CHAPTER XXVIII
THE CAPTURE
With bated breath Dick knelt at the door and applied his ear to thekeyhole. At first he could hear only indistinctly, but gradually hecaught the drift of the conversation between the rascally brokers andthe former railroad lawyer.
"Then you want me to date those papers a week back?" he heard BelrightFogg ask.
"That's it," answered Pelter.
"And remember, we signed them just before we went to the West," addedJapson.
"And remember also that you saw us take a train at the Grand CentralDepot," went on Pelter.
"Oh, I'll remember that," returned the lawyer, with a sly chuckle."And I'll remember also that I got two telegrams from you--one fromChicago and one from Detroit." And he laughed again.
"That alibi ought to fix us up," remarked Japson. "Anyway, it will setthe authorities to guessing."
"It will help, provided that fellow, Crabtree, doesn't squeal," saidPelter. "He gave his word, when we were in the garret, that he wouldkeep mum, no matter what happened. But if he was badly hurt he mayhave told everything."
"Fogg, you must try to see him in the hospital," said Japson. "Tellhim it will do no good for him to tell anything, and that, if he keepsmum, we will remain his friends and do all we possibly can for him."
"You are piling a lot of work on my shoulders," grumbled the lawyer."And shady work, too. What do I get out of this?"
"You know what I promised you," answered Jesse Pelter.
"A thousand isn't enough. Just look at the risk I am running."
"Well, if you help us to clear ourselves, we'll make it two thousanddollars," cried Japson. He paused a moment. "Quite a swell apartment,Fogg."
"It's good enough."
"Why can't we stay here for a day or two?" questioned Japson.
"I--er--suppose you could," answered the lawyer, with somehesitation. "But don't you think you would be better off out of theState, or in Canada?"
"That's what I say!" cried Pelter. "Canada for mine. I've been wantingto visit Montreal and Quebec. Now is our chance."
"All right, whatever you say," answered Japson. "Maybe we would besafer out of the country until this matter blew over. Hang the luck!It was too bad to have Rover get away from us as he did. If we couldhave held him back a couple of days longer that land and maybe thosestocks would have been ours."
"He's got some smart sons, that man," observed Fog. "I know, for Ionce ran up against them," and he told about the biplane incident.
"They are altogether too smart," growled Pelter. "I'd like to wringtheir necks for 'em!"
"Well, we'll turn the trick on 'em yet," said Japson. "Remember, thegame isn't ended until the last card is played."
"That's right," thought Dick. "And it won't be long before I play thelast card!"
"After this affair is a thing of the past, I am going after thosebusiness interests of the Rovers," went on Jesse Pelter. "They arepretty well tangled up--they got so while Rover was sick. I think wecan make something out of them yet."
"Not if I know it," murmured Dick, to himself. "You are a first-classfellow to put in jail--you and the others, too!"
The talk in the apartment went on, covering the things Belright Foggwas to do while Pelter and Japson were in hiding in Canada. Theunscrupulous lawyer was to produce a power of attorney dated some daysbefore, so that he might act in place of the brokers. He was also todo his best to help the brokers prove an alibi when accused of theabduction of Anderson Rover.
"I'm getting dry," remarked Japson, presently. "Fogg, haven't you gotsomething to drink, and some cigars?"
"Sure I have," answered the lawyer, and Dick heard him leave theapartment and go into a dining-room.
While Dick was listening at the door he also kept his ears open forthe return of Dan Baxter. Presently he heard the elevator comeupstairs, and then there sounded a low whistle--a whistle Dick hadheard many times while he was a cadet at Putnam Hall.
Eagerly the oldest Rover boy tiptoed his way down the corridor. Baxtercame forward to meet him, accompanied by two policemen, and theelevator man, who wanted to know what the trouble was.
"The two brokers are in that room," whispered Dick, pointing to thedoor of the apartment. "They are planning to skip out to Canada andleave their affairs in the hands of the lawyer who has rented thisapartment. He is almost as much of a rascal as any of them, for he isto take their power of attorney dated some days back, and is going totry to prove an alibi for them. I heard 'em arrange the whole thing."
"The rascals!" murmured Baxter. "Glad you cornered 'em, Dick."
"You helped, Dan--I shan't forget that," returned Dick, warmly.
"What do you want us to do?" asked one of the policemen.
"I want all three men arrested," answered Dick. "I'll make a chargeagainst them. Don't let 'em get away. They'll do it if it's possible."
"All right, but you must come along to make the charge," answered thebluecoat.
"All right."
"Please don't make no more row in the house than you can help," put inthe elevator man. "This is a swell apartment and we don't like rows. Ididn't know that lawyer who took this apartment was a crook."
"We'll do the job as quietly as possible," answered the secondpoliceman, who chanced to know the elevator man.
"Dan, I think you can help me out," suggested Dick. "You might go tothe door and call out that there is a telegram for Belright Fogg.Then, when he opens the door, push into the room and we'll follow."
"Want me to help?" asked the elevator man, who was becominginterested.
"If you will," said Dick. "You can guard the stairs--so they can'trun down that way."
"I'll do it."
Without further delay Dan Baxter walked to the door at which Dick hadbeen listening. He chanced to have an old telegram envelope in hispocket and this he produced. He knocked loudly on the portal.
"Who is there?" cried the lawyer, in a somewhat startled voice, andBaxter heard several chairs shifted back as the occupants of theapartment leaped to their feet.
"Telegram for Mr. Fogg--Belright Fogg!" drawled Dan, in imitation ofan A. D. T. youth.
"A telegram, eh?" muttered the lawyer. "Wonder what is up now?"
He came to the door and unlocked it cautiously. He was going to openit only a few inches, to peer out, but Baxter threw his weight againstthe portal, sending the lawyer backwards and bumping into JessePelter.
"Hi, what's this?" stammered Belright Fogg. "What do you mean by----"
He got no further, for at that instant Dick came into the apartment,closely followed by the two policemen.
At once there was a wild commotion. Pelter and Japson let out yells ofalarm, and both tried to back away, into the next room. But Dick wastoo quick for them and barred their progress.
"Let me go!" yelled Pelter, and tried to hurl Dick to one side. ThenJapson struck out with his fist, but the oldest Rover boy dodged.
"So that's your game, is it?" cried Dan Baxter, as he saw the attack."Two can play at that!" And drawing back, the young traveling salesmanhit Japson a blow on the chin that bowled the broker over like atenpin.
In the meantime Dick had grappled with Pelter and was holding therascally broker against the wall. One of the policemen already heldFogg, who was trembling from head to foot in sudden panic.
"Surrender, in the name of the law!" said the bluecoat. And he made amove as if to draw a pistol.
"I--I sur--render!" gasped Belright Fogg, and up went his hands,tremblingly.
The other policeman produced a pair of handcuffs and in a twinklingthey were slipped upon Japson's wrist. Then the bluecoats turnedtowards Pelter.
"You shan't arrest me!" yelled that broker, savagely, and with awrench, he tore himself from Dick's grasp and started through therooms to the rear of the apartment.