TIMELY ASSISTANCE.
"Those fellows must be the thieves," whispered Andy, as he pointed to
the pair beneath the tree.
"I believe you are right," returned Matt. "If so, we have made a big
mistake. Neither of them is Paul Barberry, and I was almost certain he
was the thief."
"So was I, Matt. But never mind that now. What worries me is the fact
that there are two of them."
"Yes, and they both look like strong fellows," returned the young
auctioneer, as he surveyed the pair. "If they get ugly when we claim
the turn-out we may have a lively time with them."
"Well, we are in the right, and we must stick up for our own."
"Of course we'll do that," cried Matt determinedly. "But I say,
wouldn't it be best if we each got a stout stick? They may show fight
if they fancy we are beyond outside aid."
"Perhaps we can bluff them into believing that we have the village
authorities at our back," suggested Andy. "I would rather frighten
them off than run the risk of coming off second best in a set-to with
them."
"Hi! what are you fellows doing here?" suddenly demanded a voice just
behind Andy. "Do you belong--what, you?"
And the speaker, none other than Paul Barberry, stepped back in
amazement.
"What's the trouble there, Barberry?" cried one of the men by the
fire, and both sprang up in alarm.
"Why, here are the--the--a couple of young fellows," stammered the
corn salve doctor. He was so surprised he could hardly speak. "How did
you get here?" he asked slowly.
"Never mind that," returned Matt. "I imagine you know what we are here
for."
"No, I don't."
"Really!" returned Andy sarcastically. "Well, then, let me tell you
that we came for our horse and wagon and stock."
"I haven't anything of yours," returned Paul Barberry, gradually
recovering from his surprise. In making a circle around the improvised
camp he had stumbled upon them quite unexpectedly. "You talk as if I
was a thief."
"Didn't you run off with that horse and wagon?" demanded Matt.
"Run off with it? No, why should I? The outfit belongs to me. Isn't
that so, boys?" and the corn salve doctor turned to his burly
companions.
"Why, of course it does!" returned the men.
A thunderbolt from the sky at that moment would not have taken Andy
and Matt more by surprise than did this statement. Paul Barberry's
assurance actually staggered them, and neither could speak for the
moment.
"That outfit belongs to you?" cried Matt at length.
"Of course."
"That's the biggest falsehood I ever heard in my life!" burst out
Andy. "You know very well that everything there belongs to us."
"I know no such thing," returned Barberry coldly. "I bought the outfit
from you, and you know it. These gentlemen know it also."
And he waved his hand toward his companions.
"Certainly, we know all about it," said one of the men.
"Yes, we saw the money paid over," added the second fellow.
Matt and Andy looked at each other. Each knew very well that the other
had never made any bargain for the sale of the turn-out and stock.
The whole scheme was one of the corn doctor to get possession of their
belongings.
"See here, Barberry, there is no use for you to talk in this fashion,"
went on Matt, as calmly as he could, although he was worked up to the
top notch of excitement. "You know very well that you are asserting
that which is not true. The outfit belongs to us, and you haven't the
shadow of an interest in it. You stole it from the Phillipsburg
freight depot, and----"
"Stop that!" blustered the corn salve doctor. "How dare you call me a
thief, boy?"
"That is what you are, and nothing less. If you----"
"Do you hear that, fellows?" interrupted Barberry, turning to the two
men.
"You want to keep a civil tongue in your head, boy!" cried one of the
men sharply. "Calling a man a thief is a serious business."
"And being a thief is still more serious," replied Andy. "Perhaps you
fancy you can bluff us, as the saying is, but you are mistaken. This
turn-out is ours, and we are here to claim it. If you molest us in the
least we will hand you all over to the police."
"We can stand up for ourselves," returned the man with a deep scowl.
"We are three to two, and we are armed."
"So you would use force to retain our property, eh?" said Andy.
"We do not admit that it is your property."
"But it is. Now let me tell you something. We stopped at the village
just north of here, and got the assistance of nearly a dozen men. They
are scattered about, and should you attempt to molest us I shall give
them a signal----"
"Not much you won't!" cried the man addressed, and springing forward,
he clapped his hand over Andy's mouth. "Tend to the other one,
fellows, I can manage this one!"
"All right," returned his companion, and he, as well as Paul Barberry,
fell upon Matt.
The attack had been so sudden that Andy and Matt were hardly prepared
to defend themselves. The former was forced over on his back, and
despite his utmost exertions, was unable to remove his assailant's
hand from his mouth.
Matt was thrown over on his side, and while Paul Barberry held one of
his arms, the other man tried to force him into silence.
"Make a single sound and I'll kick you in the face," he ejaculated in
a low, but intense tone.
"Help! help!" cried Matt, ignoring the threat entirely, and he
continued to call out so long as his breath lasted.
The burly ruffian tried to kick him as he had promised, but with his
disengaged hand Matt caught his foot, and after dancing about to
regain his balance, the man came down heavily across the young
auctioneer's legs.
The force of the fall was so great that Matt cried out shrilly with
pain. For the moment he imagined that both of his limbs must be
broken.
"Clap your hand over his mouth, Barberry!" cried the burly man, as he
struggled to regain his feet. "Confound you, boy, I'll teach you to
throw me!"
He sprang at Matt, but not before the young auctioneer had had a
chance to turn over and spring up. Matt realized what was at stake,
and knew he must fight his best or the worst would happen.
Before the man could touch him Matt placed Barberry between them. Then
he gave the corn doctor a push that sent him staggering up against his
companion.
In the meantime, poor Andy was still flat on his back, unable to speak
or to move. His assailant was on top of him, and there did not appear
to be any immediate relief in sight.
Seeing this, Matt, as soon as he had freed himself, leaped to his
partner's assistance. He caught the ruffian by the shoulders, and with
a sharp jerk sent him sprawling flat upon his back on a number of
sharp stones.
"Go at them with stones, Andy," shouted Matt, as he himself stooped to
pick up a small rock which lay at his feet. "We ought to show them no
mercy!"
"That's true," panted his partner as he followed the suggestion by
arming himself with several handy missiles. "They are a set of cowards
in my opinion."
"We'll show you if we are!" cried the fellow who had first attacked
Matt. "Come on, Barberry, we must make them prisoners!"
And once more he sprang forward, while the fellow on his back, with a
groan of pain, staggered up to lend his assistance in the struggle.
But now came help for Matt and Andy from an unexpected quarter. There
was a crashing through the brush, and a tall form the thieves did not
recognize burst into view. It was Ramson, the mountaineer.
"Wot's a-going on here, anyway?" shouted the mountaineer in a tone of
wonder. "Fighting worse nor a lot of bears, I declare! Wot's it all
about?"
"Help us, won't you?" cried Matt. "These are the fellows who stole
the turn-out, and they will not give it up."
"Won't, hey? Well, it's your'n, ain't it?"
"It certainly is, and if you will help us you shall have that reward,"
put in Andy. "This is the main thief, and the other two are helping
him," and he pointed to Paul Barberry.
Without more ceremony, the tall mountaineer strode forward and caught
Barberry by the shoulder and gave him such a twist about that the
pretended doctor howled with pain.
"These two young men are honest fellows, I take it," he said. "And if
you imagine you can do them out of their rights you are mistaken, at
least so long as I am around. Now just you stand still while I attend
to your helpers, and I'll--hullo! if they ain't gone and run away!"
Ramson was right. Hardly had he made his little speech than Paul
Barberry's two companions had taken time by the forelock and made a
rush for the brush. Matt and Andy dashed after them, but it was
useless, for a few seconds later they disappeared in the darkness.