CHAPTER XXXII
THE CAPTURE OF THE HOBO YEGGMEN
Long practice had made the scouts adepts at this sort of work. Theycould creep up on an unsuspecting sentry almost as cleverly as thosecopper-colored natives of the American woods whom all Boy Scouts copywhen studying woodcraft.
Then again the piles of snow helped, as well as hindered, them more orless. But except for that column of blue wood smoke drifting lazilyupward over the cabin there was really no sign of life about theplace.
Paul, Tolly Tip and the others of the scouting party soon reached therear of the shack. They could easily see where the two tramps hadactually worked to close up most of the chinks between the logs, tokeep the bitter cold air and the driving snow out of their refuge.
Men of their sort would never think of staying for a week or twoamidst such barren surroundings so long as there remained a warmcounty jail ready to accommodate them with free lodging--that is,unless they had a good reason for wanting to avoid civilization.
Paul, believing that they had set that fire and robbed Mr. Briggs'safe, could understand just why they remained here in seclusion. Theydoubtless feared suspicion may have been pointed in their direction,and that something of a search was being indulged in looking to theirultimate capture.
As soon as they arrived close to the walls of the shack the boyssearched for some crevice through which they might gain a view of theinterior.
Several managed to dig peep-holes by detaching the frozen mud that thetramps had plastered over open chinks. They applied their eyes to suchcrevices, and first of all discovered a blazing fire. Then a movementon one side drew their attention to the taller vagrant sitting quietlysmoking his black pipe as though quite contented with his lot ofidleness, so long as his wants were fairly well supplied.
It happened that the wind had gone down, and there brooded over thesnowy forest a deep silence. This fact allowed the listeners withoutto catch the sound of voices inside the hut, for one of the trampstalked heavily, and the other had a high-pitched voice that carriedlike a squeaking fife.
What they were saying just then instantly riveted the attention of thelisteners, for as though by some strange freak it had an intimateconnection with the object of the scouts' coming to the spot.
The shorter man seemed to have been doing some work on his injuredhand, for he was now carefully wrapping a fresh rag around it. At thesame time he was grumbling because of the pain his injury gave him.
"I never knowed how bad a burn was till now, Billy," was the burden ofhis complaint. "I've been shot and hurted in every other way, but thishere's the fust time I ever got licked by fire. It's a-goin' to be thelast time too, if I knows it."
"Any fool had ought to know better'n to play with fire," the othertold him between his teeth as he sucked at his pipe. "I reckons thatye'd been wuss hurt nor that if I hadn't slapped a pail o' water overye, and put ye out. Gotter stand fur it, Shorty, till the new skincomes along. A burn is wuss nor a cut any day."
"I on'y hopes as how it's well afore we skip outen this hole," thesufferer went on to say, still unappeased. "If we git in a tight holeI'd need both my fins to do business with. A one-handed man ain't gotmuch chance to slip away when the cornfield cops make a raid."
"They ain't goin' to bother us any! Make up yer mind to that same,boy," continued the tall vagrant, complacently. "When the time comes,an' the weather lets up on us a bit, why, we'll jest flit outen thisregion by the back door. I'm only mad as hops 'bout one thing."
"Yep, an' I know what it be, 'cause ye been harpin' on that subjectright along, Billy. Yer disapp'inted 'cause the old man didn't have abigger haul in his cracked safe."
"Well, that's what ails me," admitted the other in a grumbling way."We'd a been fixed fur a year to come if only he'd had a good wadlyin' low, 'stead of a measly bunch of the long green."
"Better luck next time, Billy, say I," continued the shorter tramp, ashe finished fastening the soiled rag about his left hand and wrist.
It can be easily understood that Paul had heard quite enough by thistime. There was not the slightest doubt in the world that Billy andhis partner had been guilty of setting fire to Mr. Briggs' store, andhad also broken open his ancient safe to extract whatever amount ofmoney happened to be in it at the time.
Paul drew back and touched each one of his companions in turn. Theyknew just what the gesture he made signified. The time for action hadcome, and they were thus invited to take part with him in the holdingup of the desperate pair.
That the tramps belonged to this class of wandering criminals therecould not be the least doubt after hearing snatches of theirconversation. This affair of Mr. Briggs' store was apparently but oneof many similar episodes in their careers.
The little party now proceeded to creep around to the front of theshack. They knew, of course, that the door had been repaired and thatit was also closed tightly, but Paul hardly believed they would findany difficulty in pushing it open.
Arriving at the point that was to witness their sudden attack, Paulmarshaled his followers in a compact mass. He meant to imitate in somedegree the flying wedge used upon the football field with such goodeffect.
Tolly Tip was given the post of honor in the van. This was done partlybecause of the fact that he was a man, and the boys felt the trampswould be likely to feel more respect for a company of invaders led bya grown-up.
After the woodsman came Paul and Jud. Jack, Bobolink and Tom Bettsformed the base of the triangle which was to push through the openingwith all possible speed, once the door had been thrown open.
Even though they found it fastened by some sort of bar or wooden pin,Paul had arranged in his mind just how such fastenings could be brokenwithout trouble. He had noted quite a good-sized log lying near by,used by the vagrants in their seclusion to chop their firewood on. AndPaul had decided that this log would make an admirable battering ram.The door was old and feeble, so that one good slam would doubtlesshurl it back, and give them free ingress.
There was no need of all this display of energy, however, for uponinvestigation Paul discovered that he could easily move the door, oncehe got his hand on the wooden latch.
He only waited to make sure that the others were ready, and then fellback into his pre-arranged place, leaving to Tolly Tip the honor ofopening the way.
When the woodsman felt a hand jab him in the short ribs he recognizedthis as the signal from Paul for which he had been waiting. Heimmediately threw the door back with such violence that it crashed tothe floor, its weak hinges giving way under the strain.
In through the opening the whole six of them poured. The boys' huntingguns were instantly leveled in the direction of the astounded tramps,who started to scramble to their feet, but, cowed by the display offorce, sank back again in dire dismay.
"Hold up your arrms!" roared Tolly Tip, just as he had been instructedto do by the scout-master.
Both hoboes made ludicrous haste to elevate their hands as far as theycould. In the excitement of the moment, having only caught glimpses ofkhaki uniforms, they imagined that a detachment of the State militiahad been called out to search the woods for the firebugs guilty oftrying to destroy Mr. Briggs' establishment in Stanhope.
By the time they realized that five of the invaders were only boys itwas too late to attempt anything like defiance. Besides, thoseshotguns and rifles, even when held in boyish hands, had just as grima look as though gripped by grown-up warriors.
"Jud, you've got the thongs I supplied!" called out Paul, "so getbusy, with Jack to help you, and tie their hands behind them. Slipthose mitts on before you do it, because we've got a long way to go,and it would be cruel to have their fingers frost-bitten on the roadto Stanhope."
The men dared not offer any objections, though they kept using stronglanguage, much to the disgust of some of the scouts.
"Paul, tell them that unless they close their mouths and quit thatswearing we'll gag them both," said Jack, unable to endure it anylonger.
"I was just a
bout to say that when you took the words out of mymouth!" declared the scout-master, indignantly. "I've got a couple ofgags ready here, made for the occasion. If you know when you're welloff, you fellows, keep still, and accept your fate like men. You'reonly going to get what you deserve after all."
"It was a bad day for you both when you struck Stanhope," said Jud,with one of his tantalizing grins. "I only wish I knew the trampsigns, so I could write a warning on every fence outside the town so'sto keep other hobo yeggs away."
Having accomplished the object of their mission without any troublethey now went back to join their comrades, who were anxiously waitingfor the signal Paul was to give in case their help was needed. Andgreat was the disappointment of Bluff, Sandy, Frank, Spider and Philwhen they found that they had been left out of the game.
CHAPTER XXXIII
CONCLUSION
Once more striking the frozen creek the boys, accompanied by Tolly Tipstill, headed down the stream, bent upon reaching Lake Tokala early inthe afternoon. The two prisoners were well looked after, though therewas little danger of their giving any trouble.
Upon searching them the boys had found some money and several smallarticles of more or less value that they suspected had been taken fromthe storekeeper's safe at the time of the robbery. These would perhapsassist materially to convict "Billy" and "Shorty" when the time fortheir trial came.
The men, stolid, after their kind, seemed to have become reconciled totheir fate. Nevertheless, Paul did not mean to relax his vigilance inthe least degree. He knew very well that such cunning characters wouldbe ready to take advantage of the least opportunity to break away.
In fact all of the scouts had resolved to be constantly on the watch.They were in imagination already receiving the hearty congratulationsfrom some of the leading townspeople for capturing the guilty rogues,and did not mean to be cheated out of their pleasure through carelesshandling of the case.
"There's the lake!" announced Jud Elderkin, presently.
"Yes, and I can see smoke coming from the cabin of Abe Turner!"Bobolink hastily added, for he knew just where to look for the humbledomicile of the man Mr. Garrity had stationed at the lake to makepreliminary preparations for the extensive logging operations he meantto start on the following spring.
Abe heard their shouts and greeted them warmly. Of course, he wasinterested on discovering that they had captured the two tramps, andadmitted that there could be no reasonable doubt of their guilt, oncehe heard the story, and saw Shorty's scorched hand.
But the boys did not mean to stay over night at the lake. That wouldmake their next day's journey too long, for they hoped to get intoStanhope before the setting of another sun.
Tolly Tip said good-bye sorrowfully. He concluded that he might aswell stay with Abe that night for company.
"'Tis harrd to say ye go away, lads," the old woodsman told them, ashe wrung each scout's hand with a vim that made him wince. "Depind onit, I'll often think av ivery one av ye as the days crape along.Here's a good luck to the whole bunch! And be sure to remimber me toMr. Garrity."
"We will, Tolly Tip, and here's three cheers for you!" cried Bobolink;and no doubt the vigorous shouts that arose would ring pleasantly inthe ears of the old woodsman for many a day.
The boys managed to cross the lake and use their iceboats in thebargain, for the violence of the wind had kept most of the surfaceclear of snow. It was a new experience to the two vagrants, and onethey hardly fancied; though the boats they were placed on did not makeany remarkable time, the breeze being very light.
Once on the Radway river, the boys found it necessary to drag theboats pretty much all the way. They kept on, however, until the sunwas setting, and then concluded to camp for the night.
Paul knew that this would be the time when the most danger would ariseconcerning the possible escape of the prisoners. He was more than everdetermined that such a catastrophe should not occur, even if hehimself had to sit up and keep watch all through the night.
The boys chose a very good spot for a camp, in that there was anabundance of loose wood at hand that could be used for fuel. Jud alsosuggested that they build two fires, so that they would have a certainamount of warmth on either side.
"That's a good idea," said Paul, falling in with it immediately, forhe saw how it would simplify matters in connection with theirprisoners.
He did not dare allow these men to have the freedom of their arms, forthere could be no telling what they might not attempt in the desire togain their freedom. And with their hands tied the lack of circulationmight cause their extremities to freeze unless looked after.
Supper was cooked, and things made as cheerful as the conditionsallowed. Indeed, most of the boys thought that it was rather in thenature of a novel experience to be forced to sleep amidst the snowbanks, and with only a scanty brush shelter between themselves and theclear, cold sky.
Few of them secured much sleep, it may as well be admitted. Paulhimself was on the alert most of the night. Dozens of times his headbobbed up, and his suspicious eyes covered the cowering forms of thetwo prisoners, who had been placed where they would get the fullbenefit of the twin fires.
Then again the fires needed frequent attention, and Paul took it uponhimself to see that they did not die down too low; for the night wasstill bitter cold. As an abundant supply of wood had been gathered bywilling hands it was not very hard to toss a few armfuls on each firefrom time to time.
Morning came at last, and the scouts were up with the break of day.The fires were again attended to, and breakfast started, for the ladsknew they would have a hard day's journey before them.
There was a strong possibility that they would encounter some hugedrifts which might block their passage; and it was this that gave Paulthe most concern.
It was nearly eleven when they finally sighted the place where theone-time canal merged its waters with the Radway river, forming theconnecting link between that waterway and the home stream.
"Looks like an old friend," asserted Jud, when they had turned off thewider stretch and started to follow the canal.
"But see the snow piles ahead of us, will you?" cried Bobolink indismay. "We're going to have some jolly work climbing through those!"
"If you only look," remarked Paul, "in most cases you'll find you'reable to go around the hills that bar your way."
It was very much as Paul said, for, as a rule, they were able to finda passage around the huge drifts. Still progress was very tedious, andwhen the scouts finally reached the river the afternoon was wellalong.
"Look! will you?" called out Sandy Griggs, exultantly. "The dear oldBushkill is swept as clear as a barn floor, and the ice isgilt-edged!"
"Why!" echoed Bobolink, equally pleased, "our troubles have vanishedjust like smoke wreaths. We can run all the way home with this nicebreeze that's coming up the river as fair as anything. Whoop! we're ingreat luck, fellows!"
Stanhope was reached half an hour before sundown. There were a goodmany people on the ice, mostly boys and girls, and the coming of theiceboat flotilla created something of a stir. This was considerablyaugmented when it was learned that the scouts who had gone off on atrip to the snow woods had brought back two vagrants, who wereresponsible for the fire and the robbery that had recently occurred inthe town.
Of course, the men were easily convicted with so much evidence againstthem. Mr. Briggs publicly declared that he was very sorry for sayingwhat he had in connection with the scouts, and that from that time onthey could count on him as a friend of the organization.
Some of the boys believed they would never again have the opportunityof engaging in such interesting events as had come their way duringthe midwinter outing. There were others, however, who declared thatsuch an enterprising group of scouts would surely meet with newadventures while pursuing the study of Nature's mysteries. That theselatter were good prophets the reader may learn from the succeedingvolume of this series.
At the very next meeting of the Banner Boy Scouts Mr. Thomas Ga
rritywas an honored guest, and had the privilege of hearing an account readthat covered all the doings of the ten lads during their midwinterouting.
At the conclusion of the meeting it was only proper that a vote ofthanks should be given to their benefactor for his kindness. This wasdone and was followed by three cheers that made Mr. Garrity's earsring, and a smile of sympathy for these boyish hearts linger on hislips.
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