CHAPTER XV
ALMOST CAUGHT
"If there was only some plan by which we could draw the old hermit awayfrom the mill for a day or so, we could have all the time we wanted,"remarked Dick.
"Send him an anonymous letter," suggested Jack. "Tell him the money isburied at a point about ten miles from here, and he'll go there anddig. That will leave us free."
"Yes, a hot chance we'd have of sending a letter up to him in thiswilderness," laughed Tom. "You might as well say a telegram. The onlyway to deliver a letter would be to leave it yourself, at the mill."
"And that's as risky as the way we are going," said Dick.
It was the morning after the night on which Tom's plan had beenadopted, and the four chums were in the motorboat, journeying along thelake to the river on which the ruined mill was located. They had theirlunch with them, intending to remain all day, if things were favorable,and Tom had the plan carefully put away in his pocket.
"I wonder if we'll meet Skeel, and our two schoolmates?" asked Tom, ashe turned on a little more gas to increase the speed of the engine.
"Not very likely," was Jack's opinion. "I shouldn't be surprised butwhat they and the professor have taken up their quarters in, or near,the mill, to be right on the job."
"Maybe so," assented his roommate. "I wonder just where our oldprofessor made his camp, anyhow? We might try to locate it, when wehave nothing else to do."
"It would be like hunting for a needle in a haystack to look for it inthese woods," said Tom. "That is, unless we had some better directionsthan just Crystal Lake."
"If we could get the boat on that lake, we could sail around it,"suggested Bert. "If he's camping near a lake he's probably somewherenear the shore, and we could easily see his tent."
"Yes, but we can't get the boat to Crystal Lake, and it's too much of ajaunt to walk there. We'll just let Skeel alone, and stick to the oldmill."
"What about Sam and Nick?" asked Jack.
"We'll let them alone, too, as long as they don't bother us," decidedTom, and, on the whole, the crowd agreed with him.
Remembering their former experience, when the old hermit had come alongso unexpectedly, they decided that it would be best not to take theboat as close to the mill as before.
"We'll just tie it about half a mile down the river," said Tom. "Thenthe noise of it won't give the alarm, and we can go up quietly. If wehave to run for it I think we can do the half mile somewhat under thetime old Wallace can make."
"Or Skeel, either," added Jack, for all the boys were good runners, andhad done well in track athletic contests.
"What about Sam or Nick, if they chase us?" asked Bert.
"We won't run from them, that's flat!" exclaimed Tom. "And I thinkthey'll know better than to take after us."
They turned from the lake into the river, and proceeded up that stream,with the speed of the _Tag_ cut down about half, so that the craftwould not make so much noise.
"I think this place will do to tie up at," remarked Tom, when they hadcovered a few more miles. "It's secluded, and there seems to be a goodpath leading along the bank. We want a good path if we've got to run,"he added.
The boat was made secure, and then, taking their lunch with them, forthey did not expect to start back until late afternoon, they set out towalk the rest of the distance to the ancient mill.
"Here's where we hid the time we saw Skeel and the hermit having aconfab," remarked Jack, as they reached that spot. "And there's thewharf where I barked my shins. You'll not get me on that again."
"Let's take a look at the place where we found the paper, fellows,"proposed Tom. "I'd like to see if they came back and made a search forit."
Proceeding cautiously, they reached the spot where Tom had made hisfind.
"They sure have been looking for it!" exclaimed Dick. "Look how thebushes are trampled down. They've been tearing around in here forfurther orders!"
It was very evident that this was so, and the boys realized that theloss of the paper was known to their enemies.
"I wonder if they suspect that we have it?" asked Bert.
"I don't doubt it," spoke Tom, dryly. "But that's all the good it'sgoing to do them. I'm going to keep the paper until I'm sure I'm givingit to the rightful owner."
"Now for the mill," suggested Jack, as they turned to go. "I don'tbelieve we'd all better make a try for it at once. We'd better sort ofspy out the lay of the land first. The old hermit, or some of his newfriends, may be on the lookout."
It was agreed that this plan would be a good one to follow, and,accordingly, Tom was selected to go forward and reconnoiter.
Advancing cautiously, while his companions remained in hiding, our herogot to a point where he could command a good view of the old mill.
"Now I guess I'll just lay low for a while," he remarked to himself."If I go any closer, and Wallace is in there, it will be just as bad asif we all plumped in on him. Me for a quiet wait."
Tom made himself as comfortable as possible, and for nearly halfan hour intently watched the mill for any sign of life. But he sawnothing, and he knew his chums would soon be getting impatient.
"I guess I'll take a chance and go in now," thought Tom. "I don't seeanything suspicious, and if the old hermit is there, surely he wouldshow himself by this time."
He rose from his crouching attitude, glad enough to be on the moveagain, for he was cramped and stiff, and was about to rise above thebush that screened him, when a slight noise in the direction of the oldmill attracted his attention. A moment later old Wallace came out ofthe main entrance, dressed as though about to go away, for he had onhis coat and cap, and carried his gun.
"Jove!" cried Tom. "That was a narrow escape! In another second I'dhave been in plain view, and then the game would have been up."
Hastily he stooped down again, and waited until the old man had gonedown the hill, and was out of sight. Fortunately he took a course thatwould not bring him near the other hidden lads.
"Now to see if the coast is clear," remarked Tom, after waiting a bitto make sure that the hermit was not coming back. "If Skeel and thosefellows are in there I won't mind them so much. I rather guess theywon't be glad to see me."
Exercising all needful caution, Tom advanced closer to the ancientstructure. He gained the old driveway, unseen, he hoped, and, walkingcarefully about, he listened intently. There was no sound save themurmur of the water in the old sluiceway.
"We'll take a chance," decided the lad, and he hurried back to signalhis chums. In a few seconds they joined him.
"Now, fellows, we've got to work quickly," explained Tom. "There's notelling when Wallace will be back, though I think he's gone for a longtramp. Skeel and the others don't seem to be here."
"What's your plan?" asked Jack.
"To compare the mill, as it actually is, with the copy of the drawingwe have. I want to see if we can find a secret hiding place anywhere,or some means of getting to the third floor. I don't believe thatscheme of tossing up a rope, and climbing it, would be safe, for itmight slip, or the wood might be so rotten that it would pull away. ButI think we ought to be able to get to the third story some other way."
"So do I," agreed Jack. "Well, let's start in, and see where we comeout. We'll begin at the basement."
This they did, and it did not take them long to make certain that theplan of the lower floor, as it was shown on the piece of paper Tom hadfound, was substantially correct.
"There doesn't seem to be any place for a secret compartment for thehiding of treasure down here," remarked Dick, when they had finishedtheir inspection.
"That's right," agreed Tom, who had been looking at the thickness ofthe walls. "They are solid enough, and unless we tore them down wecouldn't come at anything hidden in them. Let's go upstairs."
The examination there took longer, for, not only were they anxiousto see if it was possible to secrete treasure there, but they wantedto find how the old man got to the third story, since there was noevidence that he lived in an
y other part of the mill.
But here, too, they were doomed to disappointment. They found thatthe plan they possessed corresponded with the actual building in everyparticular.
"And yet I'm sure there is some secret stairway or passage," insistedTom. "Let's try the walls and see if they sound hollow."
They were about to start this when Jack exclaimed:
"Say, what about that sentinel we were going to post? I thought someonewas going to be on the watch to give warning if anyone approached."
"Well, when old Wallace went off the way he did," remarked Tom, "Ididn't think it would be necessary, but perhaps we'd better do it."
"I'll stand guard," volunteered Dick, and he took his position a littledistance from the old doorway, where he could have a good view aboutthe mill.
Tom and his chums were busy sounding the walls, though they had notdiscovered anything, when there came a hail from Dick.
"Someone's coming!" he cried. "Better get away."
"Lively, fellows!" cried Tom, stuffing the plan in his pocket. "It maybe old Wallace!"
They raced for the door, and had hardly emerged from it, to join Dick,before they saw, coming along the path he had taken a short timebefore, the old hermit.
For a moment he did not see them, but when Jack, who could not movequite as fast as the others, stepped on a stick which broke with a loudsnap, the old man looked up and beheld the intruders. For a moment hestood transfixed, and then, rushing forward he cried:
"Ha! So you dare to come here; do you? Oh, if I had but known, I'd havebeen ready for you. I've got a dungeon that's just yawning for such asyou. How dare you trespass on my property?"
"Don't answer," advised Tom, in a low voice. "Come on."
His chums lost no time in obeying, but if they thought they were goingto get off without a chase they were mistaken.
"I'll have the law on you!" cried the angry old man. "I'll see if youcan come here trying to take my treasure from me! I'll take the lawinto my own hands if worst comes to worst!"
Then he started toward them, his gun much in evidence.
"Hit up the pace, boys!" Tom exclaimed. "This fellow may be a poorshot, but he doesn't know what he is doing, and it won't do to takechances. Run! I'll give you an arm, Jack."
He helped his chum, and the others hurried on, while the white-hairedhermit, muttering threats, followed as fast as he could.