THE EAVESDROPPER.
If the two masked highwaymen had been crouching in position for a
footrace to be started at the shot of a pistol, they could hardly have
sprung forward more suddenly or have sped down the road more rapidly.
One glance over their shoulders at what doubtless appeared to them to
be something like a regiment of armed men was pouring out of the
timber, as one of the boys afterward put it, was enough to make them
"hot-foot along hot enough to melt all the ice and snow in their
path."
All of the boys now produced the flashlights which they had carried in
their pockets and turned them on to their own faces, in order that Mr.
Stanlock might see who they were and have no doubt that they were
friends. This was according to one detail of their pre-arranged plan,
and worked successfully. The owner of the automobile recognized his
nephew, Clifford Long, and the Scout uniforms worn by the boys, and
realized at once that he had been rescued from the hands of a pair of
unscrupulous rascals by a company of real boy heroes. He threw open
the door, sprang out, and began shaking the hands of his rescuers in
grateful appreciation of what they had done for him.
"I don't know what all this means," he said; "but I've got wits
enough to understand there's been some pretty tough rascality on foot,
and you boys have done me a very great service."
"We were hiking along this way and saw those two men with guns in
their hands stop your machine" exclaimed Clifford, who thought it best
not to reveal the discovery of the note in the presence of the
chauffeur.
"You did mighty good work" declared the wealthy mine operator,
enthusiastically.
"Does your Boy Scout training teach you to use your heads so
successfully? One would think that this hold-up and the rescue were
both plotted and planned some time ahead, judging by the skill with
which you worked."
"Don't flatter us too much, uncle, or you may tempt us to help along
the deception by leading you to believe that we really are a
remarkable bunch of boys," Clifford warned, slyly.
"I not only believe it, but I know it," replied Mr. Stanlock with
stubborn generosity. "So, if I am deceived, the fault is all my own.
But, Clifford, I didn't know you were in town. When did you come? You
haven't been over at the house yet, have you?"
"No, not yet, uncle," Clifford answered, slowly. "And I'm not coming
over for a few days. The fact is, we are here on a hunting trip and a
mystery mission, and we want you to help us keep our secret. Since we
have proved ourselves to be a very unusual lot of boys, perhaps you
will take special care to favor us in this respect. We are planning a
surprise on the girls, and we don't want you to tell them we are in
town."
"My lips are sealed until you unseal them," Mr. Stanlock assured them.
"But where are you staying?"
"All of us are members of one patrol of Scouts at Spring Lake Academy,
all except Paul Hunter. We came here on an invitation from Ernie
Hunter, and we are living in a cave at the west end of Mr. Hunter's
farm."
"In a cave!" Mr. Stanlock exclaimed with some concern. "Isn't that
rather an unhealthful place for you to live? You don't sleep there, I
hope?"
"We certainly do, uncle; or, rather, we are going to, for this is our
first night. I wish you could come over and see it. It's as dry and
warm as can be. Paul dried it out by keeping a stove burning in it for
several days."
"A stove in a cave!" was Mr. Stanlock's astonished comment. "That is
surely some combination of wild nature and mechanical civilization. I
shall certainly inspect your domesticated wild-and-woolly retreat.
When am I invited to come?"
"Any time, Mr. Stanlock," Ernie interposed, with the hospitality of
host. "Name your time and we'll be there to receive you."
"You'll have quite a walk to the cave tonight, and the walking isn't
very good, I venture. Pile in and I'll take you in the machine."
"I'm afraid we'll make more of a load than you can carry," said
Ernie.
"This machine can carry seven, nine in a pinch, and eleven in a case
of life and death," assured Mr. Stanlock. "But I've got an idea that
will cut off the life and death. I am bringing home a large sled that
a young manual training student made for my seven-year-old son,
Harold. It has a good, strong rope attached, and we will hitch it on
behind, and two of you boys can ride on that."
"Let's you and me hitch," said Paul to Jerry, eagerly. Jerry was just
as eager, and the problem of carrying ten passengers and the chauffeur
was settled.
"One of you boys get in front with Jake and show him the way,"
suggested the owner of the automobile.
"Jake!" The utterance of that name sent a thrill through every one of
the boys, all of whom recognized it as the name signed to the note
that "Johnny Two-Times" had found near the cave.
Ernie climbed up with the driver, the sled was taken out and hitched
on behind, and six of the boys "piled in" with Mr. Stanlock. As soon
as Paul and Jerry called out "Go ahead," they started.
It was not quite as jolly an adventure for the two boys on the sled as
they had expected. The road was pretty rough and, although the
chauffeur, obeying his employer's instruction, drove carefully, the
"hitchers" were twice thrown off.
But they refused to give up, declaring it to be the most fun they had
had "in a coon's age," which was really a boys' bravery fib, and
finally the machine drew up within a hundred and fifty feet of the
cave.
The boys and Mr. Stanlock left the automobile in charge of the driver
and proceeded to the Scouts' hunting headquarters. The visitor proved
that he had not lost all sympathy for his youthful days, for he
declared that he would like nothing better than to return to his
'teens and spend a mid-winter vacation with the young hunters in their
cave. After the inspection was completed, Clifford again broached the
subject of the highwaymen's attack, saying:
"Uncle, we didn't tell you how we happened to be present when those
two men stopped you tonight, because we didn't want the chauffeur to
hear what we had to say. The whole story is contained in this note,
which one of the boys found after we had seen those men come out of
the cave and hurry away. Here it is; read it. As you are more
interested in it than anybody else, you may keep it."
Clifford drew the folded paper from his vest pocket and gave it to Mr.
Stanlock. The latter held it close to the lamp and read.
"That's Jake, my driver; it's his handwriting I'm certain. What did be
want to do that for? He must be in league with the worst element of
the strikers. Probably they paid him well for this, or promised him a
tempting bribe."
Mr. Stanlock mused thus aloud as he studied over the note. The
situation puzzled him. What ought he to do? Of course, he must have
the driver arrested, and there must be an investigation by the police.
But, would it be safe for him to trust Jake to drive him home?
Probably it would be safe enough, for doubtless the driver had no
desire to be openly connected with the plot.
He was about decided to return home with the driver and say nothing to
him about the note, when a slight noise at the entrance attracted the
attention of all. Listening carefully, they could hear the sound of
retreating footsteps.
"That's Jake," Mr. Stanlock exclaimed. "He overheard us. After him, or
he'll run away with the machine."
The rush for the entrance threatened to cause some confusion and delay
in getting out. Fortunately, however, the delay, if any, was not
serious, and the pursuit soon indicated that there were some real
sprinters among the boys. As they emerged from the cave, the driver
was already within fifty feet of the machine. But he looked back over
his shoulder and evidently thought better of his original purpose, for
he turned to the left and raced down the hill toward the road at
another point, leaping and striding with such recklessness that it
seemed almost miraculous that he should escape a fall and serious
injury.
Mr. Stanlock had no desire to attempt a capture of the traitorous
chauffeur by physical force, and when he saw that Jake had given up
the idea of fleeing in the automobile, he called the pursuit off. Then
he announced his intention to drive the machine home himself, taking
the route that led past Mr. Hunter's home. He had no fear of further
trouble with the driver or his confederates, for he was certain that
Jake was a coward at heart and the two highwaymen could hardly have
arrived in the vicinity of the cave on foot, since they were driven
off in mad haste in the opposite direction, even if they had been
disposed to make another attack.
"Well, good-night, boys," he said, taking his place in the driver's
seat. "You've done me a service tonight that I won't forget very soon.
Come and see me, all of you, after you have sprung your surprise on
the girls. I'll remember to keep your secret all right. Good night."
He put his foot on the starter, gave the steering wheel a few turns,
and the throbbing machine moved over the sloping stretch of ground
between the cave and the road. The boys, several of them with guns in
their hands, followed him to the road and stood there ready to run to
his assistance if they should see any evidences of another attack.
They continued the watch for fifteen or twenty minutes, until the
lights of the automobile, which pierced the darkness far ahead,
indicated that he had proceeded between one and two miles without
interference.
* * * * *