"It's your turn to get a pail of water, Bob."
"All right, just let me finish this chapter."
It was a couple of days after the events related in the last chapter. All the family were on the porch except Bob, who was inside reading. The drinking water, used by the Goldens, was brought from a spring, about fifty rods back of the house in the woods. The house was supplied with water from a deep well, but all liked the spring water much better for drinking, so the boys took turns going after it.
Bob noticed that it was nearly ten o'clock when he closed his book, took his electric torch and getting a pail from the kitchen, started for the spring. The night was pitch dark, as it was cloudy and there was no moon, but the torch lit up the path in front of him so that he had no trouble in following it. As he reached the spring, he thought he heard a slight rustling in the bushes, but beyond thinking, "Guess that's a rabbit," he paid no attention to it.He was bending over the spring to fill his pail, when suddenly he was grabbed from behind, jerked over backwards and, before he could cry out, a hand was placed over his mouth and he felt himself held to the ground by two men.
"Not a sound, if you value your life," hissed one of them, and then a gag was thrust into his mouth and he was rudely turned over on his stomach.
"Quick, Bill, hand me those ropes," whispered one of the men, and in another minute his hands were securely bound behind his back.
"Now let's get him out to the road as soon as we can," said the man who had done all the talking, and whose voice Bob recognized as belonging to the man he knew as King.
He was roughly pulled to his feet, and with King clinging to his right and the other, whom Bob supposed to be Reed, hanging tightly to his left arm, they started for the road, about a half mile distant. The path was very rough, and as they flashed their light but seldom, it was some time before they reached the road. As they climbed the last fence, Bob could see dimly a large car standing by the roadside. Taking a large handkerchief from his pocket, King bound it tightly over Bob's eyes and ordered him to get into the back seat of the car. Poor Bob had to do as he was ordered, and was quickly followed by King, while the other man took the wheel.
"Now, hit her up, Bill," whispered King, and the car bounded ahead.
"It seems to me that Bob's an awful long time getting that pail of water," said Edna, getting out of the hammock. "I wish he'd hurry up, I'm nearly choked for a drink."
"Same here," declared Jack. "He's been gone long enough to get a dozen pails. Guess I'll go meet him and hustle him up a bit."
So saying, he got his electric torch from the house, and started off along the path. He was somewhat surprised not to meet Bob, or to hear his merry whistle, but was not alarmed till he reached the spring and, flashing his light around, spied the pail, lying on its side a few feet away. "Well, that's funny," he thought, and putting two fingers in his mouth, he gave two long shrill whistles, their signal to each other. Receiving no reply, he made a hurried search of the bushes nearby, but beyond noticing evidence of a struggle, he found no trace of the missing boy.
"Something has happened to Bob," he thought, now thoroughly alarmed. "There's been a fight here and I'll bet a fish hook that he's been kidnapped." In spite of the darkness, Jack nearly flew back to the cottage.
"Dad, dad," he shouted, as he bounded on to the porch, "they've got Bob."
"Who's got Bob? What do you mean?" askedMr. Golden from upstairs, where he was getting ready for bed.
"I don't know who's got him," cried excited Jack, "but there's been some kind of a fight at the spring, and he's gone."
"It's impossible," declared Mr. Golden, who by this time had come down into the living room, where the family had gathered. "There's no one round here who would kidnap him."
"How about those men who held us up on the lake the other night?" asked May.
"By gracious, that's so," said Mr. Golden. "Why didn't I think of them before? Give me the phone, quick."
As quickly as possible he called up the police of all the towns nearby, and told them what had happened. They all promised to be on the watch and to do all they could to catch the kidnappers.
"That ought to get them," he declared, as he hung up the receiver. "Bob's been gone only about an hour, and they can't have taken him very far yet."
"Oh dear, Oh dear! Do you suppose they will harm him?" sobbed Mrs. Golden.
"No, my dear," assured her husband, trying to calm her, "I don't think they will dare to hurt him. 'If it is those two men who have him they will try to make him disclose the secret of the cell, for that's undoubtedly what they are after."
No one in the house thought of going to bed, but sat around eagerly listening for the ring of the phone. Suddenly, at eleven-fifteen, it rang and Mr. Golden eagerly grabbed up the receiver.
"Is this Mr. Golden?" came the voice over the wire.
"Yes, yes," he replied eagerly, "Who is talking?"
"This is Switzer."
"Oh, yes, Mr. Switzer. Any news?"
"Nothing much, but Joe has just come in and says that a big car just went over the bridge at about forty miles an hour. He shouted to them to stop, but they paid no attention, except to turn on more speed, and they were going so fast that he couldn't stop them nor get their number. But he's started off in his car and is going to try to follow 'em, but I'm afraid it's not much use."
Switzer was chief of police of Skowhegan.
"Well, let me know at once if you hear anything," said Mr. Golden as he hung up the receiver. Then he told the rest what he had heard, adding, "There's no telling which way they are heading, even if it were they, which, of course, is not at all sure."
The hours dragged slowly on. From time to time the phone rang, but it was always the same; no other clue had been found.
"If he is not found by eight o'clock," said Mr.Golden, "I shall telegraph to Boston for a detective."
Meanwhile, what of the missing boy? The car, into which he had been thrust, started off at high speed, and although he tried his best to keep track of its direction, it was impossible, and in less than ten minutes he had lost all idea as to which way they were going. He was unable to speak, owing to the gag in his mouth, and not a word was uttered by either of the men as the car rushed on through the night. They had been traveling for, what seemed to Bob, nearly two hours, and his bonds were cutting his wrists cruelly, when suddenly the car slowed up and the character of the road changed. From its roughness and the slow pace at which they were now moving he judged that they must be passing over a woods road. After proceeding in this manner for perhaps twenty minutes, the car stopped and for the first time, the man at the wheel spoke.
"Well, here we are."
It was Reed's voice sure enough.
King immediately got out and ordered Bob to follow him. "You put the car up, Bill," he said, "and I'll escort our guest into the house."
So saying, he took Bob by the arm and led him forward.
"Now, step up," he ordered; and a moment later he announced, "Now we're going upstairs."
As soon as they reached the top, King led him a few steps and then said:
"Now we'll have a light and then I'll take off your blinders."
He lit a small lamp, and then, to Bob's great relief, removed the gag and blindfold. Bob looked about him and saw that he was in a small bare room containing only a cot and a small table.
"Say," he asked, "what's the meaning of all this, anyway?"
"Ask me no questions and I'll tell you no lies," answered King. "You'll know all about it in good time."
"Well, just untie this rope, will you? It's cutting into my wrists like the dickens."
"All right, but mind, now, no funny business. I've got a grudge against you for tipping me into the lake the other night, and if you get gay you'll get hurt, that's all."
He at once untied the rope which bound Bob's hands and Bob began to pound them together, for so tightly had they been bound, that they were almost numb.
"Now you can lie down on that cot and get some sleep if you want to, I'm going to bed downstairs."
"Won't you tell me why you have brought me here?"
"Not tonight, I won't tell you anything," was the gruff reply.
So saying, King picked up the light and left the room, and Bob heard him lock the door behind him with a key and also shoot a bolt. He had noticed a single window near the foot of the cot and groped his way toward it. It was unlocked, but on raising it, he found that it was protected by heavy iron bars, not more than three inches apart.
"Well," he thought, "here's a go for sure. Kidnapped in Maine in the twentieth century. Now wouldn't that jar you?" However, dark as the prospect seemed, Bob was a brave boy and by no means lost heart.
"Gee, but the folks will be worried to death about me," he thought as he sat down on the cot. "I'll bet mother is crying her eyes out. Well," he said to himself a moment later, "guess I might as well lie down and try to get some sleep, for I'll be likely to need all my strength before I get through with this mess." So saying, he threw himself back on the cot, which, he found, made a by no means uncomfortable bed. "If they think they are going to make me tell them about that cell, they've got another think coming," he thought, just before he fell into a deep sleep.
The sun was streaming in through the window when Bob awoke, and for a moment, he could not think where he was, then suddenly the events of the night before came back to him, and jumping up, he hastily stepped to the window. He could seenothing, however, but a dense forest. At this moment he heard the bolt shot back and the key turned in the lock. A moment later, Reed entered the room, carrying an old tin waiter on which were a cup of coffee, some sandwiches and a couple of eggs.
"Well," thought Bob, "they don't intend to starve me at any rate."
"Here's your breakfast, kid," announced Reed.
The thought came into Bob's mind that he might overpower the man and make a sudden dash for liberty, but just then he heard King below, and realizing that he would be but a child in the hands of so powerful a man, he quickly gave up the idea. Laying the tray on the table, Reed at once left the room, locking the door behind him. Bob lost no time in falling to, for he was very hungry, and soon every crumb had vanished. In a little more than half an hour, he heard steps on the stairs, and both men came in, locking the door after them.
"Now, kid," said King. "I'm going to tell you what we want with you. We've got you here a good ways from nowhere and you can't get away, and what's more, no one can find you here either. There isn't a road or a house anywhere near, so you can yell all you blamed please for all the good it will do you. Probably you can guess what we want. We happen to know that you have got on to a new kind of a storage battery and we mean to have it. Now, you tell us how it is made and assoon as we can send word to Boston, to our laboratory, and find out that you are telling the truth, we'll let you go. On the other hand, if you are stubborn, and refuse, you'll stay here and get all that's coming to you. We're desperate men and we're going to have it, so you might as well give in at once."
While he had been talking, Bob had been thinking rapidly. That they meant to do as they said, he had not the least doubt, but he didn't intend to give in unless he found it necessary to save his life. "Let me have a few hours to think it over, will you?"
"I'll give you till three o'clock, but don't think you can escape, for you can't. Even if you did get out, we have two of the ugliest dogs you ever saw watching below, and they'd tear you to pieces in a jiffy. Come on, Bill, we'll leave him awhile, but say, sonny," he added, turning to Bob once more, "we don't want to hurt you and you'd better give in and save trouble."
"I'll think it over," was Bob's reply as they went out.
About noon Reed came up bringing Bob's dinner, consisting of potatoes, trout, evidently caught nearby, and a glass of milk. "You better make the best of this," he said, "I'll tell you now that you won't get another bite to eat till you tell us what we want to know."
Bob gave a sudden start. "So, that's your game, is it?" he asked.
"Yes, that's our game, and as you look like a pretty good feeder, I guess it won't take long."
"Perhaps not," said Bob, as Reed left.
Poor Bob! He ate up every crumb of his dinner. The prospect was dark enough, to say the least, but he had not lost heart, for an idea had occurred to him which he intended to put into practice that night. As there was nothing else to do he spent the time lying on the cot thinking. About three o'clock, King looked in.
"Ready to tell us?" he asked.
"Not yet," was Bob's reply.
"All right, just as you say. I suppose the oldsaying, that you can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink, holds in your case, but if this horse don't drink pretty soon, he'll wish he'd never been born." Then, after a moment's pause, he continued, in a kinder tone: "Come now, boy, what's the use? We've got all the trump in this game and you've got to give in sooner or later, so why not do it now and save yourself trouble?"
"You seem to be on top just at present, for a fact," agreed Bob, "but just the same I'm not going to give in just now." King muttered something about him soon wishing he had and left the room.
That night he got no supper. Now, going without his meals did not, in the least, agree with Bob's disposition, at any time, and now he had much more than hunger to rouse his anger, and by eleven o'clock, he was, as he put it to himself, fighting mad.
"I haven't heard any dogs and I don't believe they've got any," he thought. "Anyhow, I'm going to run the risk if I can get through that door." Fortunately, he had not been searched and as he had a good strong jackknife, it had occurred to him that he might cut a hole in the door large enough to get his hand through. He waited till one o'clock, and then began his attack. It was pretty hard cutting, as it was spruce, but he kept steadily at it and in about an hour had a small hole through, and another half hour of hard cutting enabled him to enlargeit sufficiently to pass his hand through, turn the key and slip back the bolt. "Now for it," he thought. "If they've got a dog I'll give him the fight of his life."
Cautiously, he crept down the stairs, which creaked a little in spite of his efforts, holding the open knife in his hand. He finally reached the bottom without any mishap and, so far as he could tell, without being heard. Unlocking the door, he stepped softly out on the porch. It was a beautiful starlight night and, although there was no moon, it did not seem very dark. Bob was just beginning to feel easier, when he heard a low growl and, looking round, he saw a huge mastiff eyeing him a few feet away. "Good dog," he whispered, thinking he might make friends with him, but the brute continued to growl and slowly crept nearer.
Bob saw that he was about to spring and braced himself for the attack. As the dog jumped, the boy drew back his right foot, and with a powerful kick caught him fairly in the stomach. With a low whine of pain, the dog fell back and without giving him time to recover, Bob sprang forward and, seizing him by the throat, plunged the knife blade to the handle in his side. The dog gave one howl and stiffened out.
"One enemy the less," thought Bob as he rose to his feet, but he was not to get off so easily, forjust then the door opened and Reed stepped out.
"Thunder and lightning," he gasped, "How'd you get out."
Bob did not stop to explain, but jumping off the porch and started on a run down the path.
"Quick, Jim, he's getting away," shouted Reed, as he started after the escaping boy.
Bob was a fast runner, but he was sadly handicapped by not knowing which way to go in the darkness, and the path was rough. Still, he might have escaped had he not met with a mishap. He had not gone more than a hundred yards, when his foot caught in a vine, and he fell forward on his face, his knife flying from his hand. Before he could pick himself up and start again, Reed was upon him. Bob did not intend to submit to capture a second time if he could help it, and, as he was caught round the body, he gave a sudden squirm, which broke Reed's hold, instantly drawing back his right arm, he struck out with all his strength. The blow was a heavy one, and caught Reed fairly on the nose, making him grunt with pain. It did not, however, put him out of the fight, and before Bob could turn and run, he felt a stinging blow on the ear, which dazed him for a second. He quickly recovered, and grabbing Reed, tried his best to force him to the ground.
Although a small man, he was no means weak,and the struggle waged fast and furiously. Finally, Bob succeeded in getting a half nelson round his neck, and the next instant Reed felt himself hurled to the ground, which he struck with tremendous force. All the fight was knocked out of him, and once more Bob started to run, but alas for his hopes, he was too late, for just then King appeared on the scene.
Bob was so nearly exhausted by this time, that he could make but little headway, and soon King grabbed him round the neck and bore him to the ground. He realized that it would be useless to struggle against this man, for he was almost a giant in strength.
"So you thought you'd give us the slip, did you? Well, you're a slick one, that's a fact, and you're no coward either, but really we can't dispense with your company yet awhile," said the man as he dragged Bob to his feet.
By this time Reed had managed to get on his feet. "D—— the brat," he growled, "he's strong as a moose. My nose is bleeding like a stuck pig, and it feels as though half my bones were broken."
"Well, Bill, we can't blame the kid for trying to get away, but it beats me how he got out of that room, and, say, what was that dog doing? Guess he's no good."
"I don't think he is much good any more," Bobcouldn't help saying. "You'll find him on the porch."
"If you've killed that dog, I'll take it out of your hide," growled Reed.
"Easy there, Bill," admonished King, "I won't have the kid ill-treated for trying to get away and defending himself, and, if he had to kill the dog to do it, he had a right to. I admire bravery wherever I see it, but we'll fix things after this so that he won't have a chance to show his spunk to such good advantage."
While talking, the two men had been leading Bob back to the house. Seeing the dog on the porch, Reed turned him over; "Well he's done for all right, confound him. I wouldn't have taken one hundred dollars for that dog," he said.
"Come on now," urged King, "We'll see to him in the morning. I want to find out how this kid got out of that room."
Reaching the top of the stairs and holding up the lantern, which he had grabbed up from the porch, the method was plainly apparent.
"Well I'll be switched," said King. "Bill we ought to be ashamed of ourselves not to have searched him. I never thought of him having a knife that he could cut through that door with. You go down and get a board and some nails, and we'll soon have this fixed."
The hole was boarded over, plenty of nails being used, and as he drove the last one, King said, "Now I'll look him over and see if he has anything else he can use."
Bob knew it would be useless to resist, and so allowed himself to be searched, but nothing was found which they considered dangerous.
"I guess, Bill, one of us had better stay up the rest of the night," said King, as he finished his search. "I don't see how he could get away again, but we won't take any chances."
As they were about to leave the room, Bob asked, "Can't you give me something to eat? I'm awfully hungry."
"Sure thing," replied King. "There's a fine mess of trout downstairs, which Bill caught this afternoon, and I can boil some potatoes in no time. You just tell us what we want to know, and I'll have you a fine meal in less than half an hour."
But Bob was not yet ready to give up. "Never mind," he said, "I guess I'm not so hungry as I thought I was."
They went out and he heard them go down the stairs. Throwing himself on the cot he groaned, "Oh dear, to come so near to getting away and then fail. But," he thought, "I did my best, and I'll bet Reed's nose will be sore for a few days. Ifthat blow had only caught him on the chin, I might have made it before King got there."
He lay for a long time thinking how he could foil his captors. Suddenly, he sprang up. "Why not?" he said to himself. "It may work if I can carry through the bluff. Anyhow, it'll be better than starving here, and I'm going to try it."
Having decided on a line of action, he once more threw himself on the cot and was soon asleep.
No one came near him till nearly ten o'clock that morning, and by that time, Bob felt, as he expressed it, as though the bottom of his stomach had fallen out.
"How goes it?" was King's greeting, as he entered the room, "Getting pretty hungry?"
"Hungry!" growled Bob, "If you don't look out I may eat you up."
King laughed, "What's the use of sticking it out any longer?" he asked. "You've got to give in or starve."
"I'm beginning to think that's so," replied Bob, "I did intend to stick it out, but I'm too hungry."
"That's the way to talk. Now you tell me all about it, and then I'll bring you up a good dinner. But mind now," he added, "if you don't tell it straight, I'll—I'll, well, your folks will never have the pleasure of seeing you again, that's all."
"Well now, see here," began Bob, "I can't tellyou how to make that cell so that you could do it."
"Can't? Why not?" demanded King.
"Because," continued Bob, "the success of it depends on the temperature at which the metals composing the caps are put together, and that point can be determined only by the looks of them, and I couldn't possibly describe it so that any one could detect the right point."
"Then how are you going to work it?"
"Why, didn't you say that you have a laboratory in Boston?"
"Yes, but what of it?"
"Well, why not take me there and let me make it for you?"
King thought a moment and then said, "I don't altogether like that idea, but I'll talk it over with Bill and see what he says."
As he was leaving the room, Bob added, "That's the best I can do. If I should tell you about it, and then you failed, you would blame me, and I'd have to suffer for it."
King was gone about half an hour, and when he returned, he brought a good dinner with him.
"We've decided to take you up, and here's your dinner," he said. "But now listen to me. My future depends on this thing; how, is none of your business, but I'd rather die than fail, so if you try any funny business, you can know what to expect."
"How soon shall we start?" asked Bob.
"We shall start, in the car, as soon as it is dark."
"I don't know," thought Bob, after King had left the room, "whether I'm jumping out of the frying pan into the fire or not, but that dinner looks mighty good to me, so here goes."
"Well, the die is cast one way or the other," thought Bob, as he ate the last scrap of his dinner; "that sure did taste good." Then as a sudden thought struck him, he began hurriedly to search his pockets. As good luck would have it, he found a small note book, containing several blank leaves and a stub of a lead pencil. Hastily, he tore out a page and wrote the following note:
"I am confined in a house in the woods, have no idea where, but it must be within twenty or thirty miles of Skowhegan. King and Reed are taking me to Boston tonight, in a car. Secret still safe."Bob Golden.
"I am confined in a house in the woods, have no idea where, but it must be within twenty or thirty miles of Skowhegan. King and Reed are taking me to Boston tonight, in a car. Secret still safe."
Bob Golden.
Folding the paper, he wrote on the outside, "Will the finder of this paper please send it to Mr. Golden, Skowhegan?" He made several copies of the note, thinking as he did so, "If I can only get a chance to throw these out of the car, one of them, at least, may get to father. I don't know as it will do memuch good, but it will let the folks know that I'm still alive."
Supper was brought to him at five o'clock, and at seven, King came up to tell him that they were about to start. "Now, see here, boy," he said, "we don't want to be any harder on you than we can help, and if you give me your word that you won't try to get away, or make any trouble, we won't tie you."
Bob thought he might as well promise as he knew they would make it impossible for him to escape if he did not, and he dreaded being tied, so he gave his word.
"All right then," said King, "but mind now, that you keep it, because if you make any trouble, I'll have to tie you up and gag you."
"Are we going all the way tonight?"
King laughed. "I guess not; if we drove too fast, it would excite suspicion, and we'd have to drive like the dickens to make it in one night. No, we'll make Portland by daylight and lie low there till dark. But come on, now; there's Bill with the car. I shall have to blindfold you for awhile, for I suppose you are pretty well acquainted round here and I don't intend to let you know where this place is."
He took a large handkerchief from his pocket as he spoke and tied it tightly over Bob's eyes.
"Now mind, you don't take that off till I giveyou permission," he ordered, as he led him from the room and down the stairs.
As they came out on the porch, Bob could hear a powerful car purring close at hand. He and King got into the rear seat.
"Have you got the suitcases and the rest of the stuff, Bill?" asked King.
"Yes, they're all in back there."
"All right, then, let her go."
Darkness was just falling as they started, and at first, their pace was very slow, as the road was too rough for any but the very slowest speed, at which a car could be run. In about twenty minutes, they came to the end of the woods road and the car turned into a much smoother highway, and Reed sent her forward at a lively clip.
"Now, kid, you get down on the bottom of the car till it gets a little darker," ordered King, and Bob had to obey.
They continued in this way for half an hour or a little more, when King said, "I guess it's dark enough now; you can get up on the seat again, and I'll take that rag off." As soon as this was done, Bob strained his eyes to see if he could tell where they were, but it was too dark to see much, and he was unable to so much as guess their location for some time. In about an hour, however, they passed a large house, which stood very near the road, andhe at once recognized it as being but a few miles from Oakland. He was well acquainted with the road, as he had several times driven his father's car to Boston.
Reed was running at about twenty miles an hour most of the time, and instead of passing through the towns, he choose roads, for the most part, which led around them. They lost considerable time in this way, but Bob figured that they, would probably get to Portland before daybreak.
About one o'clock, they were passing over a particularly rough piece of road, when, bang, went one of the rear tires. "Hang it all, there's a blowout," growled Reed, bringing the car to a stop. "But it won't take long to slip on the extra rim."
While they were waiting, Bob noticed that King did not watch him quite as closely as he had been doing, and he managed to slip his hand into his pocket and take out one of the notes he had written. In less than fifteen minutes, Reed announced that the job was finished, and just as they were about to start, Bob, carelessly hanging his hand over the edge of the car, let the note fall to the ground, unnoticed by either of the men. Nothing more worthy of note happened, except that he managed to drop a second note as they passed through the little town of Brunswick, and at about half past four, just as the dawn was beginning to light upthe East, Reed drove the car into the yard of a house standing well back from the road.
"Here we are," he announced, and King at once gave a peculiar whistle, which was soon answered by the raising of a window on the second floor.
"Hello, Frank, is that you?" asked King.
"Yes," was the answer. "What do you want?"
"Come down here, and we'll tell you," answered King, and the window was at once shut. In a few moments, they were joined by a short man, about forty years old, who Reed greeted as Frank, shaking his hand cordially.
"We're on our way to Boston, and we've got a young fellow here, who don't like our company any too well," explained King with a slight laugh, "and we want you to put us up till night, as it isn't good for our complexions to travel in the daytime. No one here, is there?"
"No, it's all right. Just drive the machine into the barn and come in. I'll have breakfast ready in a few minutes, and then you can turn in. Been riding all night, hain't ye?"
"Yes, and I guess we can do a little something in both the eating and sleeping line," answered King. "We haven't had any eats since we started."
They had a fairly good meal, after which the man called Frank said, "You and the kid can go up in the south room, on the third floor, you know whichone, and Bill can sleep on the lounge in the parlor."
"All right," replied King, "Come on, kid."
The room which they entered was small, and contained but a single bed. It was lighted by two small windows, about eight inches square, placed nearly six feet from the floor.
"I guess you'll be safe here with me," declared King, as he locked the door, and put the key in his pocket. "I'm a very light sleeper, and I told Frank to keep his eyes peeled, so you'd better not try to get away."
As Bob made no reply, King, removing only his coat, threw himself on the bed, telling Bob to do the same. As the boy was very sleepy, and somewhat tired from his long ride, he was not long in obeying. Although he did not feel that he was bound by his promise, while they were there, he realized that the chances of escape were so small, that it would be foolish to make the attempt, and deciding to await a more favorable opportunity, he was soon fast asleep.
When he awoke, it was nearly three o'clock, and he was alone in the room. Jumping up, he tried the door, but, as he expected, it was locked. "Gee, but this sort of thing is getting on my nerves," he thought. "When we get to Boston, I'm going to do something desperate, if I have to, to get away."
He could hear some one moving about, on thelower floor, from time to time, but no one came near him till nearly six o'clock, when King came up and told him to come down to supper. After the meal, they waited till it was fairly dark, and then started off again. Nothing of importance happened during the trip, and Bob found chances to drop two more notes as they passed through small towns.
About three o'clock, they reached the outskirts of Boston, and King said, "Now I shall have to blindfold you again, and you will have to lie down on the bottom of the car."
"What for?"
"Never you mind what for," replied King, and then added, "You don't suppose I'm fool enough to let you see where we're going, do you?"
Bob was forced to obey, but fortunately, for his position was far from comfortable, they were not far from their destination, and in less than a half hour the car stopped.
"We're here at last," announced King, as he opened the door of the car, and taking Bob by the arm, led him up some steps into a house. Once inside, the blindfold was removed, and Bob saw that he was in, what appeared to be, a fairly good-sized, but poorly furnished house. The opening of the door had evidently aroused some one, for the stairs creaked, and glancing up, Bob saw a very small man, with a huge hump on his back, coming down.
"Well, Nip, how's things?" asked King.
"All O. K., sir," replied the hump-back, "but I didn't expect you back so soon."
"No, I suppose not, but we're here and mighty hungry. Can't you give us a cold bite, quick?"
"I guess I can find something. You wait here a minute," and the hump-back went toward the rear of the house.
"We'll go in here and sit down till he's ready," said King, motioning Bob to precede him, into what seemed to be a small sitting room.
They had not waited more than ten minutes, when they heard from the rear room, "All right, sir," and going through a long hall they entered a room, where they found a table set with a plain, but generous lunch of cold meat, bread and butter and apple pie. Bob did full justice to the meal and, as soon as they were through, King said, "Now we'll go upstairs and get a little sleep, but I want to get to work as soon as we can."
He led Bob up some bare stairs, ushered him into a small room on the second floor and told him to make himself at home.
"You'll occupy this room while you're our guest, and as it has been fitted up for just such guests as you, I hardly think you'll leave till we get ready to let you go," King laughed, as he left the room.
The room was lighted by electric light, whichKing had turned on as they entered, and Bob proceeded at once to take account of stock, as he expressed it. The room contained only a bed and a single chair. It had but one window, and that was heavily barred. On examining the door he was surprised to find that it was made of steel.
"I guess King was right when he said that guests in this room stayed till they were invited out," he thought. "Oh, well, I suppose I must get some sleep while I can, so here goes."
It seemed to Bob that he had hardly fallen asleep, when he was somewhat rudely shaken, and opened his eyes to find King standing by the bed.
"Come," he said, "it's seven o'clock, and I want to show you the laboratory and get to work."
Bob rose sleepily and followed him downstairs. King led the way down to the basement, and into a large room. Bob needed but a glance to tell him that it was a fairly well-equipped laboratory.
"Now, I want you to take a careful look around, see what we've got that you can use, and then, make out a list of what else you want. I'll get them this forenoon, and you can begin work right after dinner. Oh, by the way, how long will it take you to do the job?"
"Well," replied Bob thoughtfully, "In my laboratory at home, I could probably make one in aweek, but here, where I'm not used to things, it will probably take me ten days or more."
"Ten fiddle sticks," cried King angrily, "You're trying to fool me. You've got to do it in much less time than that I can tell you."
Bob knew that he could probably make one of the cells in a couple of days at the outside, but he intended to take all the time he could, and watch for a chance to escape, so he said calmly, "All right, if you can do it in less time, you'd better do it."
"Well, well, hurry and get your list made out," demanded King testily.
Bob walked around examining the laboratory and equipment for about a half hour and then asked for paper and pencil. They were quickly supplied, and sitting at a desk in one corner of the room, he soon handed King the following list:
Two pounds of lead nitrate.
One-half pound lead.
One-half pound antimon.
One-half pound copper.
One-half pound tin.
Ten or fifteen pounds of fine sand, suitable for making a mold.
One copper cylinder, eight inches long by 1 and one-half inches in diameter.
"How are you fixed for electrolysis?" he asked, as he handed King the list.
"Guess we can fix you up all right. We've got a good storage battery and two or three glass tanks and considerable platinum. Now we'll go up and see if breakfast is ready," he said, putting the pager in his pocket.
"But, father, isn't there something we can do?" asked Jack, for about the tenth time that day. It was about three o'clock in the afternoon of the day following Bob's disappearance. They had waited in vain for any news of the lost boy and at about eight-thirty o'clock, Mr. Golden had got into communication, by telephone, with a well-known detective agency in Boston and they had promised to have one of their best men there on the four-forty train.
"Yes, I guess we can do something now. We'll run across in the Sprite, and catch the four o'clock trolley to town, which will get us there in time to meet that detective, Mr. Sharp."
Glad of anything which promised action, Jack grabbed his cap and started for the boathouse. It had been a terrible day to him, for he was lost without Bob, and the thought that he might never see him again nearly drove him frantic. He and hisfather were soon in the Sprite speeding across the lake, and as they reached the wharf in front of the hotel, they saw Fred and Will Jenkins just getting into their boat.
"Hello, Jack, heard anything from Bob yet?" asked Will.
"No, not yet."
"Well, let us know when you do. So long."
Jack wasn't sure, but it seemed to him that there was a half sneer to Will's voice, and that both Fred and Will had an uneasy look about them.
"Say, dad," he asked after he had removed the cell from the motor and put it in his pocket, "did you notice anything strange about those fellows."
"Strange, what do you mean?" asked his father.
"I hardly know, but somehow, I feel it in my bones, that they've had a hand in this business. Look here," and reaching his hand into his back pocket, he pulled out a small knife which he handed to his father, saying, "I found that about thirty feet from the spring this forenoon. It is not rusted any to speak of, so it couldn't have been there long."
"Do you know whose it is?" asked his father.
"I'm not sure," replied Jack, "but I've seen Will Jenkins use a knife which looked a good deal like this one. I'd have asked him about it, only I didn't think of it in time."
"You be sure and tell the detective about it," saidMr. Golden. "Of course it doesn't prove anything, as there are probably lots of knives just like it in town."
By this time they were on the car and in about thirty minutes they reached Skowhegan. As they passed down the street toward the station, they were stopped many times by friends, asking anxiously after Bob and by the time they reached the depot the train was whistling. As it drew in and came to a stop, a small man with a smooth face was the first to alight. There were not many passengers, and Mr. Golden knew most of them. The man who first got off, however, was a stranger, and he seemed to be looking for some one; Mr. Golden stepped up to him and asked if he was Mr. Sharp.
"Right first time," was the reply, "and you must be Mr. Golden."
Jack was then introduced, but he was much disappointed, for Mr. Sharp did not at all answer his idea of a detective. In common with most boys, he had always imagined a detective to be a very mysterious-looking person, while Mr. Sharp was indeed very ordinary in appearance.
The trolley car was waiting only a couple of squares away for its return trip to the lake, and as soon as they obtained his suitcase from the baggage room, they started.
"We'll be up in time for supper," said Mr. Golden, as they boarded the car.
On the way up, Mr. Golden gave the detective an account of Bob's disappearance, including the events which preceded it. As there were but few people on the car, they could talk in low tones with no danger of being overheard. The detective said but little, except to ask a question now and then, but when they were in the Sprite, on their way across the lake, he said:
"Mr. Golden, I want you to give me a careful description of those two men."
"I guess Jack can do that better than I, as I only saw them once, and then took no particular notice of them."
So Jack described them as well as he could, but the detective shook his head.
"Can't place 'em. Your description of Reed would fit a dozen men I know, and while the other one puts me in mind of a fellow I once arrested for counterfeiting, I'm not sure. You didn't notice a scar on his upper lip, did you?"
"No, I thought I told you that he had a mustache."
"So you did, so you did," said the detective, "I must be getting forgetful."
Supper was ready by the time they arrived at the cottage, and as soon as it was over, the detectiveasked to be shown the way to the spring, and once there, he made a thorough search of the immediate vicinity, but after nearly an hour had passed, he was forced to acknowledge that he had found no clue. As soon as they got back to the house, he called Boston on the telephone.
"Hello, Bill? Yes. I want you to find out as quickly as possible the whereabouts of Jim Edwards. Yes, that's the fellow. Call me as soon as you get any news." He gave the number of the phone and then hung up.
Early in the morning the phone rang, and Sharp was asked for. After a short conversation, he hung up the receiver, saying to Mr. Golden and Jack, who were in the room, "Nothing has been heard of that fellow Edwards since he got out of prison, nearly a year ago. Now, Jack, if you'll run me across in your boat, I'll go down to the village, and don't be surprised if you don't see me for a day or two."
"This is a mighty fine boat you have," remarked Sharp, as they were skimming across the lake in the Sprite. "Is this the new cell?"
"Yes," replied Jack, and then added bitterly, "I wish we'd never made the old thing, then Bob wouldn't have been kidnapped."
"It's wonderful to think of you boys making a discovery like that. Why, do you realize what a tremendous lot of money there is in it?"
"I suppose so, but I can't bear to think of it now that Bob's gone."
They soon reached the hotel wharf, and the detective, taking Jack by the hand, said, "Keep up your courage, my boy; I don't think they will harm your brother, and sooner or later, we will be sure to find him." So saying, he started off toward the trolley, while Jack pushed off and sadly headed the Sprite for home.
"Somehow, I don't think much of that detective," he thought, as he sped along. "He may be all right, and I suppose he is, but he hasn't got enough snap in him to suit me."
Jack's adverse opinion of Sharp was increased tenfold, when he returned the following night and reported that he had been unable to find a single clue. "By the way," he said, "I tried to find those Jenkins boys to see if I could get anything out of them, but they left town on the early train yesterday, and no one seems to know where they have gone."
It was late the next afternoon. Sharp had gone off early in the morning, saying that he would probably be back that night. Jack had spent the forenoon on the lake with his mother and the girls, trying to cheer them up. Mrs. Golden was rapidly giving away under the strain, while Edna's eyes were constantly red and swollen from crying. Mr.Golden had gone to his office that morning, but had returned on the twelve o'clock car, and they had met him at the wharf and taken him over in the Sprite. It was about four o'clock, and they were till on the porch, talking as usual about the missing boy.
"Say, dad, I don't think much of that detective fellow," Jack was saying, when the phone rang sharply, and he ran into the house to answer it. A moment later he shouted, "Dad, you're wanted on the long distance." Mr. Golden came in quickly and took the receiver.
"Is this Mr. Golden of Skowhegan?" came over the wire.
"Yes."
"This is the police station at Brunswick. A boy has just come in here with a note, which he says he found in the street. It's so covered with dirt, that it's pretty hard to read, but listen and I'll read what we've made out. Can you hear?"
"Yes, yes, go ahead, I can hear all right."
The voice then read the note, which Bob had dropped the night before. As Bob had thought, it didn't tell them much, but it let them know that he was alive and well, and that helped some and made them feel a little better. After Mr. Golden had finished telling them what he had heard, Jack said nothing for some moments, but sat thinking deeply.Suddenly, he looked up. "Dad," he said, "I want you to let me go to Boston. Bob's there, and I might be able to find him."
"Why, my dear boy, what could you do in Boston. It is a big city," spoke up Mrs. Golden, "and you don't know where they have taken him. Besides," she added sadly, "they might get you too."
"I guess I could look out for myself. Jerusalem, but I've got to do something. I'm tired of this sitting round waiting for some one else to do it all, and," he added sadly, "this all don't seem to amount to a hill of beans. What do you say, dad?"
"Well, I hardly know what to say," replied Mr. Golden. "We'll wait till Mr. Sharp returns, and see if he has any news." But, although they waited till nearly one o'clock, the detective did not come.
They had all gone to bed but father and son. "Come, dad, say I may go," pleaded Jack.
"Well, I'm not at all sure it's the wise thing, but something seems to tell me that I had better let you have your way."
"Hurrah!" shouted Jack. "I'll be off on the five o'clock train."
"No," said his father, "you had better wait till a later train, and perhaps I'll go with you, but I don't want to go till Sharp returns, and now let's go to bed."
Sharp did not return the next morning, and atbreakfast, Mr. Golden said, "Jack, I guess you had better take the noon train. If Sharp doesn't come with some news by that time, I'll wait and come later, if I think best."
The thought that at last he was going to do something toward finding Bob filled Jack with joy, and by ten o'clock he was ready to start. He and Mr. Golden went across in the Sprite, after assuring his mother that he would be very careful and not get into trouble.
"Now, my dear boy, be very careful and look out for yourself," said Mr. Golden, as he bade him goodby. "Go to Uncle Ben's tonight, and tomorrow, you had better go to the agency and have them detail a man to help you in your search," and then he added sadly, "It's like looking for a needle in a haystack, but if you don't get into trouble, it won't do any harm."
"Don't worry about me," assured Jack, "I'll look out for myself and," he added, "I'll find Bob if I have to go through Boston with a fine tooth comb."
The Boston train pulled into the North station at eight o'clock, and as he was pretty hungry, Jack thought he would go into a restaurant just across the street, for supper, before going to his uncle's, as he lived in Winthrop, a town about five miles from the city, across the harbor. As he left the station,he caught sight of a man elbowing his way through the crowd, that made his heart thump.
"On my soul, I believe that's Reed," he said half aloud, starting towards him. As he pushed forward he saw the man turn, and for an instant their eyes met, but the next moment the man had turned, and before Jack could get to him, he was lost in the crowd. He rushed about here and there, but to his dismay, he could not find him.
"That was he, sure as guns," he thought, "and I believe he recognized me."
He realized that his chances of finding him were virtually nil, and with a heavy heart, he entered the restaurant, and after a hasty supper, took a car for the ferry.
It was a very dark night, and a drizzling rain was falling as he stepped on the ferryboat. There were not many people on board, and what few there were, at once went into the cabin to escape the rain. Jack, however, had on a raincoat and stood by the rail, watching the lights of the passing boats, and thinking what hard luck it was to find Reed so soon only to lose him again. The boat was about half-way across the harbor, which is about a mile and a half wide, when Jack felt himself seized from behind, and before he knew what had happened, he was hurling through the air into the dark water below.
It seemed to Jack that he plunged down to a great depth, and when he finally rose to the surface, he was gasping for breath. His first thought was to free himself from his raincoat, and as soon as this was done, he struck out for the east side, as he thought he was a little more than half way across. Although a powerful swimmer, the choppy sea, caused by a brisk wind, and his clothing, which seemed to drag him down, made his progress difficult. He weakened rapidly, and before he was half way to the shore, fear struck him that he might not be able to reach it. Raising himself as far out of the water as possible, he looked about him, but it was very dark, and he could see but a few feet. No help was at hand, and summoning all his strength, he started to swim once more toward the lights, which now seemed farther away than at first. But his strokes were now very weak and his progress slow; still he kept doggedly on, for he was nota boy to give up so long as a particle of strength remained.
After what seemed to him hours of struggle, he felt that he could keep up but a few moments more, and a dread fear seized his heart as he gave up hope. He thought not so much of himself, but of the father and mother, who might never know what had happened to him, and the thought nerved him to one more last effort.
"It's no use," he thought, after taking a few feeble strokes, "I can't hold out any longer, I'm so tired."
He tried, but his arms seemed numb and utterly refused to obey his will, and he was about to go under, when he felt himself seized by the collar and in another moment, found himself lying on his back on the bottom of a skiff, gasping for breath.
As he slowly began to recover his strength, he looked up and saw that the boat contained two men, but he was unable to see their faces in the darkness.
"Well, here's a rum go," he heard one of them say.
"Right you are," replied the other. "That chap was about all in, I reckon. Lucky for him we came along when we did."
"He'd sure gone down in another minute," declared the first speaker, "I'd never have seen him,it's so tarnational dark, if I hadn't happened to hit him wid the oar."
"What'll we do with him?" asked the other.
"Dunno, guess we might's well take him to the hole; might have something on him worth while," was the answer.
They evidently thought that the boy was unconscious, and, in fact, so nearly played out was he, that he was unable to speak. The man at the oars, began to row again and soon the light boat was going at a lively pace, as they were rowing with the wind. Shortly, Jack became conscious that they were passing under a wharf, as the pace became slow, and occasionally the boat hit against the piling. The continued in this way for perhaps ten minutes, and then he felt the bottom of the boat grate on the shore.
"See if he's come to, Jake," whispered the man who had been rowing.
His companion reached over and shook him roughly by the arm.
"I'm very much obliged to you for pulling me out," said Jack, weakly. "I sure thought it was all up with me."
"That's all right," said the man in a low voice. "Think ye can stand up?"
"I don't know, but I guess so. I'll try."
Helped by the man, he succeeded in getting to hisfeet and crawled over the side of the boat to the ground.
"I'm pretty wobbly," he gasped, "but I guess I'll be all right in a few minutes."
"Here, Pete, you take hold of one arm and I'll take the other, and I guess we'll get him along all right."
Jack stumbled along between the two men, for what seemed a long ways, but which was in reality only a few rods. He was too tired to take much notice of his surroundings, but soon saw, by the light of a dark lantern, which one of the men carried, that they were passing between heavy piles. Soon they came to a stone wall and it seemed to Jack that they must be at the end of their journey, but as they came closer, the light of the lantern showed a small hole, just large enough for a man to creep through.
"I'll go first," said the man with the lantern, "then let the kid follow."
He reached through and set the lantern down on the other side, and by dint of much squeezing and grunting, managed to push himself through.
"Now you go, kid," ordered the other man.
Jack was much smaller than the man who had gone first and crawled through without much difficulty, followed a moment later by the second man.
"Now follow me, and mind you, keep close to thewall," whispered the man who carried the lantern, "and don't ye make any noise."
Jack began to fear that he had fallen into evil hands, but there was nothing for him to do but to obey and follow where they led.
The light was turned off, and they crept along in the darkness, Jack keeping one hand against the wall for some distance, when the man who led whispered, "Now, ye wait here a minute." Jack stopped, and in a minute heard the man give four raps on what sounded like a door. Almost instantly he heard a bolt shot back, and the next instant a door was flung open, letting out a flood of light. By its rays he could see that they were in a narrow passageway between two stone abutments.
"What ye got there, Jake?" asked a woman's voice.
"Dunno," was the somewhat surly reply. "Some kid we pulled out the harbor. Was about all in when we fished him out."
"Well, seems to me yer taking a mighty big risk fetching him in here," said the woman somewhat sharply.
"Now don't ye go to butting in, old woman," snapped the man. "I guess me and Pete knows what we're about."
They had entered the room, and Jack tumbled into a chair, too tired to stand up. He looked abouthim and saw that he was in a small room with a low ceiling and dirty with what seemed the accumulation of years. The woman who had admitted them might have been anywhere between thirty and sixty years old, but so dirty and slack looking was she, that it was impossible to guess her age any nearer. He now got a good look, for the first time, at the men who had saved him, and saw that their appearance was wholly in keeping with their surroundings. The older of the two might have been sixty, while the younger was ten or fifteen years his junior. Both had hard rough faces, and his heart sank as he realized how completely he was in their power.
"Well, boy, have ye got yer wind back yet?" asked the older man.
"I guess so," replied Jack, "but I still feel pretty weak.
"S'pose so," grunted the man. "Now how'd ye get into the wet?"
"I was crossing on a ferryboat and some one came up behind me and pushed me over."
"Pshaw, ye don't say so!" exclaimed the younger man. "Now what de ye suppose he did that for?"
"I'm sure I don't know," replied Jack, and then as nothing more was said for a moment, he continued, "I feel stronger now, and if you will kindly show me to the street, I think I'll go, and," headded, taking a pocketbook from his inside coat pocket, "if you'll take this ten-dollar bill for your trouble, I'll still feel very thankful to you for saving my life." From the look on the faces of the two men, as they saw the pocketbook, he realized that he had made a grave mistake, but it was too late now.
"Not so fast, sonny," said the older man, "don't ye think yer life is worth more than ten dollars? Anyhow, Pete," he said, turning to the other man, "I reckon we can make mor'n that out of him, eh?"
"Well, I'd hope so," was the reply.
"How much money ye got there, kid?" asked the man called Jake.
"About one hundred dollars," answered Jack, for he saw that they intended to have it, "and I'll give it all to you if you'll let me go now."
"What yer say, Pete?" asked Jake, but it was the woman who answered.
"Don't yer let him get away, Jake. Mebby his father'll think his life's worth a lot mor'n one hundred dollars."
"Good for ye, old woman, mebby we can work that gag." Then, turning to Jack, he asked, "Who's yer old man, boy?"
Jack hesitated a moment, and the man grabbed him roughly by the arm and said, "Speak up now, and no funny business, we're not to be fooled with."
Seeing that it would be useless to resist, he answered, "My father's name is Golden, and he lives in Maine."
"Got any rocks?" eagerly asked the woman.
"A little, I suppose."
"Huh," she grunted, "I guess when a kid like you runs round with one hundred dollars, and carrying a gold watch like this," she added, taking it from his vest pocket, "his old man's got plenty more."
"Well, what do you intend to do with me?" asked Jack more boldly, for he was not easily scared, and, realizing that he was in the hands of a gang of harbor thieves, he had made up his mind to put on a bold front, trusting to his luck to get away. But no one answered him.
"Where's Jim and Joe?" suddenly asked Jake, turning to the woman.
"Gone over to the city."
"When'll they be back?"
"Not much 'fore morning, likely. The boss sent for 'em; said that he had a job on hand that might take all night."
He then turned to Jack, "Hungry?"
"No," replied Jack, "I had supper, but I'd like to get these wet clothes off and lie down if you aren't going to let me go."
"Well, I s'pose they do feel kinder oneasy. Say,Mag, take him upstairs and lock him in the middle room. He can take his duds off, and they'll dry out by morning. I'm hungry's a bear and want supper, quick."
"Seem's if you're always hungry," she growled, as she motioned Jack to follow her. "I'll be back in a jiff, and supper'll be ready's soon I can git it."
She led him up a flight of dark rickety stairs and, passing along a narrow hallway, pushed him into a room, saying, "There's a cot there, and ye can strip and wring out yer duds and they'll dry by morning. But say, kid, don't yer try to get away, for take it from me, if Jake catches ye trying anything, he'll do ye up for keeps."
She left him a small lamp with which she had lighted the way up, and going out, closed and locked the door.
"Guess they forgot all about that one hundred dollars," thought Jack, as he held up the light and looked about him. The room contained no window, but there was a small opening in the ceiling, which seemed to open into a room above. The only thing in the room was an old broken cot.
"Well," he thought, as he set the light on the floor, "I wasn't long in getting into trouble after I landed in Boston, that's sure; still I don't see how I could have avoided it. It must have been that man Reed who threw me over. He probably followedme, but I don't see why he tried to kill me. Perhaps he thought I had a clue as to where Bob is," he mused.
While these thoughts were running through his mind, he had been taking off his wet clothes. Stripping to the skin, he wrung out what water he could, and then spread them out on the floor. "Good thing it's so hot," he muttered, "or I'd get a fine cold, but I guess there's no danger in here, as it's hot enough to fry eggs. Well, guess I might as well take things as easy as possible."
The cot was covered with an old sheet, which, strangely enough, seemed to be fairly clean, and wrapping it around him, he threw himself on the cot, too tired even to think any more, and in spite of the heat, was soon fast asleep.
He dreamed that he was in a baker's shop, where many workmen were busily engaged baking bread. In some unaccountable manner, he was changed into an immense loaf of bread, and although he tried his best to tell the baker that he was a boy and not a loaf of bread, he was thrown into the oven. The heat grew more and more intense, until finally, when it seemed that he must be about done, he suddenly awoke.
"Well," was his first thought, "that was a funny dream." Then he sat up, trying to think wherehe was. Soon remembrance returned, and with a groan he sank back.
"Whew, but it's hot in here," he said to himself. "Don't believe I can get to sleep again; guess I'll turn up the light and see if my clothes are drying." As he stepped to the floor, the boards seemed almost hot to his feet.
"Wonder what makes it so awful hot," he thought, as he turned up the light. Just then, he thought he heard a faint snapping sound from below, and an instant later, the odor of burning wood came to his nostrils, while he saw thin puffs of smoke curling up through the cracks of the floor.
"My goodness," he thought as he realized his position, "the house is on fire and I'm locked in here!"