CHAPTER XIII
SEARCHING FOR CLUES
The next morning, though it was still cloudy and rain was falling, Linkwas prevailed to return with his team to the place where he had seen theman with the scowling visage. Meantime Nels Anderson and family had beenmade comfortable in a disused cabin in the edge of the village.
Nels, being comparatively useless, also remained. To him later in the daycame Chip Slider, saying:
"I went with them folks and they didn't do nothin' much, except that Paulpicked up a gold piece right near where they found that old suit-case.All at once it come to me that something's got to be did."
"Vell, vot you bane goin' to do?" Nels spoke indifferently, for he had hisown troubles heavily on his mind.
"I don't want you to say much to the others. But if you find they ain'tgoin' to foller up that trail we lost in them burnt woods, 'count of therain, I'm goin' to foller it myself. Say, Nels, I want to get your wife tocook me up some grub--on the quiet, see?"
"On de qviet--heh? V'ot for you bane goin' to do?" Nels was vaguelysuspicious but kindly.
"They've gone for the sheriff and the dawgs. But they won't get back aforeter-morrer. I want that grub right away--see?"
Nels grunted a surly assent, adding: "Don' you forget to bring dat grub."
This Chip proceeded to do, managing to secure through Billy Worth and PhilWay a limited amount of flour, bacon and one or more minor ingredients.But both were curious, naturally.
"Look here, Chip," remarked Phil casually. "You ain't going to leave us,are you? We--we rather like you, boy."
Chip took them both aside as he explained his purpose to some extent.
"You know Paul found a gold piece where that suit-case was picked up. Thatshows as how Murky, or whoever it was, must 'a' been puttin' the money insomething else. It's rained on that trail, and even if the sheriff comeswith his dawgs, they can't foller it to do any good."
"Well then, how the mischief can you follow it?" demanded Worth. "You justcan't! Believe me, Chip, you're going up against a hard thing."
But Chip persisted. The sooner he got off, the better. After all, seeinghe was bound to go, they wished him luck. But meanwhile Paul had come upand was listening eagerly. When Phil and Billy turned away, he clappedChip on the back, saying:
"Chip, you're the goods--sure! I'm going with you, see?"
Chip looked so astonished that Paul hastened to add: "Don't you worry!I'll have some grub of my own, too. More'n that, I'll get a couple of ourcamp blankets. Now that our Thirty is gone, we won't be using much of ourcamp supplies. Say, it's up to us to help get back that twenty thousanddollars or what's left of it--hey?"
So it was arranged. During the afternoon Mr. Beckley and a constable cameback but without either the sheriff or the dogs. To the anxious queriesput to them Beckley shook his head discouragingly.
"We talked to the sheriff. He seemed anxious to do all he could; but hewas positive that the rains and the strong scent of burnt ashes over soilwould baffle the hounds. Said he: 'I'm used to bloodhounds. I know what Iam talking about. My dogs are useless here.' But he was insistent on ournotifying the police of the nearer towns by wire. He also 'phoned to thenearest big cities, in case Murky turned up at any of them. We gave adescription of the fellow as best we could, and also charged him withmurder."
"I suppose you mean Grandall," remarked MacLester.
"Certainly! I think, considering what we saw on the balcony especiallywhen Murky was dragging Grandall back into the burning building, therecan be little doubt but that Murky made an end of him. It was undoubtedlyto his interest to get Grandall out of the way; especially if Murky had anotion of making off with the plunder himself."
No one disputed this. And so the matter rested. During the day men weresent off to notify the nearest settlers. In case Murky appeared, they wereto arrest the man or, if unable to do that, to let folks in Staretta knowat once.
Meanwhile Link Fraley, having turned the store over temporarily to hisfather, who was the real proprietor after all, and an assistant, spentmost of his time going round with the Auto Boys and Mr. Beckley.
"It's this way," he remarked. "I've been so much with you lads in thisbusiness that I feel somehow as if we were all interested. By the way,kids, where is that chap Slider? And I don't see your chum Paul roundhere."
These remarks were made along in the afternoon, after a busy morning ofinvestigation involving a good deal of running round generally. For thefirst time it suddenly occurred to three of the Auto Boys that one oftheir number had not showed up, even at the dinner taken at noon at theone tavern of the place. Also, where was Chip Slider?
"Gee whiz-z!" Phil wondered that he had not noticed their absence before."I remember him and Chip whispering together after we got back. Don't you,Link?"
Link did and said so emphatically, adding:
"Now come to think, I seen them two moseyin' off down where the Andersonsbe."
"By ginger!" This from MacLester. "I bet they're off to help Nels fix upthat old cabin a bit. It sure needs fixing if I'm any judge."
"Tell you what, boys," put in Worth, "suppose we all go down there andgive poor Nels a lift. He's half helpless himself. These Staretta folkssent them in some things. We'll do our bit while we're waitin' for Mr.Beckley to get that automobile he thinks he needs."
Now that the Thirty belonging to the boys had been destroyed Beckley, onreaching Staretta, had sent a man to the nearest town to bring some kindof motor car, for it was plain to him that if he was to get anywhere withhis faithful assistant Daddy O'Lear, some kind of assistance more to bedepended on than Link's scraggy horse team should be secured.
So while Beckley waited the boys set out for Anderson's cabin. But uponreaching there no sign of either Paul or Chip was to be seen. InsteadNels himself sat despondent in the doorway, while inside Mrs. Andersonand the child were striving in a desultory, hopeless way to arrange theinside of the unkempt cabin.
"We came down to see if we could help about anything to make you all morecomfortable," said Phil, still looking for Jones and Chip. "We kind athought Paul and that Slider boy was down here."
"So they was," remarked Mrs. Anderson, apathetically wiping out a fryingpan, "but they went off soon as they had their grub cooked. And a job itwas, too."
"Just what do you mean, Mrs. Anderson?" put in Billy uneasily.
"They was goin' somewhere, I think. Then--"
"Yah--yah!" This from Nels in the doorway. "They bane had der dinners."
Meanwhile Phil was thinking what Chip had told them that morning. Paul'sabsence was now explained. Worth also felt that an astonishing light haddawned on him somehow. He turned to Way, saying:
"What doughheads we were when Chip was talking so glibly about what he wasgoing to do! Why, the thing is sheer nonsense!"
"More than that, it is dangerous!" exclaimed Phil. "Suppose them two boysmeet up with Murky way off in the burnt over woods. What'll Murky do to'em?"
"Don't talk punk, Phil!" Billy was in cold earnest now. "You know whathe'd do or try to do, if he thought they had come after that money.There's nothing he _wouldn't_ do if he could, that would put them off histrail and land them--oh, goodness! It makes me cold when I think of Paul."
Here the Anderson girl timidly approached, holding out a scrap of paper.
"He give it me," said the child. "Pap was away and ma was busy."
"Who gave it you?" demanded Phil as Worth took the soiled, folded paper.
"One of you boys. They was leavin'. Ma didn't know," seeing Mrs. Andersonlooking on with astonishment written all over her. "I fergot it 'til now."
"Boys," the pencilled scrawl began. "I'm off with Chip. We got some grubalong, and a pair of blankets. Chip thinks we can follow Murky. I justgot to go along, too. Paul. P.S. Don't worry."
Nels' wife was fishing out a blanket from a scant pile of bedding in onecorner, and held it out, saying:
"He says wrong, sir. They ain't got but one blanket; for Mr. Paulhe--offered us
one of the two he had. I wouldn't take it but he piledit with the things folks brought in. Then they both hurried off."
"Ve nefer see dat blanket," began Nels. "No. He done left it. Mein frau,she find it v'en day bane gone."
The situation now looked more grave to the boys than ever. Little wassaid, however. Even Dave would only commit himself so far as to ejaculate:
"Paul always was a fool!"
But this was said in no animadversive sense. It was wholly sympathetic,even while Dave might have disapproved. Finding there was nothing moreto be done for Nels they were about to leave when Anderson, who had beenwhispering with his wife, suddenly announced:
"I bane go mit you. I know de woods. I lif in de woods. I go mit you!"
"It won't do, Nels," remonstrated Worth. "You ain't fit. You're neededmore here."
"How did you know we were going after Paul and Chip?" asked Phil.
Nels smiled for the first time that day. His wife explained.
"He knew you boys were good and that you loved your chum. Perhaps he feltthat you were sorry for Chip, too. He wants to do his part. But I thinkyou are right. In his fix he'd better stay with us."
All three boys insisted that Nels' place was with his family. It lookedthat way, anyhow. But Nels shook his head rather grimly. Finally heretired to the doorsteps, neither taking part in further discussion norsaying much of anything more at all.
After the boys left, however, he bestirred himself. His wife,understanding him better than others, mutely began preparing morefood. Meanwhile Nels, from some recess in his rough clothing,resurrected two one-dollar bills. These he forced upon his wife, whomeantime had wrapped up certain provisions and made him take the blanketleft by Paul.
On the way back to town the boys encountered Link Fraley; and he, beingin their confidence, was briefly told all that had occurred. As theyexplained the grin on Link's face grew broader, his eyes twinkled andhe seemed vastly tickled at something.
"Well, what you goin' to do?" He asked it as if he already knew.
They told him, and he slapped the boys on the shoulders congratulatinglyas he rejoined:
"Bully for you, boys! Stick to your friends! That's the way to git alongin this world. That little hungry looking cuss Chip--why, somehow I kinderliked him. Lemme tell you something. I'm goin' 'long, too."
Here Link's smile grew so broad that it nearly met his ears. "I been doin'some thinkin' of my own. I ain't after money in this. Yet, if we shouldhappen to git that money back, or he'p 'em git it, I rather guess Mr.Beckley would do the right thing."
"He would; I feel sure of that." Phil was speaking. "But that isn'tworrying us so much as that Chip and Paul should start out that waywithout even letting out a cheep what they was up to."
"We-ell!" Link looked uncommonly wise. "You see, they two had seen thatugly cuss first. Then ag'in, I think Chip felt sore 'cause Murky beat himup so. He'd sorter like to git even, I reckon."
"Another thing," put in Phil. "Chip knows that his dead father didn't actup square 'bout that money either. Grandall put him up to it. But Chip,I'm thinkin', wants to do the fair thing."
"You say you are going along, too?" asked MacLester. "That is good of you,Mr. Fraley. We've lost our car and the Longknives have lost their money. Iguess it's right that we should all help to try to get the money back.As for the car--our bully old Thirty--well, we'll have to get home withoutit. But what made Paul and Chip in such a hurry?"
"Chip's knocked about a good deal. He knew that if Murky got out of thebig woods our chance to get him would be small." This from Worth. "By thetime it all got into the hands of the police there'd be more or less costsand--and expenses. As for Paul Jones, he just couldn't help it, I guess."
"When will you be ready, Link?" queried Phil. "That is, if you are reallygoing along."
"Ready right now, boys. When will you start?"
"It's now mid-afternoon," remarked Phil. "I propose we get ready and startat daylight tomorrow. It has rained off and on all day--hullo! Here comesMr. Beckley."
Beckley, still followed by his henchman Daddy O'Lear, came hurriedly outof the only telephone office in Staretta. When he learned what the boystogether with Fraley were up to, he looked dubious. Finally he said:
"Perhaps it is the best way after all. Nothing more can be done here.Whether we recover the money or not, it is right that you should lookafter your chum and--and that Slider boy." Mr. Beckley spoke this last asif he rather had doubts if Chip were worth looking after. But, with theAuto Boys on the trail he felt safe as far as the money went, providedthey found Murky, and the spoil Murky would be apt to have with him.