CHAPTER IX
DICK IMITATES A TAME INDIAN
"Hello! hello!" yelled Tom Reade, pacing up and down the roadwith his lantern, holding his watch in the other hand. "Oh, Dick!Dave!"
But up the road there sounded no answer. Looking utterly worried,Reade came back into camp.
"I don't like the looks of this, fellows," he announced. "There'ssomething wrong. Something has happened to one or both of thefellows. They left here before eight o'clock, and now it's twentyminutes of eleven. If everything had been all right, they'd havebeen back here by half-past nine o'clock at the latest."
"Suppose we haul down the tent, pack the outfit and move on downthe road, looking for some trace of them," proposed Greg.
"No; that would delay the start too much," Tom replied, with ashake of his head. "Whoever goes out to hunt for Dick and Davemust move fast and not be tied to a horse and wagon. I'm going,for one. Who will go with me?"
"I will," promptly answered Dan, Harry and Greg, all in one breath.
"We'll have to leave one fellow to watch the camp," Reade answered,with a shake of his head. "Hazy, I'm afraid the lot will haveto fall to you."
"I'd rather go with you," Hazelton declared.
"Of course you would," Tom assented. "But at least one good manmust stay here and look after our outfit. So you stay, Harry,and Dan and Greg will go with me."
"Going to take the lantern?" asked Greg, jumping up.
"Yes," Tom nodded, "but we won't light it unless we need it.Just for finding our footing at some dark part of the road theelectric flash light will do."
Full of anxiety the trio set out on their search.
But in the meantime, what of Dick and Dave?
Theirs had been a busy evening. After the first rough pummeling,which left them breathless and sore, the tramp who had directedthe rough work turned to his friends of the road.
"These young gents have furnished us with some exercise," he grinnedwickedly. "Now, suppose we make 'em supply us with a little amusement?"
"It's risky, close to the road," returned one of the tramps whohad been back in the shadows. "We don't know when someone willcome along and butt in on our sport."
"Two of our crowd can go out as scouts," replied the ringleader.
"They'd better," nodded the adviser, "and even then we'd bettertake the cart, the old man and these young gents further backinto the woods."
Neither Dick nor Dave had said anything so far, for they weretoo sore, and too much exhausted.
At the leader's command two men went down to the road, to watchin both directions.
"Give the whistle---you know the one---if anyone comes along that'slikely to spoil the fun," was the ringleader's order.
Reuben Hinman had been deprived of the last dollar in money thathe had with him. Quaking and subdued, the old man obeyed theorder to mount his cart and drive the rig farther into the woods.
"Take the young gents along, and see that they behave themselves,"directed the ringleader.
Dick and Dave did not yet feel in condition to offer any resistanceor defiance. Even with the two "scouts" out on the road therewere still six of the tramps left to take care of them.
The odds looked too heavy for another fight it when the last onehad been so unsuccessful.
As Dick and Dave got to their feet and started along, followedand watched by the tramps, Dick tottered closer to his companion,managing to whisper:
"We've got to gain time, Dave. Pretend to be weak---crippled---badlyhurt."
That was all. Prescott fell away again without his whisper havingbeen detected by their captors.
Before quitting the spot near the road the ringleader had scatteredthe campfire so effectually that the embers would soon die out.
A full eighth of a mile back from the road the order was givento Hinman to rein in his horse.
"We're far enough from the road, now, so that we ain't likelyto be spotted," said the boss tramp. "Now, let's see what theseyoung gents can do to amuse us. Maybe they know how to sing anddance."
But Dick had sunk wearily to the ground, forcing his breath tocome in rapid gasps.
"Get up there, younker," ordered the boss tramp.
"You've hurt me," moaned Dick, speaking the truth, though tryingto convey a stronger impression than the facts would warrant.
"And we may hurt you more if you don't get cheerful and help makethe evening pass pleasantly," sneered the boss tramp harshly.
"Wait till I---get so---I can get my breath---easier," beggedDick pantingly.
The boss turned to Darrin.
"Young fellow, wot can you do in the entertaining line?" demandedthe fellow leeringly.
"Nothing," Dave retorted sulkily. "After you've kicked a fellowso that he's so sore he can scarcely move, do you expect him todo a vaudeville turn right away?"
"Get 'em on their feet," ordered the boss tramp. "We'll show'em a few things!"
But Dick protested dolefully, sinking back to the ground as soonas the tramp who had hold of him showed a little compassion byletting go of his arm.
"Give me time, I tell you," Dick insisted in a weak voice. "Don'ttry to kill us, on top of such a thrashing as you gave us."
"Let go of me," urged Darry still speaking sulkily. "If you wantanything better than a sob song you'll have to give me time toget my breath back."
As though satisfied that they could get no sport out of the highschool boys for the present, the tramps allowed them to lie onthe ground, breathing fitfully and groaning.
Dick was watching his chance to get up and bolt, depending uponhis speed as a football player to take him out of this dangerouscompany. Darrin was equally watchful---but so were the tramps.Plainly the latter did not intend to let their prey get awayfrom them easily.
As for Reuben Hinman, obeying a command, the peddler had alightedfrom his wagon and now sat with his back against a tree. He hadno thought of trying to get away, well knowing that his aged legswould not carry him far in a dash for freedom. The peddler'swearied horse stood and dozed between the shafts.
"It's about time for you younkers to be doing something," urgedthe boss tramp, after some minutes had slipped away.
"If you'll find the strength for me to stand up," urged Dick,"maybe I can dance, or do something."
"Did we muss you up as much as that?" demanded the boss tramp."It serves you right, then. You shouldn't have meddled in ourpastimes. Maybe it was all right for you fellers to get yourhorse and wagon back this morning, but you shouldn't have meddledto-night."
"I guess maybe that's right," nodded Darrin sulkily, "but youwent in too strong in getting even. You had no call to crippleus for life."
"Oh, I guess it ain't as bad as that," muttered the boss tramp,though there was uneasiness in his voice.
So the tramps sat and smoked about a fire that one of their numberhad lighted. Another fifteen minutes went by.
"Come, it's time for you fellers to get busy, and give ussomething---songs, dances, comic recitations, or something like that.That's what we brought you here for," declared the boss, rising andprodding Darrin with one foot.
But Dave gave forth no sign. His eyes were half open, yet heappeared to see nothing.
"Here, what have you been doing to my friend?" demanded Dick,crawling as if feebly over to where Darry lay. "Great Scott!You haven't injured him, have you?"
Dick acted his part as well as Dave did, but the boss tramp wasnot inclined to be nervous.
"No," he retorted shortly. "We haven't done much to either ofyou young fellers not a quarter as much as we're going to do ifyou don't both of you quit your nonsense soon. Help 'em up, now."
Dick allowed himself to be lifted to his feet and supported ina standing position by one of the most powerful-looking of thetramps. Darrin, however, continued to act as if he were almostlifeless.
"Give him the water cure," ordered the boss tramp, in an undertoneto one of his confederates.
Going to the peddler's wagon
the one so directed took down a pail.He went off in the darkness, but soon came back with a pail ofwater. Slipping up slyly, he dashed the water full in Darry'sface.
With a gasping cry of rage Dave Darrin started to spring to hisfeet. Then, remembering his part, he sank back again to the ground.
"Raise him," directed the boss tramp. "He'll find his legs andstand on 'em. We are not going to let this show wait any longer!"
So Dave was roughly jerked to his feet. He swayed with pretendeddizziness, next tottered to a tree, throwing his arms around it.
"You start something!" ordered the boss tramp of Prescott.
Feeling that now the chance might come for both of them to makea break for liberty, Dick answered, with a sheepish grin:
"If I can get wind enough I'll see if I can do an Indian war songand dance."
"Go ahead with it," ordered the boss. "It sounds good."
Once, three or four years ago, Dick had heard and seen such awar song and dance done at an Indian show in the summer time.
"I'll see if I can remember it," he replied.
Crooning in guttural tones, he started a swaying motion of hisbody. Gradually the unmelodious noise rose in volume. Brandishinghis hands as though they contained weapons, he circled about thetree, gradually drawing nearer to Darrin.
"That song is mighty poor stuff," growled one of the tramps.
"Ready, Dave! Make a swift break for it!" whispered Prescott.