joe the hotel boy-第25节

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〃Are　you　coming　down　or　not？〃　went　on　Joe。

Still　there　was　no　reply。

〃I'll　give　'em　a　shot　to　warn　'em〃　said　Bill　Badger；　and　fired　into　the　air　at　random。

〃Don't　shoot　me！〃　roared　Pat　Malone。　　〃Please　don't！　I'll　come　down！〃

〃Well；　you　come　down　first。　　Caven；　you　stay　up　there　for　the　present。〃

After　this　there　was　a　pause；　and　presently　Pat　Malone　came　down　out　of　the　tree　looking　sheepish　enough。

〃Up　with　your　hands！〃　cried　Bill　Badger；　and　confronted　by　the　firearms　the　hands　of　the　rascal　went　up　in　a　hurry。

Then　Joe　took　his　handkerchief　and　stepped　up　behind　Malone。　　The　hands　were　lowered　and　crossed　and　our　hero　tied　them　firmly　together　at　the　wrists。

〃Now　back　up　to　that　tree　yonder；〃　said　our　hero。　　〃And　don't　you　dare　to　move。〃

〃I'll　do　just　as　you　say；〃　whined　Malone。　〃Only　don't　shoot　me。〃　He　was　a　coward　at　heart。

〃Now；　Caven；　you　come　down！〃　shouted　Joe。

〃I　don't　think　I　care　to；〃　answered　that　rascal；　coolly。

〃If　you　don't　come　down　I'll　come　up　after　you　with　my　pistol；〃　broke　in　Bill　Badger。

〃Maybe　I　can　do　a　little　shooting　myself；〃　went　on　Gaff　Caven。

〃I'll　risk　that。〃

More　words　followed；　but　in　the　end　Caven　thought　it　best　to　descend　and　did　so。　　Yet　his　face　still　wore　a　look　of　defiance。　　He　was　compelled　to　turn　around；　and　his　hands　were　also　tied　behind　him。

〃Now　I　want　those　mining　shares；　Caven；〃　said　Joe。

〃I　haven't　got　them。〃

〃Where　is　the　satchel？〃

〃I　threw　it　away　when　you　started　after　me。〃

〃Down　at　the　railroad　tracks？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Don't　you　believe　that；〃　broke　in　Bill　Badger。　　〃At　least；　not　unless　he　emptied　the　satchel　first。〃

〃Show　me　the　way　you　came；〃　said　Joe。

〃Make　him　point　out　the　satchel；　or　make　him　suffer；〃　went　on　Bill　Badger。

〃I've　got　an　idea！〃　cried　our　hero；　suddenly。　〃Perhaps　he　left　the　satchel　in　the　tree。〃

〃That's　so。　　Well；　if　you　want　to　climb　up　and　look　around；　I'll　watch　the　pair　of　'em。〃

〃Don't　let　them　get　away。〃

〃If　they　try　it；　they'll　go　to　the　hospital　or　the　graveyard；〃　replied　the　western　young　man；　significantly。

〃The　satchel　ain't　in　the　tree；〃　growled　Caven；　but　his　tone　lacked　positiveness。

〃I'll　soon　know　for　certain；〃　said　our　hero。

He　climbed　the　tree　with　ease；　having　been　used　to　such　doings　when　living　with　the　old　hermit。　　As　he　went　from　branch　to　branch　he　kept　his　eyes　open；　and　presently　saw　a　bit　of　leather　sticking　out　of　a　crotch。　　He　worked　his　way　over　and　soon　had　the　satchel　in　his　possession。

〃How　are　you　making　out？〃　called　up　Bill　Badger。

〃I've　got　it！〃　shouted　our　hero；　joyfully。

〃Got　the　papers？〃

〃Yes；everything；〃　said　Joe；　after　a　hasty　examination。

〃Hang　the　luck！〃　muttered　Gaff　Caven；　much　chagrined。

Our　hero　was　soon　on　the　ground　once　more。　Here　he　examined　the　contents　of　the　satchel　with　care。　　Everything　was　there；　and；　locking　the　bag；　he　slung　the　strap　over　his　shoulder。

〃Now；　what's　the　next　move？〃　queried　Bill　Badger。

〃We　ought　to　have　these　men　locked　up。　How　far　is　it　to　the　nearest　town？〃

〃Ten　or　twelve　miles；　I　reckon。　　I　don't　know　much　about　the　roads。〃

〃Why　can't　you　let　us　go？〃　asked　Malone。　〃You've　got　what　you　want。〃

〃If　I　let　you　go　you'll　be　trying　to　make　more　trouble　for　Mr。　Vane　and　myself。〃

〃Don't　talk　to　them；〃　growled　Caven。　〃If　you　want　to　lock　us　up；　do　so！〃

He　was　in　an　ugly　humor　and　ready　for　a　fight。

〃We'll　march　'em　along；〃　said　Bill　Badger；　and　so　it　was　agreed。



CHAPTER　XXIX。


THE　FATE　OF　TWO　EVILDOERS。


〃Are　you　going　to　let　them　arrest　us？〃　whispered　Pat　Malone；　as　the　whole　party　moved　through　the　woods　towards　a　wagon　road　which　ran　nearly　parallel　to　the　railroad　tracks。

〃Not　if　I　can　help　it；〃　Caven　whispered　back。　　〃We　must　watch　our　chances。〃

Half　a　mile　was　covered　and　they　came　out　on　the　road。　　It　was　growing　dark　and　there　were　signs　of　a　storm　in　the　air。

〃It's　going　to　rain；〃　said　Joe；　and　he　was　right。

〃See　here；　I　don't　want　to　get　wet　to　the　skin；〃　growled　Caven。　　〃I'll　catch　my　death　of　cold。〃

〃There　is　a　barn　just　ahead；〃　said　Bill　Badger。　　〃Let　us　get　inside。〃

Joe　was　willing；　and　soon　all　were　in　the　barn。　　It　was　now　raining　at　a　heavy　rate　and　they　were　glad　to　be　under　shelter。

〃With　a　barn　there　ought　to　be　a　house；〃　remarked　our　hero。　　〃But　I　don't　see　any。〃

It　grew　still　darker；　and　the　rain　came　down　in　perfect　sheets。　　The　roof　of　the　barn　leaked；　and　they　had　to　move　from　one　spot　to　another；　to　keep　out　of　the　drippings。

While　this　was　going　on　Gaff　Caven　was　working　at　the　handkerchief　that　bound　his　wrists　and　soon　had　it　loose。　　Pat　Malone　also　liberated　himself。　　Caven　winked　suggestively　at　his　confederate。

〃Watch　me；〃　he　whispered。　　〃When　I　give　the　signal　we'll　knock　'em　both　down　and　run　for　it。〃

〃But　the　pistol〃　began　Malone。

〃I'll　take　care　of　that。〃

In　moving　around　the　old　barn　Caven　spotted　a　club　and　moved　close　to　it。　　Suddenly　he　snatched　the　weapon　up　and　hit　Bill　Badger　on　the　arm　with　it。　　The　pistol　flew　into　a　corner　and　went　off；　sending　a　bullet　into　a　board。

〃Run！〃　yelled　Caven；　and　leaped　for　the　open　doorway。　　Malone　came　beside　him；　and　both　ran　off　through　the　rain　as　fast　as　their　legs　could　carry　them。

Joe　was　startled　and　made　after　the　pair。　But　at　a　groan　from　Bill　Badger　he　paused。

〃Are　you　badly　hurt？〃　he　asked。

〃He　gave　me　a　stiff　crack　on　the　arm；〃　growled　the　young　westerner。

Joe　ran　for　the　corner　and　caught　up　the　pistol。　　Then　he　leaped　for　the　open　doorway。

〃Stop；　both　of　you！〃　he　called　out。　　〃Stop；　or　I'll　fire！〃

〃Don't　you　dare！〃　shrieked　Pat　Malone；　and　ran　faster　than　ever；　behind　the　nearest　of　the　trees。　　Joe　aimed　the　weapon；　but　before　he　could　pull　the　trigger　both　of　the　bad　men　were　out　of　sight。

〃Go　after　them；　if　you　want　to；〃　said　Bill　Badger。　　〃I'll　go　too。〃

〃You　are　not　badly　hurt？〃　queried　our　hero；　sympathetically。

〃No；　but　if　I　catch　that　fellow　I'll　give　it　to　him　good；〃　grumbled　the　young　westerner。

Both　now　left　the　barn　and　made　after　Caven　and　Malone。　　Once　they　caught　sight　of　the　rascals；　moving　in　the　direction　of　the　railroad　tracks。

〃They　are　going　to　catch　a　train　if　they　can！〃　cried　our　hero。　　〃I　hear　one　coming。〃

〃It's　a　freight　most　likely；〃　was　Bill　Badger's　answer。

He　was　right；　and　soon　the　long　line　of　freight　cars　hove　into　sight　around　a　bend　and　on　an　upgrade。　　Far　in　the　distance　they　beheld　Caven　and　Malone　scooting　for　the　train　with　all　speed。

〃They　are　going　to　make　it；〃　sighed　Joe。　〃Too　bad！〃

They　continued　to　run；　but　before　they　could　get　anywhere　near　the　tracks　they　saw　Caven　leap　for　the　train　and　get　between　two　of　the　cars。　　Then　Malone　got　aboard　also；　and　the　freight　train　passed　out　of　sight　through　the　cut。

〃That　ends　the　chase；〃　said　Joe；　halting。　〃They　were　slick　to　get　away。〃

〃If　we　only　knew　where　they　would　get　off　we　could　send　word　ahead；〃　suggested　his　companion。

〃Well；　we　don't　know；　and　after　this　they　will　probably　keep　their　eyes　wide　open　and　keep　out　of　sight　as　much　as　possible。　　Anyway；　I　don't　think　they'll　bother　Mr。　Vane　any　more。〃

〃It's　not　likely。　　I'm　a　witness　to　what　they　were　up　to；〃　answered　the　young　westerner。

Both　Joe　and　Bill　Badger　were　soaked　from　the　rain　and　resolved　to　strike　out　for　the　nearest　farmhouse　or　village。　　They　kept　along　the　railroad　tracks；　and　presently　came　to　a　shanty　where　there　was　a　track…walker。

〃How　far　to　the　nearest　village？〃　asked　our　hero。

〃Half　a　mile。〃

〃Thank　you。〃

〃How　is　it　you　are　out　here　in　the　rain？〃　went　on　the　track…walker。

〃We　got　off　our　train　and　it　went　off　without　us。〃

〃Oh；　I　see。　　Too　bad。〃

Again　our　hero　and　his　companion　hurried　on；　and　soon　came　in　sight　of　a　small　village。　They　inquired　their　way　to　a　tavern；　and　there　dried　their　clothing　and　procured　a　good；　hot　meal；　which　made　both　feel　much　better。

〃I　am　going　to　send　a　telegram　to　Mr。　Vane；〃　said　Joe；　and　did　so　without　further　delay。　　He　was　careful　of　the　satchel　and　did　not　leave　it　out　of　his　sight。

They　found　they　could　get　a　train　for　the　West　that　evening　at　seven　o'clock　and　at　the　proper　time　hurried　to　the　depot。

〃I'm　glad　I　met　you；〃　said　Joe；　to　his　newly…made　friend。　　〃Now；　what　do　you　think　I　owe　you　for　what　you　did？〃

〃As　we　didn't　land　the　fellows　in　jail　you　don't　owe　me　anything；〃　said　Bill　Badger；　promptly。

〃Oh；　yes；　I　do。〃

〃Well　then；　you　can　pay　the　extra　expense；　and　let　that　fill　the　bill。〃

〃I'll　certainly　do　that；〃　said　Joe；　promptly。

As　they　rode　along　Bill　Badger　told　something　of　himself　and　of　the　mine　his　father　owned；　and　then　Joe　told　something　of　his　own　story。

〃Did　you　say　your　name　is　Joe　Bodley？〃　asked　the　young　westerner；　with　deep　interest。

〃Yes。〃

〃And　you　are　looking　for　a　man　by　the　name　of　William　A。　Bodley？〃

〃I　am。〃

〃It　seems　to　me　I　know　a　man　by　that　name；　although　the　miners　all　call　him　Bill　Bodley。〃

〃Where　is　this　Bill　Bodley？〃

〃Out　in　Montana　somewhere。　　He　worked　for　my　father　once；　about　three　years　ago。　　He　was　rather　a　strange　man；　about　fifty　years　old。　He　had　white　hair　and　a　white　beard；　and　acted　as　if　he　had　great　trouble　on　his　mind。〃

〃You　do　not　know　where　he　is　now？