IN THE DEAD OF NIGHT
“We want you to sign a confession, Jeek, that you engineered this theft
of our goods, and that you are the one who employed these two tramps
to capture us in that shack and hold us captive,” replied Frank Allen,
speaking very slowly, very distinctly, and with much determination.
“I won’t do it!” growled Jeek sullenly.
“That’s all right with me,” replied Frank coolly. “You can do that or
go to the pen, for we’ll surely send you there.”
Having said this, he gave instructions to his comrades to gather up
all the goods which belonged to them, and also those things that the
rascals had brought to the cabin.
In a few minutes more the other four boys came in with Snadder and
Blinky.
“Fellows,” said Frank, “we’ll divide up this stuff so that four can
carry all of it, and the other four will carry their guns to guard our
prisoners. We’ll close up this place and take these fellows to our
camp. From there we start to-morrow morning for Columbia.”
Jeek watched the preparations progress, the ugly, malevolent expression
never leaving his face.
When all was ready Frank gave the order to proceed, the five prisoners
were lined up ahead of them and told to take the lake trail toward the
Parsons’ camp.
It was almost dusk, but Frank knew that the white of the snow would
give them plenty of light to see the men in front of them as they
trudged forward along the trail.
Just exactly thirty minutes brought them to their own camp where a fire
was hastily started, the lamps hung back and lighted, the boys pulling
out the pieces of venison they had carefully hidden, preparing for an
evening meal.
“Sorry that we cannot let our prisoners have any of this,” Frank said
to the five men. “But we have barely enough for ourselves. Besides, you
took enough of our food to balance this.”
The five men had been tied at the feet after the arrival at the boys’
camp, and they were allowed to lie in whatever positions they could
assume, while the eight boys went on merrily with their meal, cleaned
away all the dishes, and sat about the roaring fire.
“This spoils our camp, fellows,” Lanky remarked as there came a lull
in the conversation. “I wanted to try to get that big moose bull, but
there isn’t a chance now. We’ve got to take these fellows to Columbia
and we won’t feel like coming back.”
Paul said that he was satisfied because he had gotten a good picture of
the giant bull moose making short shrift of another bull moose.
The other boys chimed in with varying expressions about their regrets
at having to go back to town, more especially the four newcomers who
had barely arrived on the scene.
In the meanwhile Frank calmly went to the wide oak table, and, taking a
fountain pen from his kit, together with paper, sat working over some
writing which seemed very important. The others paid no attention to
him.
Finally, the conversation of the boys got on the nerves of Snadder, and
he broke forth:
“Say, kid, I’ll give up. Tell you what I’ll do. I’ll sign any kind of
paper you want me to sign, provided its the truth, if you’ll let me and
Blinky go free!”
Frank turned to look at the man as he spoke, then bent over the table
and continued his writing without remark. After a moment of quiet the
conversation of the boys went on.
Fifteen minutes passed, then Frank slowly arose from the table, took a
sheet of paper in his hands, and, walking over to where Snadder lay on
the floor of the cabin, he calmly read what was on the sheet.
It was to the effect that Snadder and Blinky had come into the hills
uninvited, had broken into the Parsons’ house and, being chased out,
had entered another, after which they had made a contract with Jeek
whereby they were to be paid money for the work they would do in
robbing the Parsons’ camp and then holding the boys, provided the boys
were caught, as captives until all their money could be taken from them.
“Is that the truth?” Frank asked Snadder when he had finished reading.
Snadder said that it was and that he was willing to sign the statement.
“I’ll add another sentence,” said Frank, “in which we agree to turn you
loose and bring no action against you, provided you leave this country
at once, provided you have nothing more to do with Jeek, and provided
also that you herein state that Jeek has already paid you some money.”
Frank was guessing at this last statement, but it was a shrewd guess,
and Snadder agreed to sign all of it.
Thereupon, the tramp was helped to the table, only his hands being
released when he got there, while two of the boys stood ready to pounce
upon him if he made a suspicious movement.
When Snadder had signed the document, Blinky was brought to the table
where he, too, signed. Then both tramps were taken to the door and
told they might start for Todds at once.
At the same time Frank handed to each of them a large piece of the
venison and some crackers in order that they might get through without
further hunger.
“It’s not a great walk, and you know the way. Start for Todds, and
don’t stop. If we find you to-morrow morning, there’s going to be the
jail for you at once without further delay.”
The two tramps had high regard for the quiet, stern voice of Frank
Allen, higher regard for the firearms which all eight of the lads
possessed, and no particular regard for Jeek. Besides, Snadder had
whatever money Jeek had handed to him.
Back in the great living room the boys looked at the sheet which the
two tramps had signed, Frank putting it away very carefully among his
things in a small kit after all of them had looked at it.
They paid no attention to the three men who lay on the floor. All
of this, however, was boring into the nervous system of Jeek with a
vengeance. Even Frank did not know how definitely, how forcefully, his
plan was working out.
“Say, young fellow,” finally Jeek said in a tone not at all
resembling the gruff one he had been using, “I guess you’re a pretty
square-shooting guy. You sure treated those two guys square.”
Frank turned from his seat before the fire to hear what Jeek might
further have to say.
“I’ve been wrong about all this,” Jeek went on, humility in every tone
as he spoke. “If you’ll let us go and won’t bother us I’ll sign that
paper. What you got on it?”
“On what?” Frank asked the man.
“Oh, gee, I ain’t no fool. On that sheet you wrote for me to sign
before you wrote the one for Snadder,” and there was a slight smile on
his face as he spoke.
Frank carefully pulled the paper from his kit again, where he had put
it with the second one, reading it carefully to Jeek.
Not quite the same as the one previously read, it said that Jeek agreed
the boys had shot his dog under circumstances which were unavoidable
and that the boys owed him nothing for the animal; that Jeek had stolen
and had bribed Snadder and Blinky to steal the food and other goods
from the Parsons’ house; that he and his two companions would leave
this section of the country immediately and would not return during the
present season under the penalty of this confession being used against
them.
“You can use that against me all my life,” muttered Jeek when the
reading was completed.
“Sure!” Frank agreed. “That’s just what I propose to do. I am going to
give this to my father to keep, and if ever you cause any of us any
trouble I am going to use it as a confession of having stolen goods
from Mrs. Parsons.”
Jeek studied over the document for a while, the boys quietly waiting
for him to reach a decision. It came at last.
“All right, I’ll sign. I guess these other fellows will, too. Do we get
off right away?” he asked.
Frank agreed they could all leave at once, provided they started
immediately for Todds and provided all three of them signed.
Not long afterward the three men were standing in the snow, without
rifles or any other paraphernalia, all of which they were forced to
leave at their own camp, while the boys waved a good-bye to them,
wishing them well.
“We’ll bring your rifles in when we come, and I’ll send them to you at
Bellport,” called Frank as they left.
The men paid no heed to the remark. Off through the trail they started,
disappearing in a short while into the snow-backed scenery.
Eight husky young fellows of varying builds, but all athletic, all
lovers of the out-of-doors, four of them just up to seek whatever
adventure there might be, the other four being looked upon as practiced
old woodsmen because they already had had several days at the camp,
took seats around the roaring log fire, and the four newcomers
listened intently to the tales which the others had to tell of their
experiences.
The plans for the morrow had yet to be discussed--not a word had been
said. The new boys wished to know what was to be the program, leaving
it to the four old-timers, as they termed themselves, to say what
adventures should be in store.
“I rather think we ought to organize a hunt for the big moose,” said
Frank, when they turned to him for a suggestion.
“That’s the idea--and I’ll get another picture!” called out Paul. “I
have one fine one and I want another. I’ll get it while you fellows do
the shooting. That will be proof of the pudding!”
Once more the boys told the four newcomers about the battle they had
witnessed, describing it minutely, inducing in the minds of the four
recent arrivals a warm desire to see the animal.
The time for bed had approached, as told both by the weary yawns of the
boys and also by the alarm clock. It was decided they should get out
early in the morning, in order to get across the lake to see whether
they could get a trace of the moose.
Already they had decided on saving some of the venison for their return
to Columbia in order that they might have something to exhibit as
evidence of their prowess in the woods.
No one was yet asleep, and the boys were calling from one to the
other, while the wind howled outside as if a blizzard were upon them.
Suddenly there came loud rappings on the heavy front door!
Bang! Bang! Bang!
“Who is that?” cried Frank, jumping from his bunk and making for the
front room.
“Quick! Quick! Open the door! It’s Snadder and Blinky! For heaven’s
sake save us! Open the door quick!”
The boys were silent. They looked at each other askance. Was this some
trick or not? Frank’s mind worked quickly, shrewdly, and he determined,
from the sound of their voices that this was real, more real, perhaps,
than the boys realized.
He strode to the door to throw it open.