CHAPTER XVIII.
BOB AND JACK GO ON A HUNT.
"Say, Jack, I've got an idea," said Bob that night after they were in bed.
"All right, fire ahead, I'm listening. You do say something sensible once in a while and I'm willing to take a chance."
"Well, I believe we could find that house where I was shut up."
"Think so?" asked Jack, full of interest now.
"Of course I'm not sure, but I recognized a house not more than seven or eight miles from it, and if we go there on the wheels, we could search the country pretty well in a short time. Let's try it tomorrow. What do you say?"
"I say yes, that is, if father will let us, and what's more, we'll find it, too, if they haven't lugged it off. We have to be mighty careful though, for those fellows may be in hiding there."
At the breakfast table, the next morning, Bob announced their plan, but Mr. Golden shook his head.
"I'm afraid you'll get into trouble," he declared.
"But," argued Jack, "we ought to do something toward finding those fellows and, if we can locate the house, we can have it searched by officers and have them nabbed if they are there."
Mr. Golden finally consented, but made them promise that they would be very careful and not run any risks. Getting the cook to put them up a good lunch, they were soon ready to start.
"That house," explained Bob, as they rode along side by side, "can't be many miles this side of Oakland. We'll go to Waterville first and then cross over to Oakland, then we'll take the road to Norridgewock and look for that woods road. I suppose we might go by the way of Norridgewock. It would be shorter, but I guess the roads are better the other way."
The road to Skowhegan was rough and mostly down hill, and they did not dare to run very fast, but once outside the latter town, on the road to Waterville, they let the machines out and reached the city in forty-five minutes from the time they left home. As they rode through the city, people stared in amazement at them as they failed to hear the customary chug-chug of the engine.
They made no stop and were soon in Oakland, a little village about three miles to the west of Waterville. Here they stopped at a drug store for a glass of soda water, as the ride had made them thirsty. When they came out, they found that several people had collected and were examining the wheels.
"Say, bub, what kind of an engine you got here?" asked one man.
Now neither of the boys liked being called "bub," but they had been taught to be polite, and Jack explained that it was an electric motor.
"Well—well, I want to know! How do you run it?"
"Oh, that's a secret," laughed Bob, as they got into the saddles and rode off.
In about fifteen minutes they reached the house which Bob had recognized, and turning to his brother, he said:
"Now, Jack, here's where our search begins. It can't be very far from here and as it's only ten o'clock now, we've got several hours to hunt."
"Wouldn't it be a good plan to inquire at the house and see if they know anything about the place?"
"Not a bad idea," agreed Bob, getting off his wheel and running it into the yard. Telling Jack, who had followed him, to hold the cycles he knocked on the door. A slovenly looking woman answered the knock, and when he explained their errand, she gave a sudden start and said rather gruffly:
"No, I don't know of no such place," and shut the door in his face.
"I'll just bet my old hat that she does, all the same," declared Bob, as he rejoined his brother, then as the latter agreed with him, he added:
"I guess we better not make any more inquiries round here; some of these people may be in league with those fellows."
Mounting, they proceeded and had gone only about a mile, when they came to where the road forked.
"Any idea which is the right road?" asked Jack, as he stopped his wheel and dismounted.
"Not an idea. Guess we'll flip a penny. Heads to the right, tails to the left, here goes."
Heads it was, so they started off to the right. It was a fairly smooth road, so they made pretty good speed for about three miles, when Bob said:
"Now we'd better slow up a little and begin to look carefully. If we're on the right track that road can't be a great ways from here, and it may be nearer than I think."
"Do you know which side of the road it is?"
"Yes, it's to our right. Now let's ride on slowly and keep our eyes peeled."
Much of the way was through thick woods, and as they rode slowly along, they closely scanned the woods to their right, watching for a woods road. They had gone on in this way for several miles, when suddenly, they came out of a thick piece of woods. So far, they had seen nothing that in anyway resembled what they were after, but, about a mile farther on, Jack spied a rough road leading through a field to the right.
"Suppose that's it?" he asked, bringing his wheel to a stop.
"No, that can't be it, because I'm sure that it was in the woods, for I remember hearing the branches hit the top of the car all the way along till we got out where we turned into the main road, and another thing, I remember just before we turned, the car giving a terrific lurch as though we had crossed a good-sized gully beside the road, and you see, there's no such place here. No, this is not the road and we might as well go on."
They rode on for several miles, part of the time passing through woods, when they went slowly, and again through the open, where they speeded up. Finally, about eleven-thirty, Bob stopped his wheel and said:
"I guess we've taken the wrong road and might as well go back and try the other one."
To this Jack agreed, and by the time they reached the forks of the road, it was noon, and as they saw a small spring near the roadside, they decided to eat their lunch before going on. They had just finished, when they saw a farmer, followed by a huge mastiff, coming toward them.
"Gee, Bob, just look at the size of that dog, will you?"
"He sure is some dog all right," replied Bob. "I wouldn't want to meet him when he wasn't feeling in a good humor."
By this time the man was within speaking distance.
"Say, young fellers, what yer want round here?" he asked in a harsh tone, while his manner was most offensive.
"Why," asked Bob, pleasantly, "do you own this road?"
"Now don't you get gay with me, young feller."
"No one's getting gay; you asked me a question and I asked you one. Now, as you asked yours first, I'll answer it and then you can do as you please about answering mine, but I think we have a right here in the public road without being growled at. Now then, we are taking a ride on our wheels seeing the country."
The farmer looked rather uneasy while Bob was talking.
"Huh, mebby so, but yer the fellers what stopped at my house down the road here a bit, 'bout two hours ago, and was asking the old woman something about a house what was hid in the woods, hain't yer?"
"Yes, we did stop and make an inquiry," replied Bob. "Anything wrong about that?"
"Mebby not, only they hain't any sech place round here and yer needn't go to hunting for any."
"Well," asked Jack, laughing slightly, "if there's no such place where's the harm in our looking for it?"
The farmer perceived that he had made a slip, and grumbling something about fool kids poking their noses round where they had no business, he started off up the road to the right, the dog following close behind.
"Well, well, the plot thickens, as the hero says in the play. Jack, that man knows something about that place, and what's more, he don't want us to know anything about it."
CHAPTER XIX.
THEY FIND THE HOUSE BUT LOSE A CAP.
As soon as the farmer disappeared, the boys started off once more, taking the left-hand road. After riding five or six miles, they entered a thick woods and about a half a mile farther on they came to a bridge, leading over a small, shallow stream. This bridge had been newly repaired as they could see that the plank flooring had been but little used.
"By jimminy, but I believe we're getting warm now," cried Bob, as he stopped his wheel on the bridge. "See where the road leads down through the brook there?"
"Yes," replied Jack leaning over the rail. "They must have crossed that way while the bridge was being fixed. But what of it?"
"Just this of it. I remember that just a few minutes after we turned into the main road that night, the machine suddenly stopped and then turned down a very rough, steep place just like this, and after going a few feet, came back into the road again, and I'll bet my cap that this is the place. Funny I didn't think of it before, for this bridge brought it to my mind. They hadn't taken the blindfold off then, so, of course, I couldn't see anything, but, this is the place sure as guns, and that road can't be more than a mile off."
"Well, come on," urged Jack, impatiently, as he mounted his wheel, "we'll soon find it if you're right."
They rode on slowly, closely watching the right-hand side of the road and had not gone quite a mile when Jack's keen eyes spied a slight break in the thick trees.
"Hurrah!" he called, "here's something that looks promising"; and then as Bob came up, "there's your woods road and there's your gully."
"I believe you're right, now what had we better do?"
"How far do you think the house is from the road?"
"Not more than a third of a mile I should say. Now I don't think we'd better take the wheels in there, because the road is so rough that if we should have to make a quick getaway, we could go much faster without them."
"Then let's hide them in the bushes and hoof it," proposed Jack.
"I kinder hate to leave them, but I guess it's the best way out. Come on."
They led the motorcycles along the woods road for perhaps a dozen yards and then turned off into the thick wood to the left, and after pushing along about two rods, Bob suddenly said:
"There's just the place, right by that birch tree. The bushes in front there are so thick that no one can see them."
Pushing on they carefully hid them there and then turned back to the road.
"I don't think we'd better follow the road," advised Bob, "for we might meet some one. Let's go parallel to it, but through the woods a little to the left." This they did and had gone about a quarter of a mile when Jack whispered:
"Say Bob, do you know we left the caps on the wheels?"
"Gracious, that's so; think we'd better go back and get them?"
"Oh, I guess they'll be all right; we must be most there now. Let's risk it."
So they pushed on, and had gone but a little farther, when Bob, peering through the trees, saw an opening in the woods, and a moment later a low two-story log house, standing on the farther edge, was visible. Jack was a few feet behind and, placing his finger on his lips, Bob motioned him to come on.
"That the place, sure as guns," he whispered, "Right out in front here is where I had that fight with Reed."
"Guess you're right, but I don't see any signs of life there, do you?"
"No, but we'll camp down here a while and watch."
Bob had hardly spoken, when they heard a low growl a little to their left.
"Goodness, there's a dog," whispered Jack, and the next moment a huge mastiff, similar to the one they had seen with the farmer, sprang toward them.
"Quick, Bob, your pistol," gasped Jack.
The boys always carried water pistols, loaded with strong ammonia water, when they went off on their motorcycles, and now they were to stand them in good stead. As Jack spoke, he jumped back, reaching for his pistol, which he carried in his back pocket, but before he could get it out the dog was upon him. Quickly thrusting forward his left arm, the dog caught him by the elbow, but the stout canvas, of which their jackets were made, prevented the sharp teeth from going through. By this time, Bob had his pistol out, and stepping forward, he shot the contents fairly into the face of the enraged beast. He let go his hold and with a loud yelp of pain, sprang backward, and began wildly clawing the dirt and leaves.
"Did he bite you, Jack?" asked Bob anxiously.
"Nope, nary a bite, you were too quick for him. But I think we'd better hike out of here. If there's anybody in that house, they must have heard that howl, and will likely investigate."
"That's right, you know we promised mother not to run any risks; come on."
Hastily they began to retrace their steps, but as there were no signs of pursuit, they soon slowed up a little.
"Don't believe there was a soul there," panted Jack, "but we found the house and that's one good job done anyhow, and I guess we'd better be content with that for today, but I would have liked to take a peep in that house."
By this time, they were in sight of the tree where they had left the wheels, but, when they hurried forward to drag them out, to their great consternation, no wheels were there.
"Jerusalem!" gasped Bob, "they're gone!"
"Well, what do you know about that?" echoed Jack. "If this isn't a pretty kettle of fish! Are you sure this was the place?"
"'Course it is. Here's the big birch tree and you can see where the bushes are trampled down. Oh, if we'd only taken those caps with us! But come on, we mustn't stand here doing nothing. We've got to get those wheels back, and let's hurry out to the road and see if we can see anything of them."
As they hurried along, Bob continued, "If King or Reed spotted us I guess it's all up, but it may be that some country lout saw us leave 'em there and has swiped 'em. If that's the case, we may get 'em back."
"We'll do our best anyhow," panted Jack, as they raced along.
They soon reached the main road, and quickly looked both ways, but nothing of the wheels was to be seen.
For a moment the two boys looked at each other in helpless despair, then Jack, casting his eyes on the ground, said:
"Here, quick, Bob, see here's their tracks."
Sure enough, in the dusty road the tracks of two wheels, leading in the direction from which they had come, were plainly visible.
"See, here's our tracks on this side of the road and there's the others," and a second later he added, "There's only one fellow; see where he walked between 'em."
"Right you are, Sherlock," shouted Bob, "come on now, on the run."
They set off at a rapid pace, their hopes away up. They ran nearly two miles, both being in good training, before they saw any one, then as they rounded a turn, they saw the object of their pursuit, walking rapidly about two hundred yards ahead of them, between the two wheels.
"Come on now as fast as you can leg it," said Bob, "Let's get as near him as we can before he sees us."
They were within two hundred feet of the thief, when he turned and saw them.
"Hey, you, drop those wheels!" shouted Jack.
The man hesitated a minute and then dropped the wheels on the road and, springing to one side, started off across a field at the top of his speed. In another minute they had reached the wheels, and with a cry of joy, Jack grabbed his up saying:
"Guess we're in luck again." But the next moment his spirits were dashed, when Bob suddenly cried:
"Look, Jack, he's taken one of my caps." Then, before Jack could speak, he said: "You look out for this wheel, I'm going after that chap."
The man by this time was some distance away and running as fast as he could go, but Bob remembered that a little farther along a road branched off to the left, and hoping to cut him off, he jumped on Jack's wheel and fairly flew down the road in a cloud of dust. Coming to the branch road he turned and had ridden but a short distance when he saw the man climbing a fence, beside the road, just a little ahead. So quietly did the wheel run that Bob was nearly upon him before he was aware of his presence. He was a tall fellow, about twenty years old, dressed in overalls. Seeing that Bob was alone, he made no further attempt to escape, but stood in the middle of the road panting, as Bob came up.
Stopping the wheel and jumping off, he demanded:
"See here, what do you mean by taking our wheels?"
"Huh, don't yer wish yer knew? What yer going ter do about it anyhow?" he asked with a sneer.
"Well," replied Bob slowly, "you've taken a cap off one of the machines and if you give it to me at once, there'll be no trouble, but if you don't, why I'll just naturally have to take it away from you, sonny."
The tall youth laughed loudly, then stepping closer to Bob, shook his fist in his face, saying:
"I'm not saying I got the cap, but, if you think I have, mebby you'd better pitch in right now 'fore you forgit it."
Bob knew that the country youth was much stronger than he, as he was all of thirty pounds heavier, but he had taken several lessons in wrestling and boxing, and also was familiar with a number of the holds of the Japanese which had been taught him by a Jap friend. He therefore felt confident of his ability to handle the country boy, unless he had a similar training, which he doubted.
"Won't give it to me then?" asked Bob.
"Give yer nothing," the farmer boy started to answer, but before he had time to finish, Bob had made a rush and grabbed him round the waist.
"Easy now or you'll be apt to get hurt," he said, as he clasped his arms round Bob's shoulders.
This was exactly what Bob wanted, and giving a sudden twist to his body, he exerted all his strength, and threw the fellow fairly over his head. He came down with a heavy thud and was probably more surprised than he had ever been before in his life. He was not hurt, however, and quickly jumping to his feet, he made a wild rush for Bob, shouting:
"I'll fix you for that, you blamed dude."
He was more careful this time, however, and for two or three minutes they sparred, neither being able to strike a decisive blow. Bob found that the fellow was by no means ignorant of the art of boxing, as he soon got a blow on the nose, which made it bleed freely, but as one of his opponent's eyes were closed, he felt that he was at least holding his own.
"Blame yer, I'll get yer now," and the fellow aimed a powerful blow at Bob's head. If he had landed, his words would undoubtedly have come true, but Bob jumped nimbly to one side, and the country boy nearly fell forward from the impetus of his blow. Bob saw his chance, and quickly jumping forward, he grabbed him round the neck and, getting his knee in the small of his back, he pulled his head backward, a trick he had learned from the Jap.
"Gosh amighty, yer breaking my neck," gasped the fellow, now absolutely helpless, and the more he struggled, the more Bob's grip hurt.
Bob knew that he had him at his mercy, and freeing one arm, while he held him tightly with the other, he reached into the pocket of his overalls, and to his joy, pulled out the stolen cap. But his troubles were not yet over, for just then he heard the sound of rapidly approaching steps, and turning, he saw the farmer, who had questioned them that noon coming towards them on the run and only about one hundred feet away.
CHAPTER XX.
BOB AND JACK RETURN FROM THE HUNT.
As Bob saw the farmer coming, he had to do some pretty quick thinking, for it was evident that he was hostile to him for some unknown reason, and he did not intend to fall into his power if he could help it. Fortunately, he had left his motorcycle standing in the road, about ten feet away in the opposite direction from which the farmer was approaching. Giving the man he was holding a powerful shove, which sent him sprawling into the ditch by the roadside, he made a quick rush for the wheel, snapped up the rest and, giving the handle a slight turn, vaulted into the saddle. But he was just a fraction of a second too late, for as he started off, the farmer caught him by the coat tail. He had presence of mind to turn off the power before the wheel fell over sideways, and springing to the side, stood facing the farmer.
"Now, you young cub, what does all this mean?"
Bob had a habit of acting on the impulse of the moment, and before the farmer had time to put up his hands, biff! he was lying on his back in the middle of the road. By this time the younger man had picked himself from the gutter, and hastily running forward, bent over the fallen man, who Bob thought was probably his father.
"I'll have the law on yer for this," he shouted. "I guess yer've killed him."
"Will, eh?" said Bob, stepping forward.
His fighting blood was now at red heat, and he felt able to fight a dozen men. "Well, if you feel like taking the law into your hands, come on, and I'll give you one of the most interesting little picnics you ever saw. I was only playing before."
But he had evidently had enough, for he made no move toward reopening hostilities.
"All right then, guess I'll be going. By the way, your father'll come round all right in a minute. I didn't hit him very hard."
Just then the farmer gave a groan and opened his eyes, saying feebly:
"Laws amighty, did a mule kick me?"
Bob waited no longer, but, picking up his wheel, rode off unmolested. Just as he reached the corner where the road joined the main highway, he met Jack trudging along pushing his wheel.
"Well, old man," he shouted, "How'd you make out? Did you get it?"
"Did I get it?" repeated Bob, reaching his hand in his pocket, and pulling out the cap. "What do you say to this?"
"I say it's great luck."
"You may think so, but quite considerable of a fight had a good deal to do with it. Look at my nose. But," he laughed, "you ought to see the other fellow."
By this time he had screwed the cap in place.
"Come on," he said, "let's ride back a little way. Something back here I want to show you."
"What is it?" asked Jack as they mounted and started back.
"Oh, nothing much, only the road jumped up and hit a fellow on the back of the head a few minutes ago and I want to see how he's getting along. There are two of them, but I don't think there's much fight left in either."
He explained what had happened, as they rode along, and as he finished, they came in sight of Bob's late antagonists. The older man was just staggering to his feet, and riding up to within about twenty feet, Bob said pleasantly:
"Came round all right, did he?"
He turned and let out such a string of oaths as the boys had never before heard. When he stopped for lack of breath, Bob said:
"If that's the way you feel about it, I guess the less said the better, and we'll bid you good night. Come on, Jack."
They turned and rode slowly away turning their heads just in time to see both men shaking their fists at them.
"Well, that chapter is ended," remarked Jack, as they rode off. "Wonder what the next one will be like. We've certainly had some excitement since we made those cells."
"That's so," agreed Bob, looking at his watch. "It's after three now, and we'd better make tracks for home. You know mother will begin to worry about four o'clock if we're not there."
The road to Skowhegan, five miles down the Kennebec, was very sandy, and it was impossible for them to make good time. It was four-fifteen when they crossed the bridge in Skowhegan, but they made up for lost time on the run up to the lake and reached the cottage just as the clock was striking four-thirty.
All the folks were on the porch, including their father and Uncle Ben, who had come up from town in the car, a short time before. The story of the day's adventures was soon told, and Mr. Golden declared that on the morrow they would get some officers and visit the log house in the woods.
"Well, I declare!" said May. "You two boys do beat all when it comes to getting into scrapes and getting out of them again. It must be lots of fun. Wish I was a boy."
"That's all right as long as you do get out all right," remarked Jack a little dryly, "but there wouldn't have been so much fun to some of the messes we've been in lately if they hadn't turned out as they did. Please excuse me."
"Come on, Bob," shouted Jack, "that lake looks good to me. We've got just time for a good swim before supper."
The girls both declared it would be just the thing, and all four rushed into the house and upstairs, to reappear in an incredibly short time clad in bathing suits. The girls could both swim nearly as well as the boys, and soon they were having a splendid time in the clear water of the lake. They swam and dived, ducking each other whenever opportunity offered, until Mrs. Golden called that it was time to get dressed for supper.
The next morning, while they were at breakfast, the telephone rang and Mr. Golden went into the front room to answer it.
"What's that you say?" they heard him ask, "Mercy, is that so? I'll come right down, be there in less than a half hour."
When he returned to the dining room, his face was pale and his voice trembled, as he said:
"Bob, get the car out as soon as possible; the bank has been robbed."
"Robbed!" cried Mrs. Golden, as they all sprang to their feet. "How much did they get?"
"I don't know, I don't suppose they can tell yet, but Riggs said it was a large amount."
By this time the boys were at the garage, only a short distance from the house, and shouting to Sandy, the chauffeur, had the car out by the time their father and Uncle Ben were ready.
"Can we go?" asked Bob.
"Why, yes, I suppose so, but you'll get there sooner if you take your wheels. You coming, Ben?"
"Guess I will," replied the latter, and telling the women that they would 'phone as soon as they could, they were off, the boys leading the way on the motorcycles.
CHAPTER XXI.
BOB AND JACK THINK THEY HAVE A CLUE.
The First National Bank of Skowhegan, of which Mr. Golden was president, is situated on Water street. Behind it runs the Kennebec river through a rock gorge, nearly fifty feet deep. At the time of our story, the bank building was new, having been built only the year before. It was thoroughly modern in every respect, and contained what was supposed to be a burglar-proof vault.
The boys soon distanced the car and in exactly eleven minutes from the time they started were in front of the bank. They found a crowd of several hundred people collected in the street, for such a thing as a bank robbery in Skowhegan had never been known, and there was great excitement. Hurriedly, they pushed the wheels into a livery stable nearby, which was run by a friend of theirs, and then pushing their way through the crowd, managed to reach the sidewalk, in front of the bank, but here the people were so closely packed, that they were forced to stop.
"Guess we'll have to wait for dad," panted Jack, after a vigorous shove had failed to make an opening.
"Gee, but this is worse than a football game," declared Bob, "but here's dad now," as a big policeman pushed his way through the crowd shouting:
"Stand back now and let Mr. Golden through."
The mass of people slowly gave way, and Mr. Golden, followed closely by Bob and Jack, who had grabbed hold of his coat tails as he pushed his way past, finally succeeded in reaching the steps of the bank. The door was at once opened by Mr. Riggs, the old cashier, and Mr. Golden and Uncle Ben, who was with them, entered closely followed by the two boys.
"Oh, to think that I should live to see this day!" moaned the cashier, as he closed and locked the door behind them.
"How did they get in?" was Mr. Golden's first question.
The cashier pointed to the door and a glance was sufficient to disclose the means of entrance. Two doors, separated by a small vestibule, led into the bank. The outer door was fitted with a heavy plate glass window, but the inner one was of solid oak. This had been cut through by means of a bit, and a hole about twenty inches in diameter sawed out. A similar opening had been made in the glass of the outer door, a circular piece having been cut out, evidently with a diamond, and then, cemented back in again so cleverly, that it was not noticeable except on close inspection.
Going to the vault at the rear of the bank, they found an irregular hole, nearly sixteen inches in diameter, through the solid steel door. The edges of this hole had a fused appearance, and Mr. Golden at once said:
"Undoubtedly the work of experts, and they must have used an oxy-acteylene blowpipe flame to cut through that door."
Bob had been doing some pretty deep thinking, and now he caught hold of his father's sleeve and said:
"Of course, I may be a way off, but I believe that those fellows who kidnapped me are the ones who did this job."
"I think so, too," broke in Jack, "We know that they are criminals and what were they doing round here if they weren't up to some such job? You see," he continued, as his father was about to speak, "they didn't come here after those cells, because they didn't know anything about them till they saw the boat the day of the race. I believe they intended to rob the bank in the first place and then they saw our boat and thought that if they could get hold of our secret, it would pay them better than this job. That's the way I've got it doped out."
"And I believe Jack's right, dad," broke in Bob. "Something I heard that man Reed say just after they got me in the car that night has just come to me. I didn't think much of it at the time; it has never occurred to me till just now."
"What was it?" eagerly asked Mr. Golden.
"Why, we had gone but a little ways when I heard Reed say, in a low voice. 'How about that other job, Bill?' and King replied angrily, 'Shut up, you fool!' Then as Reed started to say something, he whispered, 'That can wait awhile; it won't spoil.'"
"I really believe the boys are right," declared Uncle Ben. "There is little doubt in my mind that when you get those two men you will have the robbers of this bank."
"I'll tell you what," broke in Bob, "if those two fellows did it, I'll bet a cent they'll go straight to the place where they took me, that we found yesterday. You see they think no one knows about it and that they will be safe there."
"Then we'd better get some officers and get after them as quickly as possible," declared Uncle Ben.
"I guess we might as well try it," assented Mr. Golden, "seeing it's the only clue we have. Mr. Riggs, see if Mr. Switzer is out there and if he is, have him come in, will you?"
The cashier disappeared, but was back almost immediately, followed by a powerfully built man about forty years old, the chief of police of Skowhegan.
"Hello, Switzer, glad you were at hand," cried Mr. Golden.
"Just got here," panted the officer, who appeared nearly out of breath. "I went over to Smithfield fishing early this morning and didn't know about it till I got there, and then I hustled back as fast as I could."
It may be well to explain here, that Skowhegan does not have a regular police force who give all their time to it. Mr. Switzer, besides being chief, was a butcher, and the rest of the force, consisting of five men, held different positions in the town.
Mr. Golden quickly pointed out what has been described, and then told him of Bob's suspicion.
"Just the thing to do," he declared. "George and Fred are outside and I'll get them and we'll start at once."
"We'll go in my car," said Mr. Golden. "I guess it's as fast as any in town, and will carry six of us all right, and the boys can go on their wheels, can't you, Bob?"
"Sure thing," the both replied.
"All right then, that's settled. Now let's get off as soon as possible. My car is right over there on the corner."
They went out and Mr. Golden and Uncle Ben at once made their way to the car, while Mr. Switzer searched through the crowd for his officers. Bob and Jack hurried to where they had left their wheels and were back at the corner in almost no time, where they were soon joined by the three officers.
"Now, where to?" asked the chief, as he took his seat by the driver.
"Norridgewock first," answered Bob, as he jumped into his saddle, and he added, as he turned on the power, "here's where we break all the speed laws ever made."
"You boys keep within sight of us," shouted Mr. Golden, as they dashed across the bridge.
In spite of the bad road, they reached Norridgewock in nineteen minutes. On the way, Mr. Golden told Uncle Ben and the officers that Riggs had said that nearly one hundred thousand dollars in cash and negotiable securities had been taken.
They made no stop at Norridgewock, but at once took the road leading to Oakland. Here the going was much better and in a little less than half an hour after leaving Norridgewock, they were within a mile of the woods road, which led to the big house. The boys were about a quarter of a mile ahead of the car and stopped here to wait for the rest of the party.
"Are we 'most there?" asked Mr. Golden, as the car came up to them and stopped.
"Yes, it's only about a mile from here, and I thought we'd better stop before we got any nearer, and make our plans," explained Bob.
"My idea," said Mr. Switzer, "is to leave the car by the side of the main road and go the rest of the way on foot. You see," he explained, "if we took it too close they would hear it and skip, that is, providing they're there."
All agreed that this was the best plan.
"Now, Bob," asked the chief, "how far from the main road is that house?"
"I should say a little more than a quarter of a mile."
"And how large is the clearing round it?"
"At the back the trees grow up close to the house, but in front there is a clearing of perhaps half an acre."
"Then, three of us had better get round to the back of the house, while the rest approach it from the front. George, you and Bob and Mr. Golden," indicating Uncle Ben, "can circle round and get behind. The rest of us will give you plenty of time to get there and then we'll go up to the house and demand admittance."
To this plan all agreed, and they started again, the boys keeping just in front of the car. They had gone about a mile, when Bob held up his hand for them to stop.
"See that big elm just ahead there?" he asked, pointing with his finger. "Well, the road is about ten feet the other side of that tree."
But just then something happened which caused a complete change in their plans.
CHAPTER XXII.
THE CHASE.
Bob and Jack were a few feet ahead of the others, when the former suddenly stopped.
"Don't you hear that motor, Jack?"
"I do now, and I believe it's a car coming out that woods road."
The rest of the party had now joined the boys, and the sound of the approaching car was plainly audible.
"That must be them," said Bob in a low voice. "Now what'd we better do?"
"We'll hide in the bushes on each side of the road," proposed Mr. Switzer, "and when they come along, we'll jump out and stop 'em. You all got guns?"
It turned out that only the policemen had revolvers, so the chief, Mr. Golden and Uncle Ben hid on one side of the woods road, while the other two policemen and the boys concealed themselves on the other.
"Now," whispered the chief, "don't make a sound till I tell 'em to stop, then you cover 'em with your guns and if they try to get away, let 'em have it, but don't shoot to kill if you can help it 'cause we want to get those fellows alive if we can."
Nothing more was said and in a few minutes the car was near at hand, as they could tell by the sound, and, peering through the bushes, Bob spied a large car coming slowly along the road. Two men were on the front seat.
"I believe that's King driving," whispered Bob, "though he's shaved off his beard."
At that instant, Chief Switzer sprang out into the middle of the road in front of the car, closely followed by Mr. Golden and Uncle Ben, while the other policemen and the boys followed suit from their side.
"Halt, in the name of the law," shouted the chief, flourishing his revolver.
The car was about ten feet from them as the order was given, and instead of obeying, the driver suddenly put on high speed and the car shot toward them. So quickly was it done that they had barely time to save themselves from being run down by jumping to one side as the car shot by and turned into the main road heading toward Oakland.
"Gosh, they'll get away sure as thunder," shouted Switzer, as he fired his revolver after the vanishing car. "Come on, we've got to chase them."
It took them but an instant to reach the road and, to their delight, they found that Sandy, seeing the car come out, had brought their machine up.
"Pile in, quick," shouted the chief, but although they obeyed as quickly as possible, the fugitives were nearly a half mile ahead when they started.
The boys rushed to where they had left their wheels, about a hundred feet away, and by the time they reached them and mounted they were quite a distance in the rear.
"Now, let 'em out," shouted Jack, as he sprang into the saddle, and turning on the power, fairly flew down the road closely followed by Bob, and before they had gone a mile, they were up with their father's car.
"I'm afraid we're going to lose 'em," they heard the chief say, as they drew up, one on each side of the car. "We're not gaining an inch. Getting all the speed you can out of her, Sandy?"
"I've got her wide open," was the reply.
Bob knew that there was a long, steep hill to ascend a little farther on and hoped that they would gain on them there, as his father's car was a splendid hill climber and he had a few weeks before taken that same hill on high gear. A moment later, as they swung round a curve, the hill was at hand, and Bob shouted to Sandy telling him not to shift.
They could see the robber's car about half way up the hill, and going slowly, evidently on low gear. Sandy hit the foot of the hill at a terrific pace and, as the car went up on high gear, they could see that they were gaining rapidly. But the robbers had too great a start and reached the top several hundred yards ahead. The road was now slightly down hill for a mile or more, and they could see that, under the reckless driving of the robber, whose car must have been making nearly seventy miles an hour, they were rapidly losing ground, for Mr. Golden had told Sandy not to go faster than he considered safe.
"I want to catch them as badly as any one, but I'm not going to risk killing all of us to do it," he declared.
"He'll wreck his car and break their necks, sure as fate, if he don't slow up," thought Bob.
But the robbers reached the foot of the hill in safety and had gained all the ground they had lost in climbing the hill. For a number of miles now, the road was fairly level and the race continued without much change in their relative distance.
The two boys were now riding a little behind the car, and suddenly Jack turned to Bob, saying:
"I say, Bob, we're never going to catch 'em at this rate."
"Don't look like it. They've sure got some speedy car, and of course they're reckless about driving."
Just then they reached the outskirts of Oakland, and, as they had to stop to inquire which way the robbers had gone, they lost still more ground. Quickly learning, however, that they had taken a road which would probably lead them, by a round-about way to Portland, they told their informant to tell the police to telephone to the latter city to be on the watch for them, and again took up in the chase.
As they started off, Bob said to Jack:
"Say, Jack, we could catch 'em easily on these wheels."
"Sure we could, we've been running only about half speed, but what good would it do? We couldn't stop 'em, could we?"
"Perhaps not, but my idea is this. Let's get a couple of revolvers from the policemen and ride up behind them and see if we can't put a hole in one of their tires."
"Good," shouted Jack, "Come on, let's go get em."
Putting on more power, as they had lagged behind a little, while they were talking, they quickly overtook the car.
"Hey, there," shouted Jack, as they rode up along side, "Give us a couple of your revolvers and we'll try to shoot a hole in their tire."
"Think you can do it?" asked the chief, leaning out of the car.
"Don't know, but we can try it. You'll never catch 'em at this rate and it's the only chance I see."
"All right, here you are," answered the chief, leaning out and handing each of the boys a revolver. "Go get 'em. But you look sharp, now. Those fellows are probably armed and won't hesitate to shoot if they are cornered."
"Yes, boys," joined in Mr. Golden, "don't you get too close to them."
"We'll be careful," replied Bob. "Come on, Jack, now let her out and we'll show them some real speed," and as they turned on the power, they rapidly left the car behind.
But they had lost more ground than they thought, and they rode for fully six miles before catching sight of the robbers, and had begun to fear that they had lost them. But, finally they caught sight of the car about a half mile ahead, and giving the motors a little more current, they rapidly crept up till they were within two hundred yards of them.
Suddenly, they saw the man who was not driving, turn his head, and as he saw them, he said something to his companion, and then, turning in his seat, he drew his revolver.
"He is going to shoot," shouted Jack, and the next instant a shot rang out followed by several others. But, the swaying car made accurate shooting impossible, and he emptied the chamber without doing any harm, although Bob heard one bullet whiz past his head.
"He couldn't hit a barn at the rate he's going," shouted Jack. "Come on, let's get a little nearer and then we'll try our hand at it."
They waited till they were within about one hundred and fifty feet and then Bob fired, followed a moment later by Jack. They were both good shots with the revolver, but, under the condition, they knew that it would be more good luck than anything else if they succeeded in hitting a tire. By this time, the man they supposed to be Reed, although he now wore a mustache, had his gun loaded again and began firing, but, fortunately, with no effect.
Jack had but one shot left when a ball from Reed's revolver passed through his hat.
"Gee, that's getting a little too close for comfort," he muttered.
Taking careful aim, he slowly pressed the trigger and this time a loud report followed the bark of the revolver.
"Got 'em," he shouted as both turned off the power and pressed on the brakes.
He had indeed got 'em more thoroughly than he supposed, for as the air left one of the rear tires, they saw the car suddenly swerve to the right, and before the driver could regain control, it had turned turtle into the ditch by the road side.
"Gracious, I guess that ends them," cried Bob, as they brought their wheels to a standstill not more than seventy feet from the overturned car.
CHAPTER XXIII.
THE ROUND UP.
The boys, thinking that the robbers might still be able to shoot, went back a little way until they saw the other car coming.
"Well, you got them, sure enough," declared Mr. Switzer, as the car drew up and came to a stop, "but I guess, by the looks, they're both dead. We'd better have our guns ready though, for they may be able to shoot," he added turning to his men.
Their fears were groundless, however, for on approaching the overturned car, they found that both men were unconscious, although they were alive. Reed, who had lost the false mustache he had been wearing had been thrown from the car and, having struck his head on a rock, was lying a few feet away, stunned, while King was pinned under the car, and groaning heavily. It was necessary to get the jack from the other car and raise the machine before they could drag him out. He slowly opened his eyes and groaned as they bore him to the car.
It took some time to bring Reed around, but finally he began to show signs of life and soon sat up and looked around in a dazed manner. As his eyes rested for an instant on Jack, a shudder ran through him and he muttered something about not doing a very good job and sank back with a moan.
They found the stolen money and securities in a box under the car, which was badly wrecked, and Mr. Golden took it in charge.
"Now," said Mr. Switzer, speaking to Mr. Golden, "if you are willing, George and I'll take these fellows back to Skowhegan in your car. There's a house just around that turn where a man by the name of Berry lives, and he'll probably hitch up and take the rest of you back to Oakland and you can catch the train there for home."
"All right," replied Mr. Golden, "I guess that will be the best plan, and the boys can go along with you on their wheels."
So it was arranged, and the two injured robbers were made as comfortable as possible on the back seat of the car with Mr. Switzer, after he had slipped handcuffs on them. They said nothing except that King said he believed his left leg was broken, and it was paining him a good deal.
"You're both mighty lucky that your necks aren't broken," declared Switzer.
"I don't know as it's so very lucky for us, either," said Reed moodily.
The other officer took his seat in front with Sandy, and as they started off, Mr. Switzer shouted:
"I'll send some one out to tow their machine in."
The return trip was made without incident, the boys following the car. The prisoners were not inclined to talk and refused to answer any questions. On reaching Skowhegan, they were taken to the jail and a doctor summoned, who found that King's left leg was broken below the knee. Beyond a good sized lump on the back of his head and a severe shaking up, Reed was not injured.
The authorities at Boston were notified, and it turned out that Reed was the long-wanted Jim the Penman, and, as Captain Long had suspected, King proved to be the man known as Oily Joe. They were both sentenced to twenty years' imprisonment in the state prison of Massachusetts.
As the boys, accompanied by Mr. Switzer, left the jail, after hearing the doctor's report regarding the condition of the robbers, Bob told him of his suspicions regarding the farmer and his son, with whom they had the trouble the day before.
"That must be looked into," declared Mr. Switzer. "It certainly looks as though they were mixed up in it somehow. Tell you what I think we'd better do. It's only ten-thirty now; suppose we take your father's car and drive right back there and see what we can find out about it."
To this the boys readily agreed, and taking the other policeman with them they started, waiting only long enough for Bob to call up his mother and tell her the news.
They reached the place in a little over an hour, and as they drove into the yard, the farmer was sitting on the back door step. As soon as he saw them, he rose and started to go into the house, but Mr. Switzer was too quick for him, and drawing his revolver, he pointed it at the man ordering him to stop. He wisely obeyed and Switzer told him to come to the car.
"Is this the man?" he asked, turning to Bob.
"Yes, he's the man all right."
The chief then explained the situation to him and told him that he had better make a clean breast of it. The man was very much frightened and his voice trembled as he spoke, telling them that he would tell them all he knew.
According to the man's account, the house in the woods belonged to him. It had been built by a man from New York, three years ago, who intended to use it as a summer home, but his wife had died before it was completely furnished, and he had bought it at a very low price. King and Reed had driven into his yard one afternoon, a week or so ago, in an automobile. The smaller of the two, Reed, had said that he was a wealthy business man from Boston and that King was his servant. He, Reed, had suffered from a nervous breakdown, and his doctor had ordered him to go way somewhere, with his man, where he could be perfectly quiet and where no one would bother him, and they were looking for a place which they could rent.
He had at once thought of the log house in the woods and had offered to show it to them. On seeing it, Reed had declared it to be just the thing and had paid him a month's rent in advance. He had thought that Reed was pretty healthy looking for a sick man, but considered it none of his business so long as he got his money. He had seen but little of them, but did know that they were away most of the time. Yes, he thought it strange, seeing that he wanted to be perfectly quiet, but here again, it was none of his affair and he had not bothered his head about it.
Bob asked him why he had been so hostile toward Jack and him, and why his son had stolen their wheels, and why he had kept the cap, on abandoning them. He said, in explanation, that Reed had called at the house one day, and during their conversation had told him that two boys had stolen an invention from him. Some kind of a storage battery, the secret of which was in some metal caps. He had said that he was very anxious to get back at least one of the caps as he had lost the formula for making them and had been unable to get the right proportion of metals. Asked why he didn't have the boys arrested, he had replied that, unfortunately, he had no proof that they had stolen it, but that he would give one thousand dollars to get one of the caps. So, it happened that when he had seen the boys the day before, and had noticed the electric motors on their wheels, he had at once jumped to the conclusion that they were the boys Reed had told him about. So, seeing a good chance, as he thought, to make one thousand dollars honestly and without much trouble, he and his son, who had been at work in a field nearby, had followed them, and he guessed they knew the rest.
The farmer's story sounded plausible enough as he told it, and, as they had no evidence to the contrary, Mr. Switzer said he guessed probably he was all right, but cautioned him to be more careful in the future or he might get into trouble, and telling him that he might be called as a witness, proposed that they start back.
"I don't know I'm sure," he said to the boys, on the way back, "whether that fellow was telling the truth or not, but as long as we caught the robbers, I don't see that we'd gain anything by arresting him and I guess we'd have a pretty hard time proving anything against him."
"Well, I got one good crack at him anyhow," chuckled Bob, "and I guess that son of his will think twice the next time, before he tackles a dude."
As the car drew up in front of the bank, they found that their father and the others had returned and getting their wheels, the boys lost no time in starting for the cottage, as they felt, according to Jack, hollow clear to the toes. Mrs. Golden said that he and Uncle Ben had eaten lunch and would be up later as he had some business to attend to at the bank.
As they rode through the town, they had to stop a dozen times and receive congratulations from their friends, and it was nearly two o'clock when they reached the cottage. However, they found a good lunch awaiting them, as their father had 'phoned that they were coming. While eating, they gave their mother, their aunt and the two girls an account of the events of the forenoon.
"I am very glad," declared Mrs. Golden, "that they are caught, as I would never have felt easy with them at large."
Mr. Golden and Uncle Ben came up in time for supper and the evening was spent in talking over the events of the last few days.
The next night, when Mr. Golden came up from Skowhegan, he told the boys that he had a surprise for them.
"What is it?" both asked eagerly.
"I received a telegram this afternoon from Captain Long, saying that a check for ten thousand dollars had been sent to you, which is the reward offered for the capture of Jim the Penman and Oily Joe."
The boys were surprised, and of course delighted, for they had not thought of a reward, although they now remembered that Captain Long had told them that one had been offered.
"But, father, don't you think that Mr. Switzer and the other policemen ought to have part of it?" asked Bob.
"No," replied his father, "I hardly think so. They only did their duty in arresting them, while you were really the ones who caught them. What do you say, Ben?"
Uncle Ben agreed with their father, in thinking that the reward belonged to them alone, but Jack proposed that they would feel better about it if they gave them a part, and Mr. Golden smilingly told them to do as they thought best. So, after talking it over, they decided to give them one thousand dollars each. Mr. Switzer and the other two men were much pleased when the boys gave them the money, and all decided that they had not expected any part of it as they considered that it belonged to the boys.
CHAPTER XXIV.
CONCLUSION.
"Say, Bob, what'll we do with this money?"
The check had been received on the day following Mr. Golden's announcement, and as soon as the boys got into bed that night they began to talk about it.
"Well, I'll tell you my idea. You remember what I said before I was kidnapped, about that prize of fifty thousand dollars for flying across the Atlantic, don't you? Well, tomorrow, let's ask dad about it and if he says we may try it, we can use it to buy an airplane next summer. What do you say?"
"What do I say? I say that, for a youth of your tender years, you have a mighty level head, and that last remark of yours is certainly a corker."
The next morning, at breakfast, they broached the subject to their father.
"Well, I never!" declared Uncle Ben, "What in the name of common sense will you boys think of next? But of course, you are only fooling."
"Indeed we're not," declared Bob, emphatically.
"But sober earnest now, Bob, do you think the scheme is practical?" asked his father.
"I don't see why not. Lots of aviators can stay in the air as long as their gasoline will hold out and the only reason they can't fly farther is because they can't carry enough fuel. Now we could carry enough of those cylinders to take an airship round the world."
"Well, well," said their father, as he rose from the table, "there's lots of time to think of that between now and next summer. I won't say yes, and I won't say no at present, but we'll see."
It was now the beginning of the last week in August and the boys spent the next few days delightfully, sailing in the Sprite, fishing, swimming and playing tennis with the girls. To Jack's secret delight Mrs. Golden invited Evelyn Nason to spend a week with them, and as she was a lively girl, they were a very jolly party, and Mike declared that they made more noise than a barrel of monkeys.
September came around too soon, and Uncle Ben announced that the next day he and Aunt Lucy must start for home. All were very sorry to have them go, for they all loved them dearly.
"Don't forget, boys, that you are to spend a week with us next Christmas," was the last thing Aunt Lucy said, as they started off in their big car.
Two days later, May and Evelyn went home and the Roost seemed quite deserted, and the Goldens began to think about leaving the lake for the summer.
It was Wednesday evening, and they were going to close the cottage the following Friday. They were all sitting around the open fire in the living room, for the night was chilly.
"Boys," said Mr. Golden, throwing down the paper he had been reading, "how would you like to be tin soldiers?"
"Tin soldiers? What in the world do you mean?" asked Jack, as they all laughed.
"Well, I'll tell you. This afternoon a friend from Philadelphia was in the bank and he was telling me about a military college near there, where his boy went last year, and he praised it so highly, that I thought it might be a good place for you. I believe in military training," he continued, "as it teaches, besides other things, alertness and efficiency. I have very much regretted that I did not have the advantage of such training, and I would like my boys to have it. What do you say?"
The boys thought for a moment and looked at each other. Finally Bob said:
"I think it would be bully; how about you, Jack?"
"Same here. Do they teach cavalry there, dad?"
"Yes, they give courses in infantry, cavalry and artillery."
"That'll be great," declared both boys.
"Then you think you would like to go, do you?"
"Yes, sir, I think it will be just the place for us," answered Bob and Jack said the same.
"All right then, we'll consider it settled and I'll write to the president the first thing in the morning as the term opens the seventeenth."
The boys talked about it for a long time that night, after they were in bed, and the more they thought about it, the more anxious they were to go.
Friday morning came, and after a final sail in the Sprite, she was pulled into the boathouse and made snug for the winter. Needless to say, the cells were taken to Skowhegan for safe keeping. By noon, the Roost was ready to be closed, and after lunch, they left for their town home, the boys on their motorcycles and the rest of the family in the car.
"This has been a splendid summer," declared Bob, as they were about to start, "in spite of all the trouble we've had, and I've had more excitement than I expected to have all my life."
"That's so," agreed Jack and then added soberly, "we certainly ought to be very thankful that everything turned out so well."
One day, about a week after they came down from the lake, Mr. Golden said, at the supper table:
"Mr. Jenkins was in the bank today and said that Fred and Will were coming home tomorrow, and that he had decided to send them to the same college where you're going."
Instantly the faces of the two boys fell.
"He said," continued their father, "that he wished you two were more intimate with them."
"I don't," said Jack. "They're too mean and selfish and then you can't trust them. I'm mighty sorry they're going there."
"Oh, well," declared Bob, "I guess there'll be room enough for them and us, too."
It was Thursday and they were to leave the following Monday, and so we will leave them, busy and happy in their last minute preparations for their new life in college.
And so we shall take leave of them for a short time. Their subsequent adventures will be found in a succeeding volume entitled "The Golden Boys at the Fortress."
THE END.