Shouting for help from the hut, Martin Mudd ran toward it and
disappeared inside.
But Dick was in no situation to defend himself from the monster,
unfortunately.
All he could do was to lie there and look, but, truth told, he was not
much scared and rather anticipated what happened next.
There was something wrong in the make-up of old P. D.’s head this time.
In the first place the big, staring eyes were missing and in their
stead were simply two empty sockets.
If this, indeed, was a living Plesiosaurus it was a blind one, and,
moreover, the scaly skin had a dried up, leathery appearance and the
head fell down over the rocks after Martin Mudd ran away and just hung
there limply.
“A fake! A dead one!” flashed over Dick, and he added to himself: “This
is some of Doctor Dan’s work.”
And so it was. As Martin Mudd fled from the monster Doctor Dan came
crawling out from behind the rocks, carrying a long stick in his hand.
“Hush, boy! Don’t say a word!” he whispered. “I’ll have you free in
just one minute. Ha! Ha! Ha! How he did run!”
The Indian was shaking all over with suppressed laughter, as he cut the
cords which held Dick a prisoner.
“Good for you, doctor!” cried Dick, springing up. “What have you been
doing; killing old P. D.?”
“Not at all. That one is dead and it is only a fragment,” replied the
Indian. He seized the dangling head and pulled and two or three yards
of neck came whipping over the rocks and that was all there was to old
P. D.
It was all dried up and looked decidedly aged.
“I ran this stick in under the jaw and just shook the head at him,”
chuckled Doctor Dan. “Didn’t it scare him, though? Ha! Ha! Ha! Where
is Charley, Dick? What in the world have you been about to let those
fellows capture you? Oh, don’t be afraid of them. They are all dead
drunk and asleep in the hut there but that man and he is such a coward
that--ha--here he comes now.”
Mudd stepped out of the hut at that moment.
His jaw dropped when he saw Dick free and Doctor Dan with him.
Evidently Martin Mudd believed in the old adage that “he who fights and
runs away may live to fight another day,” for he ran off up the lake
shore as fast as his condition would allow.
Doctor Dan gave chase and fired two or three shots after him, but he
did not catch the man and actually did not try.
Mudd disappeared among the rocks which lined the shore, and the Indian
soon returned and joined Dick in front of the hut.
Dick was listening at the door and he held up his finger as Doctor Dan
approached.
“There’s one of them moving about inside there,” he whispered. “Keep
still.”
“Let ’em move,” said Doctor Dan. “Who are they, anyway? I looked in
through the window and saw a lot of fellows lying about drunk in there,
but they are all strangers to me. Say, where’s Charley, Dick?”
“Dead, I’m afraid,” replied Dick, hoarsely. “Help me, doctor! That
young lady I told you about is a prisoner in there. I’ll explain later,
but we must settle with these fellows first.”
“I’ll soon settle ’em,” chuckled Doctor Dan. “I’ll send them after your
friend Mudd.”
He ran back to the rocks and soon returned dragging the head of the
Plesiosaurus after him, but it was not needed. All was quiet inside the
hut now and when Dick ventured to open the door softly they were all
sound asleep.
Tony lay in the bunk, but the others were stretched out upon the floor.
“Keep your eye on ’em, doctor,” whispered Dick, and he made for the
loft ladder.
In a few moments Clara came down the ladder and Dick quickly followed
her.
Doctor Dan took off his hat politely and Dick introduced Clara when
they got outside.
“Most happy to make your acquaintance, miss,” said the guide. “I have
met your father. Once I had trouble with him. He got angry with me when
I was guiding a party of prospectors among the Black Hills and tried to
kill me. He shot at me twice, but I escaped. I only mention this so you
may know just who I am.”
Dick was greatly troubled. Clara turned red and pale again as she took
Dick’s arm.
“Doctor Dan,” she said, very quietly, “I know my father is a hard man.
I can only say that I am sorry that--that----”
“Say nothing,” broke in Doctor Dan. “I am an Indian, but I bear no
malice toward you, miss. As for your father----”
“Don’t doctor! Please don’t for my sake!” pleaded Dick.
“Well, I’d do a good deal for your sake, young fellow,” said Doctor
Dan. “I’m dumb. Come on. We want to get away from here.”
“Not without old P. D.’s head,” said Dick. “It is most valuable to me.
I shall ship it to Washington at the earliest opportunity. I’ll carry
it if it is too heavy for you.”
“Heavy! Nonsense! What am I here for?” replied Doctor Dan. He picked
up the head, which, with the neck, must have weighed at least forty
pounds, and walked off down the shore, leaving Dick and Clara to follow
as they pleased.
“I’m afraid of that man,” said Clara. “Oh, Dick, it is terrible to hear
my father spoken of so, and yet----”
Clara paused. Dick said nothing. He was beginning to think that Mr.
Eglinton must be a pretty bad man.
“And yet,” continued Clara, after a moment, “I am afraid my father is
not a very good man. Oh, Dick, I hate to say it, but after what you
have done for me I ought to tell you--to warn you. Martin Mudd has had
dealings with my father. On that very night when he tried to kill you
in Washington he had just left our house and--and--Dick, do look out
for yourself. Don’t go with me to the Gold Queen mine on any account.”
“I’m not afraid,” replied Dick, “but I am going to do just as you say,
Clara.”
“If my father has robbed you of what rightfully belongs to you he shall
make it good!” cried Clara, her eyes flashing. “Leave it to me, Dick. I
am the only one in the world who has any influence with him.”
“If he had robbed me of a million and it was going to do you harm to
try to get it back again I would not make a move,” whispered Dick.
Clara turned away, her face suffused with blushes.
Arm in arm they walked along the shore.
Had Dick fallen in love?
Certainly it began to look very much that way.