the fifth string-第13节

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been　driven　into　the　wall；　was　hanging

an　old　hat；　which　he　had　often　seen　on

Hildey's　head。



Elated　at　the　results　of　his　quest；　he

began　to　retrace　his　steps；　and　in　eager

haste　he　left　the　cave。　Picking　his　way

along　the　slimy　stones　under　the　wharf；

he　soon　neared　the　outlet　and　there　was

startled　by　the　most　significant　of　all

his　discoveries。　Right　before　him　lay

the　identical　hoop　which　he　had　given

the　lost　child　only　Christmas　Day；　and

which　bore　the　inscription；　‘‘From　Sandy

Coggles　to　Lillian　Franklin。''



Every　suspicion　now　was　confirmed；　and

he　was　sure　he　knew　the　culprits。　Taking

the　hoop；　he　returned　to　his　boat…

house　with　all　possible　speed；　and　leaping

into　his　skiff；　paddled　up　the　river；

his　eyes　scanning　the　marsh　lines　on

either　bank　of　the　channel。　Arriving　at

the　bridge；　he　learned　by　inquiry　from

the　tender　stationed　there　that　he　had

not　seen　the　Lillian　coming　up　stream

within　the　past　three　days。



‘‘But；''　explained　the　bridge…tender；

‘‘I'm　only　on　from　six　to　six　during

daylight；　and　of　course　if　anything

comes　through　at　night　I　wouldn't　know

about　it。　I'm　pretty　sure；　though；　there's

been　nothing　up　this　way　for　a　month

of　Sundays；　'cept　Buck　Wesley；　who

creeped　up　'bout　two　hours　ago；　following

a　gang　of　ducks　that　uses　right　over

there　above　Mayhew's　Meadows。　And

the　way　Buck's　been　shooting　for　the　last

hour；　he　must　be　having　a　time　and　no

mistake。''



‘‘Well；　so　long；''　called　Sandy。　‘‘I

guess　I'll　go　up　the　river　a　little　further

and　have　a　look。''　And　once　more　he

took　up　his　paddles。　As　he　came　abreast

of　the　Meadows　he　saw　Buck　Wesley

coming　out　of　the　creek　in　his　gunning

skiff。



‘‘Is　that　you；　Sandy？''　shouted　the　gunner。



‘‘That's　me；''　was　the　boy's　answer。



‘‘Come　over　here；　I　want　to　talk　to　you；''

requested　Buck。



When　Sandy　got　alongside　the　hunter's　boat；　he　asked：



‘‘Well；　Buck；　what's　the　trouble？''



‘‘No　trouble；　Sandy；　but　when　I　come

up　the　river　this　mornin'I　ain't　been

up　for　three　weeks；　it's　been　such　pore

weather　for　ducksI　seen　a　bunch　of

widgeon　go　down　right　over　here；　an'

as　I　skims　up　by　the　collard　patch　t'other

side　of　the　bridge；　I　noticed　a　boat　lyin'

in　the　mud；　and　when　I　gits　near　to　her；

I　knows　by　the　cut　of　her　jib　that　she's

yer　Lillian。''



‘‘My　Lillian？　Wher'd　yer　say　yer　seen　her？''

asked　Sandy　excitedly。



‘‘Why；　by　the　collard　patch；　not　fifty

yards　from　the　Causeway。　She　looked

like　she'd　drifted　on　the　marsh。　I　calc'lated

when　I　got　through　shootin'　that

I'd　pick　her　up　an'　take　her　down　to

yer　landin'。　The　oars　wuz　in；　an'　I

guess　she　must　'a'　strayed　from　the　shore；

through　somebody　fergettin'　to　tie　her　up。''



‘‘I'm　much　'bliged；　Buck；''　thanked

Sandy；　‘‘but　yer　needn't　bother。　I'll

bring　her　down；　an'　the　next　galoot　that

takes　her　an'　lets　her　git　away　from　him；

is　goin'　to　hear　from　me。''



Sandy　retraced　the　course　he　had　come；

and　after　turning　on　the　other　side　of

the　bridge；　had　no　trouble　in　finding

his　boat。　She　was　lying　on　a　sand…bar；

but　he　soon　succeeded　in　floating　her

and　bringing　her　ashore。



Safely　securing　the　skiff　and　the　boat；

he　began　another　search　along　the　beach；

and　almost　immediately　was　rewarded

by　finding　a　knot　of　blue　ribbon；　such　as

he　had　often　seen　Lillian　wear　in　her

hair。　Farther　along；　he　discovered　tracks

in　the　sand。　These　he　followed；　Indian

fashion；　up　the　embankment；　lost　trace

of　them　for　a　moment　on　the　hardened

surface　of　the　carriage　way；　but　speedily

picked　them　up　again　in　the　soft　soil

that　ran　downward　on　the　other　side。



Then；　it　was　easy　to　pursue　them　along

a　pathway　that　led　to　a　graveled　beach

where　a　dozen　or　more　skiffs　had　been

drawn　up　and　tied　to　stakes　for　the

winter。　From　here　on；　all　further　traces

were　obliterated。



Thoroughly　familiar　with　all　the　river

craft　belonging　there；　even　to　the　individual

ownership；　Sandy　noticed　at　once

that　one　of　the　boats　was　missing；　and

that　its　painter　had　only　recently　been　cut。



‘‘Why；　it's　Willie　Bagner's　boat　they've

got；''　he　said　to　himself　as　he　recognized

which　boat　was　missing；　‘‘an'　I'll　bet　my

life　the　scalawags　are　hidin'　somewhere

up　the　river。''



Hurrying　back；　he　rowed　to　the　landing

and　started　in　haste　for　his　home；　with

a　plan　of　rescue　fully　developed　in　his

mind。　He　sought　out　Leander；　Dink　and

Gilbert；　and　asked　them　to　call　at　his

house　without　delay。



While　Sandy's　investigation　had

convinced　him　that　Lillian　was　stolen；　Colonel

Franklin　had　been　made　to　realize　the

same　terrible　fact　in　another　and　more

brutal　way。　When　he　reached　his　office

on　the　same　afternoon；　he　found　on　his

desk　a　letter　that　read　as　follows：





dere　surif　U　meen　bizness　i　can　put

U　on　to　whar　your　dorter　is　but　its　goin

to　kost　U　sum　muney　if　U　evr　want　to

see　her　agin　　theres　a　big　gang　got　her　hid

where　U　woodnt　find　hur　in　a　100　yerze

but　if　U　will　plank　down　10000　dolers

sheze　yourze　　if　U　dont　you'll　nevr　see

hur　no　moar　if　sheze　wurth　thet　much

to　U　U　can　git　her　by　not　blabin　to

nobudy　that　yer　got　this　leter　an　plankin

down　the　rino　　taint　no　use　fer　U　to　try

an　git　the　police　on　our　trax　fer　one　uv

the　gang　is　alwayz　with　the　kid　an　we

have　sworn　to　kill　her　if　enny　of　us　is

jugged　　if　U　meen　bizness　an　will　leeve

a　noat　under　the　big　stone　in　front　of

the　ded　tree　by　oyster　shell　landin　up

the　river　we　will　git　it　an　rite　U　where　to

meet　us　to　bring　the　muney　and　git　the

child　　member　we　dont　stand　fer　no

trechery　an　if　U　squeel　we　ll　no　it　and　we　ll

take　it　out　on　the　kid　　mums　the　word

if　yer　want　ter　see　the　kid　again　c　o　d

and　fare　deelin　is　our　moto　　a　word　to

the　wize　is　sufishent



yourze　trooley　　　　　　a　frend





The　Colonel　was　completely　unnerved

by　the　horrible　knowledge　that　his　little

daughter　was　in　the　hands　of　desperate

criminals。　Without　delay　he　wrote　a　note

offering　to　pay　the　money　demanded；

agreeing　to　deliver　it　at　any　spot　they

might　name；　and　vowing　to　share　his

secret　with　no　one。



Sealing　the　missive；　he　placed　it

carefully　in　his　pocket；　and　drove　out　along

the　river　turnpike　to　a　point　about　a

quarter　of　a　mile　from　the　place

designated　by　the　anonymous　writer。　Tying

his　horse　to　a　tree；　he　walked　through

the　woods；　and　hid　the　note　under　the

stone　mentioned　in　the　letter。　It　was

after　nightfall　when　he　reached　home；

where　he　was　met　with　the　heartrending

and　oft…repeated　question；



‘‘Have　you　heard　anything　from　Lily？''



Fearing　to　betray　himself；　even　to　his

family；　and　thus　perhaps　endanger　the

life　of　his　child；　he　was　compelled　to

answer；　‘‘No；　not　a　thing。''　With　a

heavy　heart；　he　passed　into　his　study。

Supper　was　announced　shortly　after…

ward；　and　as　the　family　gathered　about

the　table；　the　father　noticed　that　his

son　was　not　present。



‘‘Where　is　Gilbert？''　he　inquired　nervously。



‘‘Sandy　was　here　and　asked　Gilbert

to　come　over　and　spend　the　night　with

him；''　answered　Mrs。　Franklin。　‘‘I　hadn't

the　heart　to　refuse　him；　for　I　don't　believe

any　one　has　worked　harder　to　find　our

lost　darling　than　Sandy；　and　he　seems　to

be　the　only　one　that　can　give　Gilbert

any　consolation。''



‘‘I　think　it's　better　that　the　boys　stop

searching；''　said　the　father。　‘‘They　might

get　themselves　into　trouble；　it's　too

dangerous。''



‘‘I　don't　believe　you　could　stop　those

boys　from　hunting　for　Lillian；　if　they

had　to　go　into　the　very　jaws　of　death；''

interposed　the　grandmother。



‘‘Oh；　well；''　spoke　the　father；　‘‘they

must　not　wear　themselves　out；　and　to…

morrow；　I　will　tell　Gilbert　and　Sandy

to　leave　the　investigation　to　the　police。''



‘‘They'll　never　do　it；''　objected　the

grandmother；　‘‘they　love　Lillian　too

much。　You　mark　my　words。''



At　this　very　moment；　Sandy；　Leander；

Gilbert　and　Dink　were　together；　in　Sandy's

little　garret　room。　Sandy　closed　the

door　carefully；　locked　it；　and　called　his

companions　about　him　in　the　middle

of　the　room。



‘‘Boys；''　he　whispered；　‘‘afore　I　sez

anythin'；　I　wants　yer　to　gimme　yer

word；　honor　bright；　an'　cross　yer　heart

three　times；　that　yer　won't　spout　a　syllable

of　what　I　tells　yer　to　a　soul。''



All　were　agreed；　and　the　boy　began：



‘‘Now；　it's　this　'ere　way。　My　boat

wuz　stolen　an'　left；　right　below　the　upper

bridge；　an'　I　foun'　footprints　an'　this

'ere　piece　of　ribbon；　which　Gil　knows

b'longed　to　his　sister；　for　she　wore　it

round　her　hair。　Willie　Bagner's　skiff's

bin　stolen；　an'　I　believe　the　party　that

took　it　hez　got　little　Lily；　because　I　foun'

the　hoop　I　give　her；　an'　this　envellup　in

the　same　place；　an'　it　seems　to　me　the

galoot　whose　name's　on　it　is　hid　somewhere

up　the　river；　an'　I'm　goin'　after

him　if　I　has　to　go　alone。''



‘‘Bu