THE EXPOSURE--CONCLUSION
It must be confessed that the six cadets did not like the menacing
attitude of the five Germans and Tony Duval. Evidently one of the
men--the stranger--had been spying on them, and he had carried his
information to the others.
"That's right, Bauermann, make them explain themselves," growled Tony
Duval. "And don't be too easy on 'em, either!"
"See here, you have no right to come in here without being invited,"
said Gif angrily.
"Poof! what are you but a pack of silly schoolboys?" growled the German.
"Perhaps you thought you were doing a wonderful thing spying around our
house and our barn? You didn't know we had someone watching you all the
time."
"Yes, and watching you also when you spied on Duval," broke in another
of the men.
"Well, what do you want?" questioned Randy, after a brief and ominous
pause.
"We want you to tell us just what you have discovered and what you
propose to do about it," answered Emil Bauermann. "And remember, I want
the plain truth! No beating about the bush!" and he shook a warning
finger at the cadets.
While the man was speaking Jack had stepped to the rear of the crowd.
Now he made a movement to pick up his gun, but at this one of the
Germans rushed forward, pulling a pistol from his pocket as he did so.
"Stop that! Don't you dare to touch that gun!" the man roared
threateningly.
"You can't order us around in our own house," declared Gif. "If you are
going to talk like that you can get out."
"We'll stay as long as we please; and if you boys don't behave
yourselves, so much the worse for you," answered Emil Bauermann. "We are
going to get to the bottom of your tricks, and do it now."
"Suppose we have nothing to say," said Andy.
"But you will say something," stormed another of the Germans. "If you
don't--well, you will take the consequences, that's all."
After this the Germans did their best to make the cadets give all the
particulars regarding their visit to Tony Duval's shack, and also to the
house and barn on the Parkingham place. They were anxious to ascertain
just how much the boys knew, and also how much they suspected.
But the cadets were on their guard, and refused to answer many of the
questions put to them. This infuriated both the Germans and Duval, and
for the time being it looked as if a fight was coming and the cadets
might get the worst of it. All of the men were armed, and they did not
permit any of the young hunters to touch their weapons. Instead, one of
the men was ordered by Bauermann to confiscate the guns. And this he
did, placing them in a heap outside of the Lodge.
Seeing they could get very little out of the cadets, and suspecting that
the lads were getting ready to notify the authorities, the Germans held
another consultation in their own tongue and then called Duval to one
side.
"Just as I expected, we'll have to make prisoners of them for the time
being," said Emil Bauermann to Duval. "We can take them up in the
mountains, to that log cabin you spoke about."
"But we can't take them in the sleigh," answered Duval.
"Then you and two of my men will have to march them up there on foot. We
can come up later and bring you supplies."
"Do you think it's as bad as all that?" questioned Tony Duval nervously.
"I do! They have learned too much! And if word of this got to the
authorities it might go hard with all of us."
Thereupon the six cadets were ordered to get their belongings together
and prepare to leave the Lodge. All demurred, but the Germans and Duval
showed their weapons and acted so threateningly that there was nothing
left to do but to obey.
"This is the worst yet!" groaned Fred. "Where in the world do they
intend to take us?"
"Don't ask me," replied Randy dismally.
"If only we could get at our guns," whispered Gif.
"Let's make a dash for them," suggested Jack.
"Yes, and get shot down on the spot!" returned Spouter.
With their belongings over their shoulders, the six cadets had just been
marched out of the Lodge when there came an unexpected interruption.
Glancing toward the river, Jack saw a body of men approaching. They were
at least eight or ten in number, and the man in the lead was William
Pollock.
"Look! look!" whispered the oldest Rover boy to the others. "There is
that Secret Service agent, and he has an armed posse with him."
"Grab the guns and make for the Lodge," suggested Randy.
A shout came from the woods as Pollock approached. This surprised the
Germans and Duval, and, noting the number of men coming on, they were
bewildered and did not know what to do. It was just such a diversion as
the boys were hoping for, and in a trice they had rushed for their guns
and secured their weapons. Then Jack sent up a shout.
"Mr. Pollock! Mr. Pollock! This way! Here are those Germans now! And
Tony Duval is with them!"
The things that happened next came so rapidly that it is almost
impossible to describe them. At first the Germans and Duval sought to
make resistance, and several shots were fired by them. The boys and some
of the Secret Service posse fired in return, and Duval was struck in the
arm and one of the Germans got a bullet through his leg. Then the
Germans and Duval made a rush for the sleigh in an endeavor to escape.
But William Pollock and his men had handled such desperate characters
before. Two of them leaped in front of the moving horses and stopped
them, while the others surrounded the men in the sleigh and pointed
their guns at the fellows.
"Hands up, all of you!" ordered Pollock sternly. "Quick now, if you
don't want us to fire!"
At heart the Germans were cowards, and even though they still held their
pistols, when they saw the uplifted guns of, not alone the posse, but
also the cadets, pointed at them, they raised their hands without
further protest, and Tony Duval did the same; and thus the brief but
sharp encounter came to a termination.
"You are making a terrible mistake," said Emil Bauermann lamely. "We
have done no wrong."
"You can tell your story in court," answered William Pollock briefly,
and thereafter he made the Germans and Duval give up all their weapons.
Then he had some of his men search the evildoers and take from them
whatever papers and documents they carried. When he had a list of their
names he looked well satisfied.
"Bauermann, we have been trying to round you up for the past six
months," said he sternly. "You know you are wanted for that little
affair in Philadelphia." And at this the German looked much disturbed.
The cadets were exceedingly thankful for the opportune arrival of the
Secret Service man and his posse.
"Well, I told you I would come," said he. "I was delayed a little
though. You know in these war times matters do not always move as
swiftly as one would want. A good deal of the credit for this haul goes
to you boys," he added with a smile.
Much to the surprise of the cadets, in the crowd of newcomers was Herman
Crouse. The German-American farmer seemed well satisfied with what had
taken place.
"Mr. Pollock knows that I am true-blue," said he. "That Bauermann and
the rest of his gang thought they could use me. But I have fooled them
nicely. There is but one country for old Herman Crouse, and that is the
good old United States of America," and his face beamed as he spoke.
"That's the right way to talk!" cried Jack. "You don't know how pleased
I am to know the man we hauled out of that train wreck is true-blue."
"If we had thought you were a traitorous German, we might have left you
to shift for yourself," added Randy. "Although maybe I wouldn't have had
the heart to do that, either," he added, on second thought.
After the Germans and Duval had been made prisoners they were left at
the Lodge in charge of two of the Secret Service men and the cadets.
Then William Pollock and the other men took the sleigh and lost no time
in making their way to the old Parkingham house. They had some trouble
with the old German housekeeper, but wasted no words with her and
finally compelled her to tell all she knew. The old house was ransacked
from top to bottom for evidence against the Germans, after which the
posse turned its attention to the contents of the barn.
The results were as William Pollock had anticipated. These Germans,
aided by a number of others and also by Duval, were getting ready to
erect a fair-sized radio station in the woods behind the old house.
Duval had carried many messages for them and also done some trucking. He
was hand-in-glove with them, willing to make money at any cost. He told
later that both his mother and his grand-mother had been Germans.
As Herman Crouse had said, he had been used to do some trucking for the
Germans, and had likewise been asked to perform a number of errands. But
gradually he had become suspicious of the men, and was thinking
seriously of notifying the authorities when the cadets appeared on the
scene.
"And what about Bill Glutts and Gabe Werner?" questioned Jack of William
Pollock later on, when the Secret Service men were getting ready to take
the Germans and Duval away.
"I can't tell you all the particulars about those two young fellows,"
answered the Secret Service man. "The Germans evidently used them, but
whether Glutts and Werner knew the truth of what the Germans were doing
remains to be found out."
It may be added here that Glutts and Werner were very much scared over
the position in which they found themselves, and when the Germans and
Duval came up for a hearing the parents of the two young fellows had all
they could do to convince the authorities that Gabe and Bill were really
patriotic.
"Well, I'm mighty glad we are clear of those Germans, and of Tony Duval,
too," said Gif, after the evildoers had been taken away. "Now maybe we
can finish our outing in peace."
And this they did. Jed Wallop came over to see them and went out with
the young hunters a number of times. No larger game appeared, but they
brought down a number of rabbits and squirrels, as well as partridges
and some smaller birds, and with this they had to be content.
During those days the boys received several letters from the girls, and
also a letter from Mrs. Tom Rover enclosing one from her husband in
France. This latter epistle stated that the writer and his brother Sam
had recovered from the shell wounds received, and that Dick Rover was no
longer suffering from the effects of the gas attack he had experienced.
"Gee! this is the best news yet," cried Jack, with satisfaction.
"You've said it!" came from the twins; and Fred's face also showed his
satisfaction.
"Well, we've certainly had a wonderful outing," declared Randy.
"And how many queer things have happened!" added his twin. "I don't
believe we'll ever have as much excitement as this again."
But in this surmise Andy was mistaken. There were many happenings still
in store for the boys, and what some of them were will be related in our
next volume, to be entitled "The Rover Boys in the Land of Luck; Or,
Stirring Adventures in the Oil Fields."
"Well, we'll be going back to Colby Hall before long," said Gif, that
evening.
"But first you'll have to testify against those Germans and Tony Duval,"
answered Spouter.
"Good old Colby Hall!" cried Jack. "I don't know but what I'll be glad
enough to get back there, after all, and see all the other fellows."
"And see the girls of Clearwater Hall, too," put in Andy slyly.
"We'll certainly have some stories to tell--how we brought down all that
game," came from Fred, his eyes glistening.
Then in the best of good humor the boys started singing one of their
favorite school songs. And here we will leave them and say good-bye.
THE END
Other books published by GROSSET & DUNLAP, New York
_This Isn't All!_
Would you like to know what became of the good friends you have made in
this book?
Would you like to read other stories continuing their adventures and
experiences, or other books quite as entertaining by the same author?
On the _reverse side_ of the wrapper which comes with this book, you
will find a wonderful list of stories which you can buy at the same
store where you got this book.
_Don't throw away the Wrapper_
_Use it as a handy catalog of the books you want some day to have. But
in case you do mislay it, write to the Publishers for a complete
catalog._
* * * * *
BOOKS BY ARTHUR M. WINFIELD (Edward Stratemeyer)
THE FIRST ROVER BOYS SERIES
THE ROVER BOYS AT SCHOOL
THE ROVER BOYS ON THE OCEAN
THE ROVER BOYS IN THE JUNGLE
THE ROVER BOYS OUT WEST
THE ROVER BOYS ON THE GREAT LAKES
THE ROVER BOYS IN THE MOUNTAINS
THE ROVER BOYS IN CAMP
THE ROVER BOYS ON LAND AND SEA
THE ROVER BOYS ON THE RIVER
THE ROVER BOYS ON THE PLAINS
THE ROVER BOYS IN SOUTHERN WATERS
THE ROVER BOYS ON THE FARM
THE ROVER BOYS ON TREASURE ISLE
THE ROVER BOYS AT COLLEGE
THE ROVER BOYS DOWN EAST
THE ROVER BOYS IN THE AIR
THE ROVER BOYS IN NEW YORK
THE ROVER BOYS IN ALASKA
THE ROVER BOYS IN BUSINESS
THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR
THE SECOND ROVER BOYS SERIES
THE ROVER BOYS AT COLBY HALL
THE ROVER BOYS ON SNOWSHOE ISLAND
THE ROVER BOYS UNDER CANVAS
THE ROVER BOYS ON A HUNT
THE PUTNAM HALL SERIES
THE PUTNAM HALL CADETS
THE PUTNAM HALL RIVALS
THE PUTNAM HALL CHAMPIONS
THE PUTNAM HALL REBELLION
THE PUTNAM HALL ENCAMPMENT
THE PUTNAM HALL MYSTERY
* * * * *
THE HARDY BOYS SERIES
By FRANKLIN W. DIXON
Illustrated. Every Volume Complete in Itself
The Hardy Boys are sons of a celebrated American detective, and during
vacations and their off time from school they help their father by
hunting down clues themselves.
THE TOWER TREASURE--A dying criminal confessed that
his loot had been secreted "in the tower." It remained for the
Hardy Boys to clear up the mystery.
THE HOUSE ON THE CLIFF--Mr. Hardy started to investigate--and
disappeared! An odd tale, with plenty of excitement.
THE SECRET OF THE OLD MILL--Counterfeit money was
in circulation, and the limit was reached when Mrs. Hardy took
some from a stranger. A tale full of thrills.
THE MISSING CHUMS--Two of the Hardy Boys' chums
disappear and are almost rescued by their friends when all are
captured. A thrilling story of adventure.
HUNTING FOR HIDDEN GOLD--In tracing some stolen
gold the trail leads the boys to an abandoned mine, and there
things start to happen.
THE SHORE ROAD MYSTERY--Automobiles were disappearing
most mysteriously from the Shore Road. It remained for
the Hardy Boys to solve the mystery.
THE SECRET OF THE CAVES--When the boys reached
the caves they came unexpectedly upon a queer old hermit.
THE MYSTERY OF CABIN ISLAND--A story of queer
adventures on a rockbound island.
THE GREAT AIRPORT MYSTERY--The Hardy Boys solve
the mystery of the disappearance of some valuable mail.
WHAT HAPPENED AT MIDNIGHT--The boys follow a
trail that ends in a strange and exciting situation.
WHILE THE CLOCK TICKED--The Hardy Boys aid in vindicating
a man who has been wrongly accused of a crime.
FOOTPRINTS UNDER THE WINDOW--The Smuggling
of Chinese into this country is the basis of this story in which the
boys find thrills and excitement aplenty.
* * * * *
TED SCOTT FLYING STORIES
By FRANKLIN W. DIXON
Illustrated. Each Volume Complete in Itself.
No subject has so thoroughly caught the imagination of young America as
aviation. This series has been inspired by recent daring feats of the
air, and is dedicated to Lindbergh, Byrd, Chamberlin and other heroes of
the skies.
OVER THE OCEAN TO PARIS;
_or, Ted Scott's Daring Long Distance Flight._
RESCUED IN THE CLOUDS;
_or, Ted Scott, Hero of the Air._
OVER THE ROCKIES WITH THE AIR MAIL;
_or, Ted Scott Lost in the Wilderness._
FIRST STOP HONOLULU;
_or, Ted Scott Over the Pacific._
THE SEARCH FOR THE LOST FLYERS;
_or, Ted Scott Over the West Indies._
SOUTH OF THE RIO GRANDE;
_or, Ted Scott On a Secret Mission._
ACROSS THE PACIFIC;
_or, Ted Scott's Hop to Australia._
THE LONE EAGLE OF THE BORDER;
_or, Ted Scott and the Diamond Smugglers._
FLYING AGAINST TIME;
_or, Breaking the Ocean to Ocean Record._
OVER THE JUNGLE TRAILS;
_or, Ted Scott and the Missing Explorers._
LOST AT THE SOUTH POLE;
_or, Ted Scott in Blizzard Land._
THROUGH THE AIR TO ALASKA;
_or, Ted Scott's Search in Nugget Valley._
FLYING TO THE RESCUE;
_or, Ted Scott and the Big Dirigible._
DANGER TRAILS OF THE SKY;
_or, Ted Scott's Great Mountain Climb._
FOLLOWING THE SUN SHADOW;
_or, Ted Scott and the Great Eclipse._
BATTLING THE WIND;
_or, Ted Scott Flying Around Cape Horn._
* * * * *
BOB CHASE BIG GAME SERIES
By FRANK A. WARNER
In these thrilling stories of outdoor life the hero is a young
lumberjack who is a crack rifle shot. While tracking game in the Maine
woods he does some rich hunters a great service. They become interested
in him and take him on various hunting expeditions in this country and
abroad. Bob learns what it is to face not only wildcats, foxes and deer
but also bull moose, Rocky Mountain grizzly bears and many other species
of big game.
BOB CHASE WITH THE BIG MOOSE HUNTERS
BOB CHASE AFTER GRIZZLY BEARS
BOB CHASE IN THE TIGER'S LAIR
BOB CHASE WITH THE LION HUNTERS