CHAPTER VII.
TO THE RESCUE.
"Boys, we've got to do something," declared Patrol Leader ErnieHunter, breaking the gaping silence that followed the reading of thenote.
"What shall we do?" asked Harry Gilbert, who was a good soldier, butno leader.
"We must go to Mr. Stanlock's rescue," Ernie replied. "There is notelling what those rascals are plotting. They may kill him if we don'tget there in time to prevent it."
"It's a long hike, and we may not be able to get there in time," PaulHunter warned.
"That means we've got to move mighty fast," Ernie said. "Boys, getyour guns and a supply of shells. I hope we won't have to use them,but we'd better be well prepared. We're going to be late getting back,so you may as well grab some bread and dried beef and anything elseyou can find in a jiffy to eat on the way. We've got to start in threeminutes. Now everybody hustle.
"Paul, you and Jerry had better run home and stay there till morning,"Ernie added, turning to his brother. Jerry was scarcely any largerthan Paul, although the latter was a year younger. Ernie felt aslightly nervous responsibility for the safety of the "twin babies ofthe bunch," as some one had already referred to them in the course ofthe day. Jerry, who, like Paul, was an extremely likable fellow,resented being called the baby of the patrol, a term sometimes appliedto him when the Scouts were dealing in jocular personalities.
"Not much are we goin' home," declared Paul, energetically; "are we,Jerry? I'm goin' along and carry my target rifle with the rest. Whatdo you say, Jerry?"
"I'm with you," the latter announced with spirit. "They can't leave usbehind."
"But you can't make the trip fast enough," Ernie insisted.
"We'll have to run part of the way, and the ground is rough, and thesnow and ice on the road make it hard traveling. We've got over twomiles of that kind of hiking to do, and less than an hour to do itin."
"We can make it just as well as anybody else in this bunch," declaredPaul, stoutly.
"Well, come along, then; but you will have to obey orders," saidErnie, speaking as one with military authority. "We're operating undermartial law tonight, and if you insist on coming along you must expectto be treated like a soldier. Everybody bring your gun and flashlight.It's cloudy now and will be dark before long."
In scarcely more time than it takes to tell it, the boys had possessedthemselves of their guns, flashlights, overcoats, hats, and "a bite toeat on the run," and were dashing out along the path leading down tothe road that skirted the foothill to the southward. Presently,however, they slowed down to a "dog trot" at the suggestion ofClifford Long, who warned his fellow Scouts against "tuckeringthemselves out."
They continued along in this manner half a mile and then, by commonconsent, reduced their pace to a walking long stride. As theyproceeded thus, Ernie said to Clifford Long and one or two othersnearest him:
"I'm afraid we've made a mistake in not doing one thing that has justoccurred to me. What I ought to have done was to hurry home, got theautomobile and made a race for the police station while you boys madethis trip. In that way we could 'ave had a double chance of catchingthose bandits. If everything had gone smoothly, I might even havebeaten you boys to the scene of the hold-up with an auto load ofpolice. I could 'ave left word, too, for someone to call up Mr.Stanlock's office and warn him, if by any cause he had been delayed."
"I don't think much of that suggestion," replied Clifford; "for, ifthey haven't got him started by this time, they're not likely to gethim going their way tonight. But the other'd 'a' been a good one. It'stoo bad you didn't think of it sooner."
"Too late now," said Ernie. "We've got to make the best of it."
"Who do you suppose those two men are that we saw come out of thecave?" Miles Berryman inquired.
"The chances are ninety-nine out of a hundred that this affair isconnected directly with the strike," Clifford replied, with confidentassurance. "The highwaymen who plotted this scheme doubtless belong tothe rougher element of the strikers. They are really dangerous men,and the community would be much safer if they were lodged in prison."
"How do you suppose they got your uncle to come away out here at thetime when he usually starts home for dinner--that is, if he reallycame this way?" asked Hal Ettelson.
"That's the very thing that's bothering me most," Clifford replied,with puzzled air. "Uncle is usually pretty shrewd, and I am prettycertain that people who try to put anything over on him generally findthat they have a hard job on their hands."
"I'd take it, from the note Jerry found, that this is a decoy gamethey're trying to work," Ernie remarked.
"It'd have to be a sharp one to get my uncle," declared Clifford."He's a very clever business man."
"The smartest men get caught once in a while," was Ernie's sageremark.
"That must have been a chauffeur who wrote that note," observed JohnnySt. John. "It read as if a chauffeur was the brains of this plot. Ifwe get there on time, he won't have much to chauffeur it" (show forit).
"Oh, Johnny Twice!" groaned Earl Hamilton. "Don't spoil your gooddeed of finding that note by springing any more of that stuff. You'retaking an unfair advantage of us, for we can't stop now to duck you ina snowdrift."
The road was not broken all the way for good walking, so that the boyswere forced to put forth their best efforts in order to reach theplace of the plotted ambush on time.
Their pace therefore varied from a rapid walk to a run, according astheir "wind" and leg muscles supplied the needed endurance. Paul andJerry found it pretty hard to keep up with the other boys during thelast three-quarters of a mile, especially when they struck a poorlybroken snowdrift or a stretch of ground covered with rocks or roughice. They were quite elated, however, at their ability to keep theirfeet in these rough places, after seeing two of the larger boys slipand fall.
It was almost dark by the time they reached the vicinity of the "sandstretch" referred to in the note found by "Johnny Two-Times." Thisstretch was a sand bed of several acres in extent, between which andHigh Peak was a large stone quarry. The road ran between the "sandstretch," which, of course, was now frozen and covered with snow, andthe quarry. The approach to this was sheltered, fortunately for theconcealment of the boy rescuers, by a growth of timber extending downthe mountain slope to the road.
Ernie called a halt about two hundred yards from the point in theroad which appeared the most favorable place for an ambush.
"Let's leave the road and make our way through the trees," hesuggested.
"There comes the automobile!" exclaimed Paul, excitedly, pointing downthe highway to the southwest.
Yes, a machine was approaching, about two miles away. The long streamof light from the electric lamps could be seen, almost hitting thesky, as the auto began to climb a steep hill. Evidently it had justturned into this highway from another thoroughfare leading direct fromthe city.
"Come on! We must hurry," said Ernie, dashing into the timber. "Becareful; don't fall or run any branches in your eyes."
They made fairly good progress, considering the difficulties beforethem and the darkness in the woods. However, they kept close to theedge, where the tree growth was not very heavy and where the snowreflected sufficient light to guide their feet. Ernie ordered thatnone of the flashlights be used, and perhaps it was fortunate for thesuccess of the expedition that this order was issued and obeyed.
The efforts of the boys were well timed. Everything went likeclockwork, or so it afterward seemed. Two shadowy forms were discernedstanding in the thicker darkness under the trees as the automobilearrived near the Southern edge of the quarry. The boys were withineasy attacking distance from the place where the two men stood. Erniewhispered the word "Halt" loud enough for his companions to hear him.They gathered around their leader, who hurriedly spoke thus:
"Now, everybody listen to me for orders. When I give the word, 'fire,'you, Paul, John, Harry and Jerry, fire your guns into the air. Becareful, and shoot up toward the tops of the trees, so as not to hitan
yone. Then I'll give the order to charge, and everybody let out anIndian war-whoop or something of the sort. We won't have to do anymore shooting. Now, come on; we'll get closer. Those fellows arestarting now."
Even as he spoke, the two villainous individuals, with masks on theirfaces, dashed out from the timber and planted themselves in front ofthe automobile, with pistols leveled at the driver. The latter,according to the plan outlined in his note discovered by "JohnnyTwo-Times," slowed down the machine before the highwaymen appeared. Atthe command to halt he came to a sudden stop and threw up his hands.
"Ready!--Fire!" commanded Ernie in a loud voice.
Two magazine shotguns and two target rifles exploded in quicksuccession. Without giving the two hold-up men time to determinewhether they had been hit or not, the patrol leader issued his secondorder, thus:
"Now, boys, after them! Charge! No quarter for the rascals!"
Then followed a scene that, for rapidity of action, is not oftensurpassed by motion picture speed artists.
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