GRIT'S REVENGE.
Peters soon had the horse ready, and as Dick leaped into the saddle his
father came hurrying out to the stables.
"Now be careful, Dick," he cautioned. "Don't do anything rash. What are
your plans?"
"I'm going to ride in the direction of Leonardville. That's about ten
miles by the main road. I'll inquire as I go along; but what I'll do
after I get there I can't tell."
"Well, be careful, that's all," concluded Mr. Hamilton. "The fellows who
stole Grit are no common thieves, I imagine, and I hope you don't get
into trouble with them."
"I'm not worrying about trouble. Once I get where Grit is, he and I can
take care of the thieves all right," and Dick laughed grimly.
He started off at an easy canter, though Rex was full of mettle and
wanted to gallop.
"No, Rex," said Dick, for he had a habit of talking to his horse as he
did to Grit. "We'll take it easy. We've got a long day ahead of us."
It was about ten o'clock, and Dick decided to ride several miles without
stopping to make inquiries, as the day previous he had pretty well
covered the neighborhood near his home. But in about an hour, having
reached a small village, he asked several persons he met if they had
seen anything of his dog. No one had, and he pushed on.
Mile after mile he rode, stopping every little while to make inquiries,
but without avail. He got dinner at a wayside hotel and then resumed his
trip. It was about three o'clock when, as he stopped at a watering
trough under a big chestnut tree on the edge of the road, he saw a wagon
coming toward him.
"I'll ask this man," thought Dick. He waited until the vehicle and the
driver were in plainer view through the cloud of dust raised and then he
exclaimed:
"Why, Henry! How'd you get out here?"
"Oh, I've been after some old iron," replied the secretary and general
man-of-all-work of the International and Consolidated Old Metal
Corporation. "I heard of a farmer who had a lot of scrap for sale and I
went after it."
"Did you get it?"
"Sure. It's in the wagon," and Henry nodded toward the rear of his
vehicle, which was filled with a mass of broken iron. "I started away
from home yesterday afternoon expecting to get back last night, but I
had a breakdown and I had to stay until morning. But what are you doing
out here?"
"Looking for Grit," and then Dick told about the theft of his dog. "I
don't s'pose you've seen anything of him, have you?"
"Where did you say that letter came from?" asked Henry, showing some
excitement.
"Leonardville. That's where I'm headed for. Why?"
"Then I saw your dog!" exclaimed Henry.
"Where?" asked Dick, excitedly.
"I was driving along last night," went on the young representative of
the old metal concern, "and, just before I had my breakdown, I saw a
wagon pass me. I looked in the back and saw something covered with a
blanket. It was moving, and I wondered what it could be when I heard a
dog bark. I thought it was rather funny to cover a dog up that way on a
hot day. One of the men leaned back, and, when it barked, he hit the dog
with a whip."
"Poor Grit!" murmured Dick. "Wait till I get hold of those fellows.
Where did they go, Henry?"
"I'll tell you. I was thinking that was a pretty mean way to treat a
dog, but I never thought they might have stolen him, and were trying to
keep him hid. I watched their wagon until it was out of sight and
then----"
"Did you lose sight of them?" broke in Dick.
"I went on a little farther," continued Henry, "and one of the springs
of my wagon broke. I knew I couldn't get it fixed until morning, so I
unhitched the horse and drove him along until I came to a hotel. This
was at Maysville, and when I got to the tavern I saw the same two
fellows. They were just driving away, and I heard one say it wasn't far
to the Eagle Hotel. Now there's an Eagle hotel in Leonardville, and I'll
bet you'll find your men and dog there. I'd like to go back with you and
help----"
"That's all right, Henry," interrupted Dick. "I guess I can manage,"
and, calling back his thanks to the young iron merchant, and promising
to see him later, Dick urged his horse off at a gallop, disappearing in
a cloud of dust.
"Now there's a good example for you to follow, old bag of bones," said
Henry, addressing his own steed. "Why don't you try that for a change
and you'd get home to supper quicker. Well, I s'pose you'll last longer
if you don't go so fast," and, with that comforting reflection, Henry
managed, after a time, to get his horse in motion, the beast having
almost gone to sleep during its driver's talk with Dick.
"Now to find Grit!" exclaimed the millionaire's son, as he galloped on.
"Poor dog, I hope they haven't abused you very much."
Dick did not stop along the road to make any further inquiries. He
reached Leonardville in good time and soon found his way to the Eagle
Hotel. He let Rex trot into the stable yard, and, dismounting, told one
of the hostlers to feed and water the animal when it had cooled off.
As Dick started up the steps to the porch, intending to make some
inquiries of the landlord, he suddenly started back in surprise, for,
coming out of the main entrance, was Simon Scardale.
"Hello, Simon!" exclaimed Dick.
"Why-er-w-w-why, hello--Dick," stammered Simon. "Have you come to--what
are you doing here?" he managed to say, with an attempt at pleasantry.
"I might ask you the same thing," responded Dick.
But Simon did not wait to hear anything further. He darted back into the
hotel murmuring:
"Wait a minute--I've forgotten something--see you right away----"
"He acts as though he was afraid to meet me," thought Dick, as he walked
on. "I wonder what he's doing here?"
An instant later he was surprised to see Simon come out of a side door
and fairly run to the stables. At the same instant a man appeared in the
door of the barn, and to him Simon made frantic gestures to remain
hidden. Then, as Dick watched this by-play with a bewildered air, there
came from the stable the bark of a dog.
"Grit!" exclaimed Dick. "Grit! Grit, old boy!"
The barks became a howl of rage and there sounded the rattle of a chain.
"Grit! Grit!" cried Dick, running toward the stable.
There was the noise of a chain snapping. Then came frightened shouts. An
instant later Simon, followed by a ragged man and a youth, dashed from
the barn with the bulldog in close pursuit. Out of the hotel yard they
raced, with Grit growling and barking and making fierce leaps for them.
"Grit!" called Dick, but, for once, Grit refused to obey his master's
voice. His heart was too full of revenge for the insults he had
suffered.
Out into the highway ran Simon and the two others, with the dog gaining
at every leap.
"Help! Save me!" cried Simon, as Dick ran out to see what the end would
be. He was fearful that Grit would get one of the fleeing ones down and
set his teeth into his throat.
"Grit! Grit!" he called, frantically, but the bulldog never heeded.
Simon turned, hoping to get out of the path of the maddened beast, but
he did not reckon on Grit's quickness. The dog made a grab for Simon's
trousers and caught them at the seat. There was a ripping sound, a
frantic yell from Simon, and he fell, rolling over and over in a cloud
of dust.
"Grit! Don't bite him!" shouted Dick, fearful of what might happen.