THE CAPTIVE ESCAPES
Instead of proceeding to the front of the House on Wheels, the opening
by which the remaining man had entered, Tom Swift turned to the rear,
somewhat to the surprise of his chum.
"You can't get in that way," suggested Ned. "The back steps are up."
"I know," whispered Tom. "But they can be let down from the outside if
you know the trick. I arranged a duplicate control, for I didn't know
when I might run my machine into a tree and have to get in and out the
back door."
Ned knew that Tom was only joking with his reference to ramming
his beloved new car into a tree. But it was true that there was an
inconspicuous spring outside, on the rear of the machine. This, when
operated, let the folding steps down out of their safety recess and
enabled one to enter the rear of the House without reference to what
was going on in front.
"We'll give him a great surprise," whispered Tom.
Ned now understood what the proceeding was to be and he was close
behind his chum as the latter approached the rear of the big car.
Inside the lights were gleaming and the shadow of the intruder could be
seen passing to and fro at the windows. Evidently he had no suspicion
that the owner of the stolen machine was soon to take vengeance.
Pressing the switch of his flashlight for a brief instant, Tom
located the control spring and as he pressed it the steps slowly slid
down so he and Ned could mount them. The lowering of the steps also
automatically unlocked the rear door.
The storm, after a brief cessation, was raging again, and the noise of
this--rain on the leaves, drumming on the roof of the House on Wheels,
and the howling of the wind--was enough to cover any slight noises Tom
and Ned might make.
With Tom in the lead, the two young men entered the car. The intruder
could be heard rummaging about up in front, evidently with the
intention of appropriating to himself such portable property as he
could before the return of his companion, with or without the "boss."
For the first time the young inventor and his chum now had a sight
of the man whom they had designated "Small," because of his voice.
His stature was in keeping with his tones. He was a short, squat
individual, but looked powerful, and his face had an ugly look as he
was observed moving about in the compartment near the front seat.
"Is that the rat-faced man you have been talking about, Ned?" Tom
inquired.
"No, this fellow is a stranger to me."
"I never saw him until now, either, as far as I remember," said Tom.
"But we're going to get better acquainted right away," he grimly added.
Looking to make sure his automatic was in readiness, an example
followed by Ned, Tom stealthily advanced through the two back rooms of
the house to the front one where the man was rummaging about.
Ned did not know just what Tom's plan of capture was, and perhaps the
young inventor did not himself. But suddenly, as Tom observed the
intruder pocket some toilet articles of silver, which, it developed
later, Tom had placed in a dresser for the exclusive use of Mary
Nestor, the young man's self control vanished.
With an angry exclamation Tom Swift fairly leaped into the front
compartment where the man stood and, leveling his automatic at the
intruder, the command came:
"Stick 'em up and do it quick!"
If the fellow had any intention of reaching for his gun, and a
momentary deflection of one hand toward the side pocket of his coat
would seem to indicate that, he soon gave over the idea as Tom went on:
"No tricks now! Put 'em up, and quick, or I'll let you have it!"
Ordinarily Tom Swift was the soul of politeness. But the sight of the
vandal taking the things designed for Mary was too much for his self
control. He "saw red," he afterward told Ned.
The look of amazement and fear on the man's face would have been
laughable had not the situation been so serious. There was but a moment
of hesitation and then up went the hands.
"Take his gun away, Ned," ordered Tom, and this was soon done. That
momentary motion of one hand toward the coat pocket had indicated as
plainly as words could have done where the weapon was hidden. It was an
automatic of expensive make, and Tom put it in his own pocket with a
grin of satisfaction.
"Now we've got you, let's hear your story!" ordered Tom, still
covering the man with his pistol. "What are you doing here?"
"No-no-nothing," the fellow half stammered. "I just came here to get
out of the rain. I saw this machine on the road, with nobody in it, so
I crawled in. I didn't take anything----"
"What about these?" and Tom reached one hand into another pocket and
took out the silver articles. "I suppose these grew here?"
"Oh, those! Well, I didn't think----"
"And I suppose you and the other man, who's gone to tell the boss, just
thought my car was parked back there for you to run off with. Is that
it?" went on Tom.
"Oh, so you----"
"Yes, I'm the owner and I know all about you and I've got you dead to
rights!" snapped the young inventor. Part of his statement was true, at
all events. Though he was far from knowing all about the man. Yet he
decided to bluff some more.
"I know you!" proceeded Tom. "Hanson's your name----"
"You got me wrong there, chief," said the man, with an uneasy smile.
"Gorro is my name."
"Gorro, then. I was coming to that!" snapped Tom, carrying out his
bluff. "But even if you aren't Hanson you're in with him and----"
"No, chief, honest, I don't know Hanson."
"Who was the fellow who went after the boss?" asked Tom. "You might as
well come through clean, for I'll find out anyhow."
Whether the fellow saw through Tom's bluff or whether he was just
naturally stubborn did not at once develop. At any rate, a cunning and
ugly light came into the prisoner's eyes and he said:
"Go ahead then. Find out the best way you can. I'll tell you nothing
and, what's more----"
The fellow who had admitted his name was Gorro seemed about to shout
and give an alarm, which might have been followed by a reckless attack
on his part against Tom and Ned. But Tom guessed the man's intention
and, stepping closer to him, pressed the automatic against his stomach
and fairly growled out:
"If I hear so much as a peep from you I'll let you have it!"
Again Tom Swift was forcing himself to play a part. It is very
doubtful, except to save the lives of himself and Ned, that he would
have pulled the trigger. Yet Gorro undoubtedly thought that such might
happen, for he shrank away and turned pale as he muttered:
"Don't shoot, chief! But I'm not going to give myself or my pals away."
"Well, don't try any monkey business then! Don't you make a sound. Now,
Ned, you go through all his pockets while I keep him covered. We'll see
who he is."
The man did not appear to fear that anything found in his pockets would
disclose anything, for he held his hands high and made no objections as
Ned went through his pockets.
After taking out the silver toilet articles there was nothing save a
knife, some odds and ends, and a small sum of money. This last Tom told
Ned to put back.
"Otherwise he might accuse us of having robbed him," said the young
inventor.
There were no papers to disclose the fellow's identity or throw any
light on who his companion or the mysterious "boss" was. And Gorro
might as well be the captive's name as any other.
"Sit down!" said Tom, giving the fellow a sudden push to a folding seat
on one wall. "I want to talk to you."
The action took the man by surprise, and Tom counted on this and also
on the fact that a person standing naturally dominates the one sitting
down. Police chiefs have found this out in questioning criminals.
But if Tom Swift thought to intimidate this man he was mistaken. Though
Tom and Ned took turns firing questions at him, under the threat of
the revolver, all Gorro would say was that he had seen the stalled car
there and had entered it to get shelter from the storm.
"You're not telling the truth and you know it!" said Tom sternly. "You
and that other man picked up this car near the old deserted house when
we two were inside. You drove it here, branching off from the main
road, and then you and your pal got out to find out where you were and
how near to the place the boss said he'd meet you. Then you two came
back, your pal went off to find the boss to arrange about going on to
the castle and you came in here. You see I know all about you."
The man's eyes opened wide at this evidence on Tom's part that he had
overheard some of the talk. Still he refused to answer any questions as
to his own further identity or that of the man who had gone to speak to
the "boss."
"No use asking me, I won't talk," snarled Gorro, and he relapsed into
sullen silence out of which nothing seemed to stir him. Tom and Ned
were a bit disappointed, but they were rejoiced to recover the House on
Wheels and to have one captive as a result of their work.
"Though what we're going to do with him is more than I know,"
confessed Tom to Ned in a whisper, as they withdrew to the far end of
the compartment and eyed the hangdog prisoner.
"Tie him up and leave him at the nearest police station," suggested Ned.
"The trouble is there aren't any police stations around here on Dismal
Mountain," answered Tom. "And I don't like to have him in here with us,
even if he is roped."
"No, he might get loose while we're asleep and do no end of damage,"
agreed Ned. "Well, I suppose the only thing we can do is to read him
the riot act and let him go."
"Yet I hate to do that," confessed Tom. "He'll only make more trouble
for us as long as we're in this neighborhood."
"Then you aren't going to clear out once you get started again?" asked
Ned.
"I am not! I'm going to solve the mystery of this mountain or know the
reason why!" asserted Tom Swift.
During this talk the prisoner, for such he was though not held in
bonds, seemed to be cocking his ears and listening to something that
was going on outside. For a time Ned and Tom did not notice this, being
too intent on their consultation as to what was best to do.
But all at once Tom Swift became aware that Gorro, if that was his
name, was listening to something more going on outside than merely the
fall of the rain and the howling of the wind.
"Look at him, Ned," said Tom in a low voice, indicating, with his eyes,
the prisoner. "What's he up to?"
Ned looked, but could form no guess. As a matter of fact, Gorro was
still sullenly sitting in the seat to which Tom had pushed him. But
there was a look in his eyes that boded no good.
"I'll give you one more chance!" said Tom suddenly, more for the sake
of breaking the tenseness than of any hope that it would break down the
fellow's resistance. "Will you tell?"
"No!" yelled Gorro. "And you won't be here much longer, either!"
With that he dived off the seat to the floor, where he wriggled along
like some clumsy snake and a moment later before Tom or Ned could stop
him or before Tom could fire, if he wanted to go to that length, the
fellow was out of the front door and rushing away in the darkness.
At the same moment there was another noise outside and a shout as
though some one had seen Gorro and had hailed him. Ned and Tom did not
doubt that the other man had come back and was taken by surprise to
see his pal thus leap from the House on Wheels they had so daringly
captured.
"There he goes!" yelled Ned, which was really a useless exclamation, as
Tom could see very plainly what had happened. "After him!"
"No!" shouted the young inventor, catching hold of Ned, who would have
followed the escaped prisoner. "Let him go! He's met his pal outside
and the other man has a gun. Let him go. Besides, we'd never locate him
in this downpour."
As he spoke it seemed as if the heavens had opened and let down a flood
of water, so heavily was the rain now beating on the roof and sides of
the House on Wheels.