CHAPTER XXIV.CONCLUSION.

CHAPTER XXIV.CONCLUSION.

“You’re sure that’s a dog in the cavern?” demanded Ben as the three crossed the summit and entered the gully, after leaving their machine on the shelf to the east.

“Sure it’s a dog in the cavern!” insisted Terry. “And look here,” he went on, glancing keenly about, “there’s two fellows hanging around here somewhere. They’re the chaps who set me to watching the Englishman early last night. They claim to be connected with the business men who are hunting over on the other side of the valley, but I guess they are just plain mountain hoboes who have been hired to do the dirty work for the sportsmen.”

“I don’t see them anywhere around!” Ben suggested.

“I don’t think they’re here, don’t you know!” DuBois put in, looking far down the gully. “You see,” he continued, “the camp-fire has gone out, and there hasn’t been any breakfast cooked here this morning.”

“They probably made a sneak after you got away,” Ben replied. “They knew they wouldn’t get any money for what they did after that, so they probably took to their heels.”

“They may be watching around, don’t you know,” the Englishman insisted. “I don’t like the idea of hanging around here without knowing whether they are watching us from some of these bloody rocks.”

The three hunted faithfully for a long time, notwithstanding the fact that Terry was constantly complaining that the dog would be almost starved to death. At last, however, they gave over the quest and moved on to the entrance to the cavern.

Just before they entered, Ben caught the Englishman by the shoulder and faced him around toward the valley.

“Look who’s here!” he said.

What they both saw was theAnnand a strange aeroplane moving swiftly in their direction.

“I guess Mr. Havens is moving the whole camp over!” Ben suggested. “And I haven’t got a word to say against it if he is! It’s rotten the way we’ve left him alone.”

“I think that’s Mr. Havens in theAnn!” declared Jimmie handing the field-glass to Ben. “And I think that’s Carl with him!”

Ben inspected the approaching flying machines through the glass and declared that Mr. Havens and Carl were on board theAnn, and that Dick Sherman and two unknown men were on the strange machine.

“I’d like to know what they’re coming here for!” Jimmie exclaimed. “Just as we get the thing all ready to make a home run, and get a hungry dog out of a hole in a wall, they come butting in to split the glory!”

“And the reward!” added Ben with a grin.

“I don’t know where the machines can land, don’t you know!” suggested DuBois.

The aviators, however, found landing-places. Mr. Havens lighting on the shelf where the fire had been, and Dick Sherman coming to earth close beside the machine Ben had brought.

In a short time the two parties met almost directly in front of the cavern. To the surprise of the other members of the party, Dick Sherman called the Englishman aside and spoke to him earnestly for a few moments. At the conclusion of the conversation, the Englishman’s face fairly beamed with good nature.

“I’d like to know what’s coming off here!” cried Jimmie.

“That’s what I’d like to know,” put in Terry tipsily. “Here we’ve got a perfectly good breakfast in this basket getting cold, and I don’t know what that dog’ll say when we give him a frosty meal! I wish now that I’d gone and fed him while you boys were hunting for those two outlaws you didn’t find!”

“What do you think, Mr. DuBois,” Carl broke in. “Dick Sherman arrested Neil Howell and Chubby over there at the hunters’ camp and left them handcuffed and tied up in one of our tents.”

“Yes, he was just telling me about that, don’t you know,” replied the Englishman.

“Well, how the old scratch did he get any information against them?” demanded Ben. “If he’s got them under arrest for complicity in the abduction of inspector Colleton, why doesn’t he say so?”

“Suppose they are implicated in the abduction case,” demanded Carl, “how did Officer Sherman come to know anything about it? He hasn’t been working on the case.”

Ben broke into a shout of laughter, and Terry, who was beginning to think the breakfast never would be needed, turned hastily into the cavern.

“Look here,” Ben said in a moment, “I didn’t tell you boys everything that took place at Field last night. After I got done telegraphing, Mr. DuBois took the wire and held a long conversation with Officer Sherman. How he found Sherman I don’t know, but the operator seemed to help a lot, after Mr. DuBois gave him a roll of bills that would choke a cow, and in the end they routed out the officer, and the arrest of Howell and Chubby is the result of that conference.”

“Oh, come, don’t you know!” pleaded the Englishman. “I only told Mr. Sherman what I suspected. You see this man Howell appeared to recognize that bag, and his manner showed me that he was in cahoots with the man in brown who was killed in the race.”

“Come on, come on!” yelled Terry. “I’ve got a patient in here starving to death!”

“We really ought to hurry,” advised Ben. “I’m afraid we’ve been too full of our own schemes to appreciate the exact situation.”

“Come along, then,” advised Terry.

The whole party, save Mr. Havens, trooped into the cavern and turned to the left when they came to the rock which split the subterranean place into two chambers. Keeping straight on, illuminating the cavern with their searchlights as they went, they came to an opening in the south wall which had been temporarily barricaded with rocks and timbers.

When Ben held the searchlight to the small opening between the top timber and the roof of the chamber a pale and frightened face looked out.

“Hello, Colleton!” exclaimed Ben.

“Thank God!” was all the imprisoned man said.

In a short time the barricade was down and the inspector, safe and sound, was out in the open air, talking earnestly with Mr. Havens who, of course, had not entered the cavern.

“I never expected to see the light of day again!” the inspector said in a trembling voice.

“Now, don’t begin to tell us the story of your life,” warned old Terry, advancing with the basket of provisions. “You eat this good breakfast!”

“But, look here, Terry,” Jimmie grinned. “You said you wanted that breakfast for a dog!”

“Sure!” exclaimed the old crook. “I forgot all about the dog!”

He raced back into the cavern and soon returned carrying a little puppy in his arms.

“He was asleep when you brought me out!” Colleton explained. “I forgot all about him. He’s been a great deal of comfort to me!”

“Do you mean to say, Terry, that you ordered all that breakfast for that little puppy?” demanded Jimmie.

“Well,” replied the old crook, “I really wanted the breakfast for the dog, but I didn’t know but the man might eat part of it! You see,” he continued, “I promised the outlaws that I wouldn’t tell where this man,” pointing to Colleton, “was, and I promised that I wouldn’t lead any one to him, so I had to keep my word, don’t you see?”

“But you did tell us where he was and you did lead us to him!” laughed Jimmie.

“No, I didn’t,” argued Terry, “I told you where there was a hungry little puppy, and I took you to where he was. Of course, if you discovered the man when we went to feed the puppy, I’m not to blame for that.”

“You’re an old fraud, Terry!” cried Jimmie.

“Yes, he’s an old fraud,” laughed Dick Sherman, “but I’m going to see that he gets out of this little scrape and leads a decent life. He’ll be all right if he only quits the booze act.”

“I’ve quit now!” insisted Terry. “I’ve limited myself to two pint bottles a day!”

“Well,” Mr. Havens said, “so far as I can see, the case is closed. The man who abducted Colleton is dead. Two of the men who assisted in his abduction are under arrest, and the proof which points to the Kuro mail-order company as the principal in the crime is complete. All that remains for us to do is to see that the prisoners get to Washington and that the proof is placed before the grand jury. That will close the case so far as we are concerned.”

“Then,” said Jimmie with a sly grin, “I move we stay in the mountains a couple of weeks and have a little fun before we go to Washington.”

“That would please me!” replied Dick Sherman, “but I’ve got to get busy getting this whiskey out, and looking up proof against the smugglers now under arrest.”

All the others returned to the old camp, from which the prisoners were taken that night by the officer, and a great feast was spread in honor of the victory which had been gained.

The boys hunted game, fished in the clear mountain streams, and sailed over valley and mountain in their aeroplanes for two glorious weeks and then returned to New York.

When they reached the big city, the Colleton case was entirely disposed of. Howell and Chubby had pleaded guilty and received long sentences, and the members of the fraudulent mail-order company had been convicted and sentenced to ten years each.

The large reward which had been offered for the discovery of Colleton and the arrest of the perpetrators of the outrage was paid to Mr. Havens, according to his previous bargain with the secret service department. In time, of course, the most of the cash found its way into the hands of the three boys.

When Colleton came to relate the story of his abduction it was discovered that Ben and Jimmie had actually reasoned out the events practically as they had taken place. The inspector had been drugged in his office by a cigar, disguised there, forced to open the safe and desk and bring out the papers, and had been taken across the continent in a Pullman stateroom as stated. He remembered little or nothing after opening the safe in his own office in Washington until he found himself in the smugglers’ cavern, having been kept under the influence of opiates during all that time. To this day Colleton occasionally asks Jimmie if every one of the excerpts from his “dream-book” come true.

The Englishman remained for some months in New York, the guest of Mr. Havens at the hangar on Long Island, and on many occasions he was asked to tell the story of the mysterious hand-bag bought of the porter on the Pullman train, and to relate in full the adventures of the bag and its contents until the day the disguise and the documents it had contained landed a prominent and wealthy mail-order firm in the penitentiary, and Mr. Havens was often called upon to relate the events leading up to the Capture in the Air.

THE END.

THE END.

THE END.

The Boy Spies Series

The Boy Spies Series

The Boy Spies Series

These stories are based on important historical events, scenes wherein boys are prominent characters being selected. They are the romance of history, vigorously told, with careful fidelity to picturing the home life and accurate in every particular wherein mention is made of movement of troops, or the doings of noted persons.

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THE BOY SPIES WITH LAFAYETTE. The story of how two boys joined the Continental Army. By James Otis. Cloth. Price 60 cents.

THE BOY SPIES ON CHESAPEAKE BAY. The story of two young spies under Commodore Barney. By James Otis. Cloth. Price 60 cents.

THE BOY SPIES WITH THE REGULATORS. The story of how the boys assisted the Carolina Patriots to drive the British from that State. By James Otis. Cloth. Price 60 cents.

THE BOY SPIES WITH THE SWAMP FOX. The story of General Marion and his young spies. By James Otis. Cloth. Price 60 cents.

THE BOY SPIES AT YORKTOWN. The story of how the spies helped General Lafayette in the Siege of Yorktown. By James Otis. Cloth. Price 60 cents.

THE BOY SPIES OF PHILADELPHIA. The story of how the young spies helped the Continental Army at Valley Forge. By James Otis. Cloth. Price 60 cents.

THE BOY SPIES AT FORT GRISWOLD. The story of the part they took in its brave defense. By William P. Chipman. Cloth. Price 60 cents.

THE BOY SPIES OF OLD NEW YORK. The story of how the young spies prevented the capture of General Washington. By James Otis. Cloth. Price 60 cents.

For sale by all booksellers, or sent postpaid on receipt ofprice by the publishers,A. L. BURT COMPANY, 52-58 Duane St., New York.

For sale by all booksellers, or sent postpaid on receipt ofprice by the publishers,A. L. BURT COMPANY, 52-58 Duane St., New York.

For sale by all booksellers, or sent postpaid on receipt of

price by the publishers,

A. L. BURT COMPANY, 52-58 Duane St., New York.

The Navy Boys Series

The Navy Boys Series

The Navy Boys Series

These stories are based on important historical naval events, scenes wherein boys are prominent characters being selected. They are the romance of history, vigorously told, with careful fidelity to picturing the life on ship-board, and accurate in every particular wherein mention is made of movement of vessels or the doings of noted persons.

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THE NAVY BOYS’ CRUISE WITH PAUL JONES. A boys’ story of a cruise with the Great Commodore in 1776. By James Otis. Cloth. Price 60 cents.

THE NAVY BOYS ON LAKE ONTARIO. The story of two boys and their adventures in the war of 1812. By James Otis. Cloth. Price 60 cents.

THE NAVY BOYS’ CRUISE ON THE PICKERING. A boy’s story of privateering in 1780. By James Otis. Cloth. Price 60 cents.

THE NAVY BOYS IN NEW YORK BAY. A story of three boys who took command of the schooner “The Laughing Mary,” the first vessel of the American Navy. By James Otis. Cloth. Price 60 cents.

THE NAVY BOYS IN THE TRACK OF THE ENEMY. The story of a remarkable cruise with the Sloop of War “Providence” and the Frigate “Alfred.” By William P. Chipman. Cloth. Price 60 cents.

THE NAVY BOYS’ DARING CAPTURE. The story of how the navy boys helped to capture the British Cutter “Margaretta,” in 1775. By William P. Chipman. Cloth. Price 60 cents.

THE NAVY BOYS’ CRUISE TO THE BAHAMAS. The adventures of two Yankee Middies with the first cruise of an American Squadron in 1775. By William P. Chipman. Cloth. Price 60 cents.

THE NAVY BOYS’ CRUISE WITH COLUMBUS. The adventures of two boys who sailed with the great Admiral in his discovery of America. By Frederick A. Ober. Cloth. Price 60 cents.

For sale by all booksellers, or sent postpaid on receipt ofprice by the publishers,A. L. BURT COMPANY, 52-58 Duane St., New York.

For sale by all booksellers, or sent postpaid on receipt ofprice by the publishers,A. L. BURT COMPANY, 52-58 Duane St., New York.

For sale by all booksellers, or sent postpaid on receipt of

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The Boy Chums SeriesBy WILMER M. ELYHandsome Cloth Binding. Price, 60 CentsPer Volume.

The Boy Chums SeriesBy WILMER M. ELYHandsome Cloth Binding. Price, 60 CentsPer Volume.

The Boy Chums Series

By WILMER M. ELY

Handsome Cloth Binding. Price, 60 Cents

Per Volume.

In this series of remarkable stories by Wilmer M. Ely are described the adventures of two boy chums—Charley West and Walter Hazard—in the great swamps of interior Florida and among the cays off the Florida Coast, and through the Bahama Islands. These are real, live boys, and their experiences are well worth following. If you read one book you will surely be anxious for those that are to follow.

A book

THE BOY CHUMS ON INDIAN RIVER, or The Boy Partners of the Schooner “Orphan.”

In this story Charley West and Walter Hazard meet deadly rattlesnakes; have a battle with a wild panther; are attacked by outlaws; their boat is towed by a swordfish; they are shipwrecked by a monster manatee fish, and pass safely through many exciting scenes of danger.

THE BOY CHUMS ON HAUNTED ISLAND, or Hunting for Pearls in the Bahama Islands.

This book tells the story of the boy chums, Charley West and Walter Hazard, whose adventures on the schooner “Eager Quest,” hunting for pearls among the Bahama Islands, are fully recorded. Their hairbreadth escapes from the treacherous quicksands and dangerous water spouts; how they lost their vessel and were cast away on a lonely island, and their escape therefrom are fully told.

THE BOY CHUMS IN THE FOREST, or Hunting for Plume Birds in the Florida Everglades.

The story of the boy chums hunting the blue herons and the pink and white egrets for their plumes in the forests of Florida is full of danger and excitement. How the chums encountered the Indians; their battles with the escaped convicts; their fight with the wild boars and alligators are fully told.

THE BOY CHUMS’ PERILOUS CRUISE, or Searching for Wreckage on the Florida Coast.

This story of the boy chums’ adventures on and off the Florida Coast describes many scenes of daring and adventure, in hunting for ships stranded and cargoes washed ashore. The boy chums passed through many exciting scenes, on shore and island; and the loss of their vessel, the “Eager Quest,” they will long remember.

THE BOY CHUMS IN THE GULF OF MEXICO, or a Dangerous Cruise with the Greek Spongers.

This story of the boy chums, Charley West and Walter Hazard, hunting for sponges, is filled with many adventures. The dangers of gathering sponges are fully described; the chums meet with sharks and alligators; and they are cast away on a desert island. Their rescue and arrival home make a most interesting story.

For sale by all booksellers, or sent postpaid on receipt ofprice by the publishers,A. L. BURT COMPANY, 52-58 Duane St., New York.

For sale by all booksellers, or sent postpaid on receipt ofprice by the publishers,A. L. BURT COMPANY, 52-58 Duane St., New York.

For sale by all booksellers, or sent postpaid on receipt of

price by the publishers,

A. L. BURT COMPANY, 52-58 Duane St., New York.

The Boy Scout SeriesBy HERBERT CARTER

The Boy Scout SeriesBy HERBERT CARTER

The Boy Scout Series

By HERBERT CARTER

New stories of Camp Life, telling the wonderful and thrilling adventures of the Boys of the Silver Fox Patrol.Handsome Cloth Bindings.

PRICE, 60 CENTS PER VOLUME

PRICE, 60 CENTS PER VOLUME

PRICE, 60 CENTS PER VOLUME

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THE BOY SCOUTS FIRST CAMP FIRE; or, Scouting with the Silver Fox Patrol.

This book, every up-to-date Boy Scout will want to read. It is brimming over with thrilling adventure, woods lore and the story of the wonderful experiences that befell the Cranford troop of Boy Scouts when spending a part of their vacation in the wilderness. The story is clean and wholesome in tone, yet with not a dull line from cover to cover.

THE BOY SCOUTS IN THE BLUE RIDGE; or, Marooned Among the Moonshiners.

Those lads who have read The Boy Scouts First Camp Fire and followed the fortunes of Thad Brewster, the Young Patrol leader, will be delighted to read this story. It tells of the strange and mysterious adventures that happened to the Patrol in their trip through the “mountains of the sky” in the Moonshiners’ Paradise of the old Tar Heel State, North Carolina. When you start to read you will not lay the book down until the last word has been reached.

THE BOY SCOUTS ON THE TRAIL; or, Scouting through the Big Game Country.

In this story the Boy Scouts once more find themselves in camp and following the trail. The story recites the many adventures that befell the members of the Silver Fox Patrol with wild animals of the forest trails, as well as the desperate men who had sought a refuge in this lonely country, making most delightful reading for every lad who has red blood in his veins. This is a story which every boy will be glad to read and recommend to his chums.

THE BOY SCOUTS IN THE MAINE WOODS; or, The New Test for the Silver Fox Patrol.

In the rough field of experience the tenderfoots and greenhorns of the Silver Fox Patrol are fast learning to take care of themselves when abroad. Many of the secrets of the woods, usually known only to old hunters and trappers, are laid bare to the eyes of the reader. Thad and his chums have a wonderful experience when they are employed by the State of Maine to act as Fire Wardens, since every year terrible conflagrations sweep through the pine forests, doing great damage.

THE BOY SCOUTS THROUGH THE BIG TIMBER; or, The Search for the Lost Tenderfoot.

A serious calamity threatens the Silver Fox Patrol when on one of their vacation trips to the wonderland of the great Northwest. How apparent disaster is bravely met and overcome by Thad and his friends, forms the main theme of the story, which abounds in plenty of humor, rollicking situations, hairbreadth escapes and thrilling adventures, such as all boys like to read about. If you ever dream of camping out in the woods, here you may learn how to do it.

THE BOY SCOUTS IN THE ROCKIES; or, The Secret of The Hidden Silver Mine.

By this time the boys of the Silver Fox Patrol have learned through experience how to rough it upon a long hike. Their last tour takes them into the wildest region of the great Rocky Mountains, and here they meet with many strange adventures that severely test their grit, as well as their ability to grapple with emergencies. This is one of the most interesting of the stories in the Boy Scout Series,—the experiences of Thad Brewster and his Cranford troop abounds in plenty of humor, and hairbreadth escapes.

For sale by all booksellers, or sent postpaid on receipt ofprice by the publishers,A. L. BURT COMPANY, 52-58 Duane Street, New York.

For sale by all booksellers, or sent postpaid on receipt ofprice by the publishers,A. L. BURT COMPANY, 52-58 Duane Street, New York.

For sale by all booksellers, or sent postpaid on receipt of

price by the publishers,

A. L. BURT COMPANY, 52-58 Duane Street, New York.

Transcriber’s Notes:

Transcriber’s Notes:

Transcriber’s Notes:

Punctuation has been standardized. Minor spelling and typographic errors have been corrected silently, except as noted below.

On page 24, the line "All right, go it!" has been left as is, although it is possible it should be "All right, got it".

On "The Boy Scout Series" ad page, the last two lines have been reformatted to match the other ad pages.

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