CHAPTER VIII.
THE EAVESDROPPER.
If the two masked highwaymen had been crouching in position for afootrace to be started at the shot of a pistol, they could hardly havesprung forward more suddenly or have sped down the road more rapidly.One glance over their shoulders at what doubtless appeared to them tobe something like a regiment of armed men was pouring out of thetimber, as one of the boys afterward put it, was enough to make them"hot-foot along hot enough to melt all the ice and snow in theirpath."
All of the boys now produced the flashlights which they had carried intheir pockets and turned them on to their own faces, in order that Mr.Stanlock might see who they were and have no doubt that they werefriends. This was according to one detail of their pre-arranged plan,and worked successfully. The owner of the automobile recognized hisnephew, Clifford Long, and the Scout uniforms worn by the boys, andrealized at once that he had been rescued from the hands of a pair ofunscrupulous rascals by a company of real boy heroes. He threw openthe door, sprang out, and began shaking the hands of his rescuers ingrateful appreciation of what they had done for him.
"I don't know what all this means," he said; "but I've got witsenough to understand there's been some pretty tough rascality on foot,and you boys have done me a very great service."
"We were hiking along this way and saw those two men with guns intheir hands stop your machine" exclaimed Clifford, who thought it bestnot to reveal the discovery of the note in the presence of thechauffeur.
"You did mighty good work" declared the wealthy mine operator,enthusiastically.
"Does your Boy Scout training teach you to use your heads sosuccessfully? One would think that this hold-up and the rescue wereboth plotted and planned some time ahead, judging by the skill withwhich you worked."
"Don't flatter us too much, uncle, or you may tempt us to help alongthe deception by leading you to believe that we really are aremarkable bunch of boys," Clifford warned, slyly.
"I not only believe it, but I know it," replied Mr. Stanlock withstubborn generosity. "So, if I am deceived, the fault is all my own.But, Clifford, I didn't know you were in town. When did you come? Youhaven't been over at the house yet, have you?"
"No, not yet, uncle," Clifford answered, slowly. "And I'm not comingover for a few days. The fact is, we are here on a hunting trip and amystery mission, and we want you to help us keep our secret. Since wehave proved ourselves to be a very unusual lot of boys, perhaps youwill take special care to favor us in this respect. We are planning asurprise on the girls, and we don't want you to tell them we are intown."
"My lips are sealed until you unseal them," Mr. Stanlock assured them."But where are you staying?"
"All of us are members of one patrol of Scouts at Spring Lake Academy,all except Paul Hunter. We came here on an invitation from ErnieHunter, and we are living in a cave at the west end of Mr. Hunter'sfarm."
"In a cave!" Mr. Stanlock exclaimed with some concern. "Isn't thatrather an unhealthful place for you to live? You don't sleep there, Ihope?"
"We certainly do, uncle; or, rather, we are going to, for this is ourfirst night. I wish you could come over and see it. It's as dry andwarm as can be. Paul dried it out by keeping a stove burning in it forseveral days."
"A stove in a cave!" was Mr. Stanlock's astonished comment. "That issurely some combination of wild nature and mechanical civilization. Ishall certainly inspect your domesticated wild-and-woolly retreat.When am I invited to come?"
"Any time, Mr. Stanlock," Ernie interposed, with the hospitality ofhost. "Name your time and we'll be there to receive you."
"You'll have quite a walk to the cave tonight, and the walking isn'tvery good, I venture. Pile in and I'll take you in the machine."
"I'm afraid we'll make more of a load than you can carry," saidErnie.
"This machine can carry seven, nine in a pinch, and eleven in a caseof life and death," assured Mr. Stanlock. "But I've got an idea thatwill cut off the life and death. I am bringing home a large sled thata young manual training student made for my seven-year-old son,Harold. It has a good, strong rope attached, and we will hitch it onbehind, and two of you boys can ride on that."
"Let's you and me hitch," said Paul to Jerry, eagerly. Jerry was justas eager, and the problem of carrying ten passengers and the chauffeurwas settled.
"One of you boys get in front with Jake and show him the way,"suggested the owner of the automobile.
"Jake!" The utterance of that name sent a thrill through every one ofthe boys, all of whom recognized it as the name signed to the notethat "Johnny Two-Times" had found near the cave.
Ernie climbed up with the driver, the sled was taken out and hitchedon behind, and six of the boys "piled in" with Mr. Stanlock. As soonas Paul and Jerry called out "Go ahead," they started.
It was not quite as jolly an adventure for the two boys on the sled asthey had expected. The road was pretty rough and, although thechauffeur, obeying his employer's instruction, drove carefully, the"hitchers" were twice thrown off.
But they refused to give up, declaring it to be the most fun they hadhad "in a coon's age," which was really a boys' bravery fib, andfinally the machine drew up within a hundred and fifty feet of thecave.
The boys and Mr. Stanlock left the automobile in charge of the driverand proceeded to the Scouts' hunting headquarters. The visitor provedthat he had not lost all sympathy for his youthful days, for hedeclared that he would like nothing better than to return to his'teens and spend a mid-winter vacation with the young hunters in theircave. After the inspection was completed, Clifford again broached thesubject of the highwaymen's attack, saying:
"Uncle, we didn't tell you how we happened to be present when thosetwo men stopped you tonight, because we didn't want the chauffeur tohear what we had to say. The whole story is contained in this note,which one of the boys found after we had seen those men come out ofthe cave and hurry away. Here it is; read it. As you are moreinterested in it than anybody else, you may keep it."
Clifford drew the folded paper from his vest pocket and gave it to Mr.Stanlock. The latter held it close to the lamp and read.
"That's Jake, my driver; it's his handwriting I'm certain. What did bewant to do that for? He must be in league with the worst element ofthe strikers. Probably they paid him well for this, or promised him atempting bribe."
Mr. Stanlock mused thus aloud as he studied over the note. Thesituation puzzled him. What ought he to do? Of course, he must havethe driver arrested, and there must be an investigation by the police.But, would it be safe for him to trust Jake to drive him home?Probably it would be safe enough, for doubtless the driver had nodesire to be openly connected with the plot.
He was about decided to return home with the driver and say nothing tohim about the note, when a slight noise at the entrance attracted theattention of all. Listening carefully, they could hear the sound ofretreating footsteps.
"That's Jake," Mr. Stanlock exclaimed. "He overheard us. After him, orhe'll run away with the machine."
The rush for the entrance threatened to cause some confusion and delayin getting out. Fortunately, however, the delay, if any, was notserious, and the pursuit soon indicated that there were some realsprinters among the boys. As they emerged from the cave, the driverwas already within fifty feet of the machine. But he looked back overhis shoulder and evidently thought better of his original purpose, forhe turned to the left and raced down the hill toward the road atanother point, leaping and striding with such recklessness that itseemed almost miraculous that he should escape a fall and seriousinjury.
Mr. Stanlock had no desire to attempt a capture of the traitorouschauffeur by physical force, and when he saw that Jake had given upthe idea of fleeing in the automobile, he called the pursuit off. Thenhe announced his intention to drive the machine home himself, takingthe route that led past Mr. Hunter's home. He had no fear of furthertrouble with the driver or his confederates, for he was certain thatJake was a coward at heart and the two highwaymen could h
ardly havearrived in the vicinity of the cave on foot, since they were drivenoff in mad haste in the opposite direction, even if they had beendisposed to make another attack.
"Well, good-night, boys," he said, taking his place in the driver'sseat. "You've done me a service tonight that I won't forget very soon.Come and see me, all of you, after you have sprung your surprise onthe girls. I'll remember to keep your secret all right. Good night."
He put his foot on the starter, gave the steering wheel a few turns,and the throbbing machine moved over the sloping stretch of groundbetween the cave and the road. The boys, several of them with guns intheir hands, followed him to the road and stood there ready to run tohis assistance if they should see any evidences of another attack.They continued the watch for fifteen or twenty minutes, until thelights of the automobile, which pierced the darkness far ahead,indicated that he had proceeded between one and two miles withoutinterference.
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