CHAPTER XXVI.
PAPERS OF GREAT VALUE
It did not take Jack and Mosey very long to reach the shore. They foundFarmer Farrell, gun in hand, stalking up and down impatiently. He hadordered Corrigan into the row-boat, and was lecturing him and the hiredman at the same time.
"You've been a mighty long while coming," he remarked, as the dim raysof the smoky lantern fell upon the young machinist's face.
"I couldn't help it," replied Jack, and he briefly related what hadoccurred to detain him so long.
They embarked at once. The young machinist set out to do the rowing,but was stopped by the farmer, who directed Tim, the hired man to takethe oars.
"You're tired enough," said Farmer Farrell. "Besides, we must keep aclose eye on these two, or they'll be up to their pesky tricks afore weknow it."
Tim pulled a good stroke. He was anxious to get out of such dangerouscompany and be safe in his bed in the barn loft once more.
"Isn't there some way we can fix this matter up?" asked Corrigan, aftera long period of thoughtful silence.
"What do you mean?" asked Jack.
"Why, buy ourselves off."
"No, sir, not a bit of it," returned the young machinist, decidedly.
Corrigan winced. The prospect of going to prison was not a particularlyinviting one.
"Oi say, Jack, me b'y, if we give up yer model will ye be easy on us?"put in Mosey, who did not know that that precious bit of property hadalready been recovered.
"I have it already," replied Jack; "I don't intend to be any harder onyou than you deserve," he continued. "You tried to take my friend'slife as well as mine, and also to set fire to Mr. Gray's house, and byusing the match-safe which belonged to me, cast suspicion on mycharacter, which has not yet been cleared away."
"Who can prove I set foire to Felix Gray's place?" demanded theIrishman, blusteringly. His tongue was clearer than it had been, buthis head was as muddled as ever.
"Perhaps I can."
"Ye can't, no how."
"Well, we'll see, and it will go hard with you unless you can proveotherwise."
"Oi didn't do it. It was Dennis's work," howled Mosey, breaking downcompletely. "Oi found the box and gave it ter him, and he kept it.Didn't he stale the model, too, and run away wid yer sister? Oi niverharmed a soul, save when I was in liquor," he whined.
"It's a lie!" shouted Corrigan, in a rage. Had he been free he wouldhave struck down his confederate.
"It ain't, it's true, every worrud of it," responded Mosey, doggedly."Ye always got me to do yer dirty worruk, and now yer want me to standall der blame. But Oi won't do it. Oi'll turn Queen's evidence first."
"If you turn state's evidence you may save yourself a heap of trouble,"put in Farmer Farrell.
"Oh, Oi'll do it, just mind me, if Oi don't," replied the Irishman,quickly. He was thoroughly cowed, and his one thought was how to bestevade the clutches of the law.
"You mean dog!" interrupted Corrigan, bitterly. "You shall pay dearlyfor this;" and he grated his teeth together in rancor.
"I don't think you will be able to harm him for a good while," sagelyremarked Farmer Farrell.
Corrigan became silent at once, and as each one was busy with his ownthoughts, the rest of the trip was accomplished without further words.
On reaching the shore the party repaired at once to Farmer Farrell'splace where Tim, glad to be home again, hitched up the team to the oldfamily wagon.
"Is there a doctor anywhere near?" asked Jack; "I promised to send oneover to the island."
"Dr. Melvin lives just up the road," replied the farmer. "We'll stopand tell him, and Tim can row him over. Do you hear, Tim?"
"Yes, sir," replied the farm hand. "To-morrow morning will do, Isuppose."
"To-morrow morning!" repeated the farmer, in surprise. "No, indeed,right away. And if you can't get Dr. Melvin, go over to Dr. Dell's andtake him straight to Pooler's cottage. Tell him that the man has abullet in his shoulder."
Much as he disliked the job, the hired man did not dare to complain; sowith a heavy sigh he set off on his errand, traveling through the darkas fast as his heavy boots would permit.
The family wagon contained two seats. Farmer Farrell took the frontone, with Mosey beside him, while Jack, with Corrigan, sat in the rear,and then the horses were started on the road to Corney.
"We will stop at the old mill and get my model," said Jack, on the way.
At the old structure everything was dark and deserted.
"Say, Oi'll go along wid ye," said Mosey, as the young machinistdismounted from his seat. "There's something there Oi want to show ye."
Corrigan wished to interfere, but Jack, who believed that the Irishmanwas now really inclined to render assistance, would not let him.
"There are some papers that belong to Mr. Gray. Dennis stole them whenthe house was burning," said Mosey, when he and Jack were alone. "Oican't read, but Dennis said they'd be worth money to us some day."
"Where are they?" asked Jack, with interest.
"Will you be aisy on me if Oi tell ye?" asked Mosey.
"Perhaps I will."
"Oi'll trust ye," replied Mosey. "They're up stairs, under the flure."
They ascended the stairs, and taking up a board that Mosey pointed out,Jack drew out a small, oblong packet.
"I can't read it now," said the young machinist. "Come along. If thecontents are valuable I'll see that you get full credit for giving itup."
He put the packet in his pocket, and taking up the model, made theIrishman precede him down to the wagon. They were soon on the wayagain, the precious model safely stowed away in the front of thevehicle.
"I guess Mr. Benton will be rather surprised when he learns the truestate of affairs," thought Jack to himself. "But his treatment of Debwas shameful, and I shall tell him so."
As they passed an old barn near the outskirts of the town all heard aloud cry, the scuffle of many feet, and then the door of the place burstopen.
"Hello, what's all this?" exclaimed Jack. "Some one in trouble!"
Through the open doorway sprang a tall man. He was but partly dressed,and one side of his face bore a thick coating of black. He ran directlytoward the road, and was followed by a dozen or more men wearing masks.
Seeing the wagon he made for it as fast as his legs would carry him.
"Save me, save me!" he gasped. "Get me away from these villains, and Iwill pay you well!" and in frantic haste he clambered over the wheel andinto the front of the vehicle.
"What's the trouble!" asked Farmer Farrell in astonishment, while Jacktook up the gun.
"They want to tar and feather me!" was the panting reply. "See theymade a beginning;" and the excited individual held his face up to view.
"Mr. Gray!" ejaculated the young machinist.
He had not time to say more, for at that instant Corrigan, takingadvantage of the excitement, hit Jack under the chin with his head, andthen leaped to the ground. In doing so he fell, but picked himself upquickly, and hopped as fast as he could down the road.
A second later the wagon was surrounded by the masked men, all armed andgesticulating wildly.
"Give him up, Willington!" they yelled. "Give up Gray, or we'll tar andfeather the lot of you!"
CHAPTER XXVII.
"LOVE YOUR ENEMIES"--CONCLUSION
It was a thrilling scene, the brawny men, their intended victim, thewould-be rescuers, all in confusion.
One of the masked men attempted to pull Mr. Felix Gray to the ground,but the tool manufacturer held fast to the front seat.
"Stop that!" roared Farmer Farrell.
"We want that man!" called out a person in the mob.
"No, no! Save me! save me!" cried Mr. Gray, frantically.
"We will not give him up," exclaimed Jack. "It's a shame to treat a dogin this fashion!"
"He threw us out of work. He wo
n't give us our money. He wants tostarve us and our families," called out several.
"Listen!" yelled Jack, as loud as he could. "Some of you know me. Iwork in the tool works; I haven't got my money, and need it as badly asany of you. But I say you'll never gain anything by acting this way.Let Mr. Gray go."
"We want him and we're going to have him," exclaimed the man at thewagon, grimly, and he renewed his efforts to pull the tool manufacturerfrom the seat.
"You shall not," replied Jack, determinedly, and raising the gun, he hitthe man a sharp blow upon the hand, which made him instantly release hishold.
"Go for 'em, fellows!" the man howled out, shaking the injured member inevident pain.
The crowd began instantly to close in upon the wagon. Mosey, in theexcitement, tried his best to gain the ground, but Farmer Farrell hadtaken the precaution to tie the Irishman's feet fast to the iron footrest, and he was unable to stir.
"We must get out of this!" exclaimed Jack to the farmer. "Start up thehorses. Quick!"
Farmer Farrell needed no further urging. Reaching over Mr. Gray's body,he pulled up the reins, and struck first one and then the other of thehorses with his whip.
With a bound the animals leaped forward. The man who had held a gripupon the tool manufacturer's foot lost it, and slipped under thevehicle--the hind wheel passing over his leg.
The crowd uttered a loud cry, but were too late to stop the suddenmovement. One of the men caught hold of the tailboard of the wagon, buta threatening shake from the young machinist's gun made him drop to theground.
On they went, Farmer Farrell making the horses do their very best.
Suddenly a pistol shot rang out, and Mosey gave a cry of pain.
"Oi'm shot!" he cried, falling backward upon Jack. "They've murderedme, so they have!"
"Where are you hit?" asked the young machinist anxiously.
"In the soide. Oi'm dy--in'----"
Another pistol shot interrupted his speech.
"Gitting kinder hot," cried the farmer. "Let me have the gun. Here,hold the reins," and he gave them to Jack and took the weapon. "We'llsee what a dose of buckshot will do."
Bang!
The report was followed by several cries from behind.
"That'll teach the pesky critters a lesson," observed the farmer, as heresumed the reins.
Even as he spoke, they saw a flash in the darkness to one side of theroad, followed instantly by the crack of a revolver.
"I'm struck!" exclaimed Mr. Gray. "The villain has hit me in theshoulder!"
"Is it bad?" asked Jack in horror.
"No, only a flesh wound, I guess," and the tool manufacturer drew asharp breath. "Drive on, don't stop!"
The command was not needed. The team was now in full gallop, and threeminutes brought them into the heart of the town.
"Straight home," replied Mr. Gray, in return to a question from Jack asto where he should be taken. "And bring Mosey along, the doctor canattend us both."
This was done, and the family physician pronounced the Irishman's woundquite serious.
"Yours will heal rapidly," he said to the tool manufacturer. "But yourright arm will never be as good as it was. That workman may recover,but it will take months."
The sun was just rising when Jack, after a breakfast that FarmerFarrell's wife had compelled him to eat, took the boat and rowed over toBlackbird Island.
Deb saw him coming and rushed out of the cottage to meet him.
"Oh, Jack, such a time as we've had!" she sobbed. "The doctor is here,and that Pooler just died."
"Pooler dead?" ejaculated the young machinist, in amazement.
He entered the back room. The doctor and Meg were there, the girl'seyes swollen from crying.
"Where is Mont?" he asked.
Meg pointed to the other door.
"He's in there too," she said, in a quivering voice.
Jack entered the front chamber. Max Pooler's body lay on the cot,covered with a white sheet. Beside it, on a low stool, with his faceburied in his hands, sat Mont.
The young man's countenance was full of emotion. He took the youngmachinist's hand in his own, and pulled the covering from the dead facebefore them.
"Listen, Jack," he said in a low voice, "I want to tell you an awfulsecret. Before this man died, he confessed that he murdered my father.He was very penitent, and he--he asked me to forgive him."
"And you----" began Jack.
"I did forgive him. It was hard, but how could I refuse a dying man?"
"You did right," returned the young machinist. "But, oh, Mont, I'm sosorry for you! Did he tell you how it came about?"
"Yes. He used to be my father's clerk, and avarice led him to steal.By some means he imagined my father knew of his doings, and was about tohave him arrested. Half crazed by this fear, he went on board myfather's yacht one night and cast her adrift while my father wassleeping in the stateroom. The yacht went over the falls, and turned upwhere we found her."
"And your father?"
"Was found dead in the cabin. He said my uncle suspected him, but asMr. Felix Gray was trying to rob me of my share of the tool worksproperty, he turned the tables, and threatened not only to expose him,but to implicate him in the murder as well. My uncle has been payinghim money for years to keep him quiet, but part of this went to Moseyand Corrigan as 'hush money,' so Pooler said.
"It's a strange story," mused Jack.
"But that isn't all," continued Mont. "Before he died Pooler proved tome that about one-half of his treasure belonged really to you."
"To me!" ejaculated the young machinist, in utter astonishment.
Mont nodded.
"Yes, to you," he said. "Pooler said my father held it in trust foryour father, who was not a good hand at investing money. The amountswere the proceeds of several valuable inventions."
"Then we are both rich," returned Jack, with a broad smile. "I am gladof it, for Deb's sake!" he added, brightly.
A little later the young machinist related what had happened on theriver road the night before.
"And now we'll have the whole affair straightened out," he concluded."I believe your uncle has had all the ups and downs he cares for, andwill let you have your own without much opposition."
"I trust so," replied Mont. "I do not care, as I said before, to makethe thing public, but it has gone far enough, and both of us must haveour rights."
"And then I must get the fire and the model matters squared up and go towork on a bigger scale," added Jack. "I declare I've had adventuresenough in the past four days to last me a lifetime!"
Five years have passed since the above words were spoken. Mont is nowthe sole owner of the Corney Tool Works, and the Mechanics' Savings Bankis once again a flourishing institution. Mr. Felix Gray has relinquishedall rights to both, and is content to pass the remainder of his days inhelping his nephew along the road to fortune.
Mosey recovered, and is now a steady workman. He has signed the pledge,and intends to stick to it. Corrigan was never heard of after his jumpfrom the wagon, and no one has ever taken the trouble to find out whatbecame of him.
Jack is now superintendent at the tool works, and besides his salary,draws a handsome royalty from his father's and his own inventions.Through Mr. Benton--who was profuse in his offers of help when helearned the true state of affairs--the patent of the improved planer wassold for four thousand dollars, of which half came to the youngmachinist.
Deb--Jack's best girl--is now Mrs. Monterey Gray, and though she livesin one of the finest mansions of the town, is still the true andfaithful little housekeeper she always was. Meg, upon whom Mont hassettled a neat sum, lives with her, and Miss Parks is a frequent andwelcome visitor at the place.
A few weeks ago, while visiting at Corney, I met Deb driving out toFarmer Farrell's place, and asked her how her brother was getting on.
"Jack? Why, I declare you'd hardly know him, he's so awfully tall! Andhe's got a beard all over his face. Business
is splendid, but then Jackalways said that any one who did right, and stuck to his work, would getalong!"
And Deb is right. Do you not think so, gentle reader?
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