his hands tied behind, bareheaded, straining every nerve. Just in his rear came Phil, with every muscle doing double duty, reaching forward to grab him who fled. A yard or two behind was Billy, doing a stunt in rapid running that might have surprised him a few minutes before.The man was agile enough, though doubtless tired. Besides this his arms, inconveniently bound behind his back, doubtless interfered with his running. One result was that after several futile grasps, Phil was at last able to fasten his grip on the man’s tied arms. From that to passing an arm round his neck and hanging grimly on was but momentary.Then in came Billy, fairly frothing over themanner in which he had been tricked by the captive just when he was trying to make the stranger less uncomfortable. Between them they soon had him down on the ground where he writhed, kicked and twisted about in a climax of sheer desperation.Doubly exasperated, Billy managed to get hold of a stout, short bit of a club from amid the fallen litter of the woods, and brought it down smartly on the man’s head. It raised a welt, but he continued to struggle, though with decreasing force. Evidently he was becoming exhausted. Suddenly Worth jerked out his handkerchief, saying at the same time:“Gimme yours, Phil—quick!”Phil not only complied, but resumed holding down the stranger so effectively that in another minute Worth soon had his legs bound fast again.“Now let’s drag him back to the car and be off,” remarked Phil. “Really the way that chap acts causes me to feel sure we’ve made a haul that the law will more than sanction. YetI won’t feel safe until we have him back at Feeney’s.”The prisoner was lifted in the car where Billy stood over him, with pistol and the tube club ready for instant use if necessary. Without further trouble the Big Six sped along the rough roads until at length Feeney’s house was reached. What was their surprise to see another car drawn up before the yard gate, while two strange men were coming out of the house, evidently in a great hurry, preparatory to entering their own machine.
CHAPTER XV
AT THE OLD TAVERN
Phil offered no objection, but took the walking stick and at once entered the porch, making as little noise as possible. Billy came close behind, feeling the rubber tube to make sure that it could stun, if not kill, when handled with due precision and force.
As has been stated before, portions of the porch floor had been previously broken in, where the elements had too heavily tested the wood. Phil finally passed into the office without making any noise but Billy was not so lucky. Despite his care, he misjudged where he trod when he was near the doorway, when there was an ominous crackling sound under his last footstep.
“Cr-r-r-r—a-c-c-k!” Down went his leg, clear above his knee. In the effort to rise, down went the other leg with a similar crunchingcrumble, and there was Billy submerged, so to speak, to the waist. Nor did it stop there, for under the porch was a cellar that extended pretty well under the fore part of the ancient building.
For half a moment Billy’s form remained waist deep under the porch, when from below there came another crackling, crunching sound, and Billy began to descend at first slowly, as the rafters over the cellar began to collapse. Then down he went amid a cloud of dust from the rotting woodwork, as with a feverish exclamation he vanished from sight. Just at this instant Phil wheeled, startled by the noise Worth was making and started to whisper a cautionary “Silence!”
At this juncture Billy vanished from sight, though Phil heard him, as he struck the earth of the partially filled cellar, give voice as follows:
“Hullo, Phil! I’m gone!” And that was all Phil then heard from Billy.
Just then there came a scuffling noise fromthe interior, where a door, partially open, led from the old office to the rear room. Knowing that someone must be inside, for the noise was not from where Billy had gone down, Phil grasped his cane harder and dashed through the open door into the back room where he had before seen the forge and the tools, which he had not been able to understand at the time.
Right in front of him was another open door, beyond the hastily constructed forge; and down what seemed to be a cellar stairway he could see the head and shoulders of a man. The stranger was struggling upward, impeded by some burden he was carrying with difficulty.
It was difficult in the half light that filtered through the overhanging shade trees without to distinguish anything distinctly. All Phil could see was that the man wore a slouch hat, combed with cobwebs from the cellar region below. All at once came the conviction to the lad:
“This must be Dippy, whom the other was calling for so often.”
With this came Phil’s resolve to boldly moveup and prevent this mysterious fellow’s escape. He dashed forward, calling out:
“Halt, you! Give an account of yourself! I—”
Here the stranger, dropping the bundle he was carrying, attempted to spring up the last two steps, at the same time reaching behind and pulling forth something small that glittered in the semi-twilight. What could it be—a pistol? At the mere thought, Phil leaped nearer, struck at the glittering toy, while the descending blow knocked the fellow’s hat off and, partially stunning him, sent him back down the gloomy stairway. The lower end of this was shrouded in deeper gloom, though some light from a cellar window shed a little pale glow from the outside daylight.
Following closely, Phil began to stumble down the stairway, when he heard another’s unmistakable advance below. For Billy, still armed with the rubber tube, had heard the mix-up going on above, together with Phil’s loud tones and the succeeding fracas; and he saw dimly thetumbling of some bulky weight, followed by the heavier fall of a man’s body.
“Great goodness!” thought Worth. “Can that be Phil?”
With the thought he scrambled forward over heaps of loose earth to the firmer floor of the main part of the cellar, until he stood over a figure trying to rise. At the same time down stumbled his comrade, saying:
“I’ll get you yet—mind that!”
Satisfied now that it was not Phil at his feet, Billy brought down his heavy rubber tube over the man’s head, who sank back uttering a groan of pain. At the same time Phil, reaching the bottom of the stairway, saw something twinkle in the dirt at his feet. He picked it up.
“Here is the pistol he was trying to shoot me with, Billy. Don’t let him up while I feel for some cord I brought along.”
Billy, standing astride the prostrate man, took the pistol, a small affair. As the stranger groaned and moved Billy gave him another sharp tap with the tubing that seemed to settlehis hash, as the boys later expressed it.
Fingering the weapon, Billy found that it was loaded, all except one chamber. He looked up, saying:
“I bet a nickel against a cent that this is the same pistol that shot—what’s his name?—Horr.”
Meantime Phil, having produced several cords that he had taken from the tool box of the Six, proceeded to bind the stranger’s wrists together behind his back as he lay half stunned by Billy’s attack. While so doing, he stumbled against a heavy object that proved to be a cheap suitcase, filled by something that rattled metallically as it was moved. Having tied the man’s wrists, they half carried him up the stairway, through the back room and into the old office. Here Billy stood guard armed with the tube and the pistol. This last they discovered was enough like the one Billy had at home to be its mate. Also one chamber being empty, Phil at once felt sure—with Worth—that they now held the very weapon that had been fired atHorr, the supposed comrade of the man now recovering his senses at their feet.
“Watch him close, Billy,” cautioned Phil, “while I go below and get that suitcase, and look around a little before we go back to Feeney’s.”
“Don’t be uneasy, Phil. I’ll watch him all right. Ain’t I just getting even for the way those two did me when they ran away with our car?”
While Phil was gone below the stranger, recovering his senses, and seeing only a boy standing over him, looked up with cunning, yet imploring eyes.
“Say, kid,” he weakly began, “that was a bad blow you hit me. My head’s about to bust. You’ve tied my arms too tight. Please loose me. I won’t do anything.”
“No, you won’t! Not while I’m in sight! Remember how you and your pal, who’s been calling on you constantly, did for me when you caught me fast asleep? Not much will you get away! Just bank on that, will you?”
“I mean all right, boy. ’Deed I do! Justcame back here for a few things that belong to us. Be a good boy. Turn me loose. I’ll go with you all right.”
“No, you won’t! We don’t trust you. Besides that, your pal’s begging us hard to fetch ‘Dippy’ back. Wants to see you and ask you why you shot him after stealing our car. Do you catch on?”
At this the man, whose head and shoulder was bruised and aching from the effect of Billy’s rubber tube, seemed to give up. But Worth had one more arrow. He produced the pistol, showed the man the one empty chamber, and said:
“Look here, Quinn. That’s your name or the one you go by, for Horr said it was. See that empty cartridge? I know these Smith & Wesson twenty-twos, for I’ve got one at home myself. We got the bullet, too. It glanced off and came out. You might as well own up now and thank your stars you didn’t kill your pal, or you would be in for murder as well as these other jobs.”
But before the man could make any rejoinder back came Phil with the suitcase which seemed quite heavy. In the other hand he carried the stranger’s black felt hat, from which Phil had brushed most of the dust and cobwebs and placed it on the man’s head as he now sat leaning against the edge of the tottering counter behind which the boys had found Billy after his capture by the two who attempted to escape with the Six.
“Can you stand and walk?” queried Phil. “We’ve got to put you in our car; the one you and Horr tried to steal.”
The man, now sullen enough, made no reply. Without more ado they helped him up and started with him towards the porch. Though his hands were tied, he went grudgingly until he saw the big, yawning open space made by Worth when the boy fell through both porch floor and the cellar roofing below. The sight seemed to nerve the man to a final effort.
As they stood at the outer office entrance he suddenly pushed against Phil on one side andat the same time butted his head into Worth as forcibly as possible. Worth fell down while Phil, overborne by the weight of the suitcase, seemed in danger of stepping into the hole in front. The man, seeing a wild chance, drew back his foot, and was about to kick at the suitcase as if to send it through the hole in front.
“You would, would you?” grunted Billy, recovering in time to put his back against the door-facing and administer a push with his foot to the man, still standing on one leg in the act of kicking at the suitcase.
Down he went, the intended kick going wild. At the same moment Phil, having dropped the suitcase, sprang upon the man and with Billy’s ready aid, managed to bind both legs fast together, so that he lay helpless. After that the boys dragged their prisoner across the porch, then they carried him to where the car stood amid the shrubbery and placed him in the tonneau.
“Now, Billy,” said Phil, “you watch him close. I’ll go back, get that bag of his, shut thedoors and come back. Don’t take your eyes off him. He’s tricky!”
And Phil again went back while Worth stood over the man watchful and wary.
He was a sullen looking chap, like and yet unlike the stranger whom, with his partner, Billy had briefly seen that day at Feeney’s. His eyes, roving about, avoided Billy, while he apparently looked for some further loop-hole that might offer another chance to resist or afford a possible escape.
“No good, old man,” remarked Worth, standing over him with the tube in hand, ready for any move the bound man might make. “You’ve got to go with us.”
“Look here!” suddenly said the fellow. “We’ve got money—me and my partner. Why not turn us loose on the quiet? We’ll make it all right—sure.”
“How do we know you’ll make it all right? Didn’t you shoot your own partner? He says you did. He calls you Dippy Quinn. That your name?”
“Oh, that’s nothing! I was reloading the pistol. It went off ’fore I knew a thing. That’s the real goods, boy! As I said, he and me have the dough. Two hundred of it’s yours, provided you’ll turn us loose—on the quiet.”
“You’re talking to no good, Quinn. I wouldn’t be party to turning either you or Horr loose, not if you placed twice that amount in my hands right now.”
About this time Phil was seen coming, lugging what appeared to be a very heavy suitcase, evidently packed full of something that weighed about as much as Phil could carry. At sight of this the man seemed beside himself with anger. He almost spat in Billy’s face as he declared:
“You’re both a dirty set of rogues! Yes, both of you! That,” pointing at the packed bag, “is mine—mine and my partner’s. We wasn’t bothering you—”
“Oh, no!” laughed Billy. “Come, that’s good! All you did was to gag and tie me and try to steal our car. That’s a mere nothing, of course.”
Phil, by this time arriving, seated himself at the wheel, putting the bag beside him. Then he looked warningly at Worth, saying:
“Keep a sharp eye out, Billy. If he gets too obstreperous, just use the tube. If that don’t quiet him, try his pistol.”
Then he started the car, steering carefully until they had turned round and were headed up the old road leading through the timber towards Feeney’s. As the car bumped along over the rough places, Quinn seemed to be suffering greatly, his tightly bound ankles being the cause of his present misery.
“Honest, boy,” he began, “at least loose my legs! I sprained my ankle somehow in our scrap back yonder. Besides, there’s a boil on my leg. Just loosen it up a bit—that’s a good kid!”
One would have supposed that with the previous experience they had had with this man, Billy would have given no heed. But Billy, naturally soft-hearted, saw real tears in the man’s eyes. His looks and manner now were in suchsharp contrast to that exhibited when he felt himself on the verge of an escape that even Worth felt a certain compunction. Could the man be shamming all the time, first in one way, then in another?
With a side look at Phil, who was watching the road as he steered, he bent forward as he said:
“Does the cord hurt you like that? Will you promise to be quiet if I loosen up those leg cords a bit? But mind you, none of your shenanigan, if I do!”
“No—no—no—course not!” Thus the man mumbled, his breath coming and going tremulously, but his wet eyes, resting on Billy appealingly, suddenly changed their expression as Billy’s head bent down over the cord, and a swift, crafty gleam shot from under his treacherous brows, while Worth was bending over the confined legs. Meantime Phil, trusting to Billy’s watchfulness, was fully occupied with the wheel and the brakes, for right here was a bad bit of going.
In manipulating the cord so as to loosen it a little—not too much—and while, in order to deceive Billy, the fellow kept up his groaning, Billy’s fingers were all needed. He hastily tucked under his arm the tube for a moment, as he contended with a stubborn portion of the knot.
Watching both the condition of the loosening knot and noting that no one else seemed to be regarding them, the man shoved his legs apart. At the same time he seized the tube with both hands, jerking it from the arms of Worth. Then, springing to his feet, he raised the tube upward—all in the twinkling of an eye, so to speak.
With one shoulder he pushed Billy heavily, so that the boy dropped back into his seat just as Quinn levelled a quick blow across the tonneau at Phil, still busy at the wheel. The blow came as a complete surprise to the latter, still fully occupied with the wheel and the brakes. Fortunately Phil happened to bend forward in shifting gears, and the blow aimed for Phil’s headfell glancingly along his shoulder. Even then the force was temporarily paralyzing.
The boy shrunk still further forward under the blow, the movement causing him to press his foot on the brake. Hence they began to slow towards a stop. With his faculties still shaken, he mechanically threw on the halting gear, thus bringing the car to a gradual stop.
Meanwhile Billy, seeing at once how he had been duped, raised up so forcibly that he bumped against the prisoner, who was trying to throw himself from the tonneau to the ground, his legs now being practically loose.
“Ha, you will, eh?” gasped Worth. “I’ll show you!”
Reaching forth he grabbed a leg of the leaping fugitive, holding on for dear life, so that instead of alighting on his feet, the fellow actually fell forward over the tonneau with his head and arms dragging along with the car. Reaching the earth, the man managed to wrench free from Billy’s clutch and finally kick himself loose, though with his arms still bound.
Meantime Phil, having recovered, was already climbing from the car, and as the man scrambled to his feet he started in pursuit.
“After him, Phil!” shouted Worth, bursting through the tonneau door. “He fooled me! Don’t give up! I’m behind you!”
From then on it became a sharp though short race. First the fugitive, his hands tied behind, bareheaded, straining every nerve. Just in his rear came Phil, with every muscle doing double duty, reaching forward to grab him who fled. A yard or two behind was Billy, doing a stunt in rapid running that might have surprised him a few minutes before.
The man was agile enough, though doubtless tired. Besides this his arms, inconveniently bound behind his back, doubtless interfered with his running. One result was that after several futile grasps, Phil was at last able to fasten his grip on the man’s tied arms. From that to passing an arm round his neck and hanging grimly on was but momentary.
Then in came Billy, fairly frothing over themanner in which he had been tricked by the captive just when he was trying to make the stranger less uncomfortable. Between them they soon had him down on the ground where he writhed, kicked and twisted about in a climax of sheer desperation.
Doubly exasperated, Billy managed to get hold of a stout, short bit of a club from amid the fallen litter of the woods, and brought it down smartly on the man’s head. It raised a welt, but he continued to struggle, though with decreasing force. Evidently he was becoming exhausted. Suddenly Worth jerked out his handkerchief, saying at the same time:
“Gimme yours, Phil—quick!”
Phil not only complied, but resumed holding down the stranger so effectively that in another minute Worth soon had his legs bound fast again.
“Now let’s drag him back to the car and be off,” remarked Phil. “Really the way that chap acts causes me to feel sure we’ve made a haul that the law will more than sanction. YetI won’t feel safe until we have him back at Feeney’s.”
The prisoner was lifted in the car where Billy stood over him, with pistol and the tube club ready for instant use if necessary. Without further trouble the Big Six sped along the rough roads until at length Feeney’s house was reached. What was their surprise to see another car drawn up before the yard gate, while two strange men were coming out of the house, evidently in a great hurry, preparatory to entering their own machine.
CHAPTER XVICONCLUSIONAt sight of the Big Six they halted, while in their rear came MacLester and Paul, with Mr. Feeney looking over their shoulders in sheer amazement at what his eyes beheld. Noting Worth’s and Phil’s disordered attire and the bound, somewhat bruised captive inside the tonneau, the foremost man came forward, saying to the two lads:“Well, well! I guess you have saved us some trouble, you boys!” He waved a hand at his partner. “Permit me to introduce self and partner. We’re from Buffalo, plain clothes detectives, secret service. McPherson is my name; Westcott that of my partner. We already know yours through Mr. Rack, of Syracuse. Guess you know him. This man,” pointingat Quinn, “and the other chap inside have been wanted some time for illegal coinage. After putting them under guard we will visit that old Tavern for further proofs. What’s this?”“It’s what that man Quinn was trying to lug off when we took him. Before that they had stolen our car—” This from Billy.“I know, I know! And you got this, did you? Pretty good!” McPherson had opened the valise, disclosing tools, dies, bars of metal and numerous coins. “We were at Midlandville. Heard of you there. Also got wind of these chaps and the old Tavern, and, prompted by Rack, we hurried along, fearing you lads might alarm them, inadvertently of course. But you have done well, remarkably well! There’s a thousand reward out for them and it looks as if you four boys will have decidedly the best claim.”Meantime Westcott, assisted by Feeney, who greeted the two lads effusively, carried in Quinn to join his comrade under strict guard.“Are you not entitled to that reward, Mr. McPherson?” asked Phil at length.“No, sir. Not if anyone else does more than we in apprehending them. It looks now as if you four and perhaps Feeney and his folks will be entitled to all there is in it.”It may be said here that after all was over, the boys insisted that the Feeneys should share proportionately in the reward. It did Phil good to see the delight which these humble, hard working folks felt in what the third of that reward might do for them. They needed it and were glad to get it besides being grateful to our boys for being so generous.Three days later the Big Six rolled smoothly into Lannington once more. Glad indeed were the Auto Boys to see again the dear home faces and receive the sweet home greetings. “And also, and likewise,” said Mr. Paul Jones, “home cooking beats the world!”A number of weeks later the boys read of Adam W. Kull being sentenced to serve seven years in prison, while Grant Coster received asentence of two years. Thus vividly reminded of their adventures, the friends renewed a former effort to learn how Scottie had happened to appear in Lannington, their own home city. They could not, though it was evident that the dog, always even humanly fond of automobiles, had followed some car there.Phil and Billy were now preparing to enter college. Dave was already occupying a steady position in his father’s shop and Paul was about to take up engineering in a school near home. Slowly but surely the almost unbroken companionship of years’ duration was encroached upon by the demands the days were bringing. The boys were growing older. But I know there were still no pleasanter hours for any of them than when, on holidays and of an evening, they sometimes met again at the little green and yellow garage under the whispering elms.THE ENDRider Agents WANTEDBoys and young men everywhere are making good money taking orders for “Ranger” bicycles and bicycle tires. You are privileged to select the particular style of Ranger bicycle you prefer: Motorbike model, “Arch-Frame,” “Superbe” “Scout,” “Special,” “Racer,” etc. While you ride and enjoy it in your spare time hours—after school or work, evenings and holidays—your admiring friends can be easily induced to place their orders through you.Factory to Rider.Every purchaser of a Ranger bicycle (on our factory-direct-to-the-rider sales plan) gets a high-grade fully guaranteed model direct from the factory at wholesale prices, and is privileged to ride it for 30 days before final acceptance. If not satisfied it may be returned at our expense and no charge is made for the use of machine during trial.Choice of 44 Styles. Colors and Sizes in the Ranger lineDelivered to You FREEWe prepay the delivery charges on every Ranger from our factory in Chicago to your town and pay the return charges to Chicago if you decide not to keep it. If you want to be a Rider Agent or if you want a good bicycle at a low price, write us to-day for the big free Ranger Catalog, wholesale prices, terms and full particulars.Parts For All BicyclesIn the Ranger catalog you will find illustrated bicycle cranks, cups, cones, sprockets and a complete Universal Repair Hanger and Repair Front Forks designed to fit any and every bicycle ever manufactured in America. Complete instructions are given so that any boy can intelligently order the parts wanted. You will also find repair parts for all the standard makes of hubs and coaster-brakes and all the latest equipment and novelties.Tires at Factory Prices Share with us our savings in Trainload Tire Contracts and in the Samson, Record and Hedgethorn Tires get the best Tire values in America at Wholesale Factory Prices.Send No Money But write us TO-DAY for the Big Ranger Book and particulars of our 30 Day Free Trial Plan, wholesale prices and terms.MEAD CYCLE COMPANYDept. H 211 CHICAGO, U.S.A.SUMMER SNOW AND OTHER FAIRY PLAYSBy GRACE RICHARDSONFinding there is a wide demand for plays which commend themselves to amateurs and to casts comprised largely of children. Miss Richardson, already well and widely known, has here given four plays which, are unusually clever and fill this need. They call for but little stage setting, and that of the simplest kind, are suited to presentation the year around, and can be effectively produced by amateurs without difficulty.CLOTH BINDING . . . $1.00PUCK: IN PETTICOATSBy GRACE RICHARDSONFive plays about children, for children to play—Hansel and Gretel, The Wishing Well, The Ring of Salt, The Moon Dream, and Puck in Petticoats. Each is accompanied by stage directions, property plots and other helpful suggestions for acting. Some of the plays take but twenty minutes, others as long as an hour to produce, and every one of the five are clever.CLOTH BINDING . . . $1.00HANDY BOOK OF PLAYS FOR GIRLSBy DOROTHY CLEATHERNot one of the six sparkling plays between these covers calls for a male character, being designed for the use of casts of girls only. They are easily, effectively staged—just the sort that girls like to play and that enthusiastic audiences heartily enjoy.CLOTH BINDING . . . $0.50
CHAPTER XVI
CONCLUSION
At sight of the Big Six they halted, while in their rear came MacLester and Paul, with Mr. Feeney looking over their shoulders in sheer amazement at what his eyes beheld. Noting Worth’s and Phil’s disordered attire and the bound, somewhat bruised captive inside the tonneau, the foremost man came forward, saying to the two lads:
“Well, well! I guess you have saved us some trouble, you boys!” He waved a hand at his partner. “Permit me to introduce self and partner. We’re from Buffalo, plain clothes detectives, secret service. McPherson is my name; Westcott that of my partner. We already know yours through Mr. Rack, of Syracuse. Guess you know him. This man,” pointingat Quinn, “and the other chap inside have been wanted some time for illegal coinage. After putting them under guard we will visit that old Tavern for further proofs. What’s this?”
“It’s what that man Quinn was trying to lug off when we took him. Before that they had stolen our car—” This from Billy.
“I know, I know! And you got this, did you? Pretty good!” McPherson had opened the valise, disclosing tools, dies, bars of metal and numerous coins. “We were at Midlandville. Heard of you there. Also got wind of these chaps and the old Tavern, and, prompted by Rack, we hurried along, fearing you lads might alarm them, inadvertently of course. But you have done well, remarkably well! There’s a thousand reward out for them and it looks as if you four boys will have decidedly the best claim.”
Meantime Westcott, assisted by Feeney, who greeted the two lads effusively, carried in Quinn to join his comrade under strict guard.
“Are you not entitled to that reward, Mr. McPherson?” asked Phil at length.
“No, sir. Not if anyone else does more than we in apprehending them. It looks now as if you four and perhaps Feeney and his folks will be entitled to all there is in it.”
It may be said here that after all was over, the boys insisted that the Feeneys should share proportionately in the reward. It did Phil good to see the delight which these humble, hard working folks felt in what the third of that reward might do for them. They needed it and were glad to get it besides being grateful to our boys for being so generous.
Three days later the Big Six rolled smoothly into Lannington once more. Glad indeed were the Auto Boys to see again the dear home faces and receive the sweet home greetings. “And also, and likewise,” said Mr. Paul Jones, “home cooking beats the world!”
A number of weeks later the boys read of Adam W. Kull being sentenced to serve seven years in prison, while Grant Coster received asentence of two years. Thus vividly reminded of their adventures, the friends renewed a former effort to learn how Scottie had happened to appear in Lannington, their own home city. They could not, though it was evident that the dog, always even humanly fond of automobiles, had followed some car there.
Phil and Billy were now preparing to enter college. Dave was already occupying a steady position in his father’s shop and Paul was about to take up engineering in a school near home. Slowly but surely the almost unbroken companionship of years’ duration was encroached upon by the demands the days were bringing. The boys were growing older. But I know there were still no pleasanter hours for any of them than when, on holidays and of an evening, they sometimes met again at the little green and yellow garage under the whispering elms.
THE END
Rider Agents WANTED
Boys and young men everywhere are making good money taking orders for “Ranger” bicycles and bicycle tires. You are privileged to select the particular style of Ranger bicycle you prefer: Motorbike model, “Arch-Frame,” “Superbe” “Scout,” “Special,” “Racer,” etc. While you ride and enjoy it in your spare time hours—after school or work, evenings and holidays—your admiring friends can be easily induced to place their orders through you.
Factory to Rider.
Every purchaser of a Ranger bicycle (on our factory-direct-to-the-rider sales plan) gets a high-grade fully guaranteed model direct from the factory at wholesale prices, and is privileged to ride it for 30 days before final acceptance. If not satisfied it may be returned at our expense and no charge is made for the use of machine during trial.
Choice of 44 Styles. Colors and Sizes in the Ranger line
Delivered to You FREE
We prepay the delivery charges on every Ranger from our factory in Chicago to your town and pay the return charges to Chicago if you decide not to keep it. If you want to be a Rider Agent or if you want a good bicycle at a low price, write us to-day for the big free Ranger Catalog, wholesale prices, terms and full particulars.
Parts For All Bicycles
In the Ranger catalog you will find illustrated bicycle cranks, cups, cones, sprockets and a complete Universal Repair Hanger and Repair Front Forks designed to fit any and every bicycle ever manufactured in America. Complete instructions are given so that any boy can intelligently order the parts wanted. You will also find repair parts for all the standard makes of hubs and coaster-brakes and all the latest equipment and novelties.
Tires at Factory Prices Share with us our savings in Trainload Tire Contracts and in the Samson, Record and Hedgethorn Tires get the best Tire values in America at Wholesale Factory Prices.
Send No Money But write us TO-DAY for the Big Ranger Book and particulars of our 30 Day Free Trial Plan, wholesale prices and terms.
MEAD CYCLE COMPANY
Dept. H 211 CHICAGO, U.S.A.
SUMMER SNOW AND OTHER FAIRY PLAYS
By GRACE RICHARDSON
Finding there is a wide demand for plays which commend themselves to amateurs and to casts comprised largely of children. Miss Richardson, already well and widely known, has here given four plays which, are unusually clever and fill this need. They call for but little stage setting, and that of the simplest kind, are suited to presentation the year around, and can be effectively produced by amateurs without difficulty.
CLOTH BINDING . . . $1.00
PUCK: IN PETTICOATS
By GRACE RICHARDSON
Five plays about children, for children to play—Hansel and Gretel, The Wishing Well, The Ring of Salt, The Moon Dream, and Puck in Petticoats. Each is accompanied by stage directions, property plots and other helpful suggestions for acting. Some of the plays take but twenty minutes, others as long as an hour to produce, and every one of the five are clever.
CLOTH BINDING . . . $1.00
HANDY BOOK OF PLAYS FOR GIRLS
By DOROTHY CLEATHER
Not one of the six sparkling plays between these covers calls for a male character, being designed for the use of casts of girls only. They are easily, effectively staged—just the sort that girls like to play and that enthusiastic audiences heartily enjoy.
CLOTH BINDING . . . $0.50