Prisoners in Devil's Bog

  CHAPTER XIII

  THE EVERGREEN TREE

  The remainder of the night was a torment. Toward dawn Skippy dozedoccasionally only to awaken each time with a start to find himselftrembling and expectant. What he might hear or see he could notimagine, but he watched with relief the murky light of the new dayseeping in through the chinks of the shutter and routing the dismalgloom that kept him in breathless suspense.

  The light did no more than seep in, however, for the storm left in itswake gray, sullen skies and air that was warm and still. Frost wentdownstairs about six o'clock--Skippy had already learned to distinguishhis lighter, hurried step from Devlin's heavy tread. Then, after amoment, he heard the man at the barn, and soon the low hum of the carwas audible as he backed it out and around the house.

  Silence reigned in the dismal place for another hour or so and thenSkippy heard Devlin moving about in his room. When the man walkedhurriedly downstairs, Nickie awoke, wild-eyed and staring.

  "_Who--what's that?_" he whispered hoarsely.

  "Just Devlin," Skippy answered. "What's the matter--you ain't beendreamin' like Timmy?"

  Nickie ran his fingers through his straight black hair as he sat up. "Idon't know--maybe so. I just get scared when I hear the least littlesound in this joint. _Me_, that's never been scared of nothin'--hah!"

  "I know," Skippy admitted. "I guess Devlin makes us feel that way, huh?"

  Nickie nodded. "If I didn't hate the jug worse'n this house, I'd say,let's sneak."

  "Maybe we'll have to," Skippy said softly, and nodded toward thesleeping Timmy. "If we stick round s'long as he's done an' get likehe's now, I'd rather take a chance an' beat it."

  Nickie nodded thoughtfully. "Anythin' you say, kid, an' I'm stringin'along. Even if you're only a kid, that bean of yours works all day."

  Skippy warmed to Nickie for that tribute and he felt less afraid. Itgave him a sense of strength to know that he had such an ally for herealized that he could do little alone.

  Devlin called them gruffly to breakfast and the food wasn't bad. Itwould have been almost pleasant, Skippy ventured to remark, if theyonly had more light in the kitchen. Nickie agreed to this, but Timmyseemed in a daze.

  After breakfast, Devlin made a concession which took them by surprise."On account of the weather being so hot," he said gravely, "I'm goingto let you boys stay outside a while."

  "Gee!" Skippy murmured.

  Devlin scowled. "It's taking a chance to let you out, but I'm countingon you not straying away from in sight of this house--_understand_?"After a pause, he added: "I got my reasons."

  They understood only too well and made no further comment when Devlinunlocked the front door and sat on the ugly high stoop as they passeddown and into the clearing about the house. Timmy sat on the bottomstep, blinking his blue eyes and clasping and unclasping his hands.

  "What's the matter?" Skippy asked sympathetically.

  Timmy grinned. "I been in that dark house so long, my eyes don't knowhowta act, that's all." He took a long, deep breath of the murky air asif it were the utmost luxury. Then suddenly his thin, pale face becamealmost colorless and he nodded toward the right of the clearing."Look!" he gasped.

  The other boys turned and saw a huge evergreen tree spreading itsbranches over the sinister house. Not a breath of air rustled its broadboughs--it seemed to stand there waiting.

  "The tree in my dream!" Timmy said, trembling. "I never seen it tillnow! When I come here it's night an' I don't notice it. I never lookedout front--just now it's the first...."

  "What's he talking about?" Devlin said, annoyed, from the top of thestoop.

  "About that tree!" Nickie said, with ill-concealed contempt. "He had aterrible dream bout it last night--see?"

  Devlin bit his lip and frowned. "It's nonsense! What's wrong with you,Timmy, eh?"

  "What wouldn't be wrong, hah?" Nickie retorted sullenly. "If he'dstayed in the pen he wouldn't got no worse treatment than you givehim--shuttin' him up a month in this hole till he's all shot. I ain'tsayin' that it ain't better late than never, but even up in Delafieldthey don't keep a guy shut away from the daylight. Timmy or none of us_asked_ you to spring us so you might give us a break an' treat us likehuman bein's."

  Devlin's lips were set and grim and his beetle brows were so drawn thatthey made a deep furrow above his large nose. "Listen, you," he saidangrily, "any more talk like that from you and you'll regret it. I'mrunning this and whether you did or didn't ask to be sprung, makes nodifference. You'll keep your mouth shut--_understand_!"

  The Greeks, smiling and silent until then, emitted a sound of dismay.Nickie mumbled something under his breath but made no other answer forthe warning note in Devlin's voice was not to be misunderstood. Skippygulped, and just then they heard the unmistakable sound of an old carchugging along through the narrow swamp trail.

  Presently Frost appeared in the clearing, driving an ancient,dilapidated car that groaned and ground to a stop. The sight of it wasamusing and the boys stared at it, smiling and curious. Timmy, however,did not share this curiosity.

  He had taken one look at the car, and fainted.