LYING IN WAIT
"Doesn't look as though there's going to be much monotony in our young
lives to-night," remarked Bob, as, tightly packed in the tonneau of the
car, the boys rode on through the gathering darkness.
"For that matter there hasn't been much for several days past," chuckled
Joe, who sat at his right. "A fellow would have to be a glutton to want
more adventure than we've had since we came to Braxton Woods. What with
Buck Looker and Black Donegan, we ought to be pretty well satisfied."
"I only hope Cassey will be in the gang that is rounded up to-night,"
observed Herb. "It would be too bad if only the rest were captured and
that all-around scoundrel slipped through the meshes."
"I guess Cassey is the brains of the whole bunch," put in Jimmy.
"Probably the others didn't know anything about radio until he put them
on to it. He'll be there all right. And he's likely to put up a pretty
stiff fight before he lets himself be captured, for he knows what it
means to him to be sent back to prison. With a new sentence tacked on to
the old one it'll probably mean that he'll be in for life."
In a little while they reached the scene of the proposed robbery. They
were well in advance of the time set by the plotters, and the chief took
his time in carefully disposing his forces, availing himself of Frank
Brandon's advice in doing this.
The bridge stretched between two hills at the bottom of which was a
small stream, about a hundred feet below. On each side, almost down to
the bridge itself, extended trees and shrubbery that afforded excellent
hiding places. The only trouble was that both the outlaws and the
officers who were trying to apprehend them were likely to seek the same
shelter and might in this way stumble across each other before the trap
was ready to be sprung.
This, however, was a contingency that had to be faced, and preparations
were made accordingly. The men were placed at strategic points on both
sides of the bridge. Whether the attempt at hold-up would be made at the
entrance to the bridge or on the further side was a matter of
speculation. The chief went on the theory, however, that it would
probably take place at the entrance, and there he placed the majority of
the men under him.
The radio boys hinted that there was where they would like to be also,
but in this the chief was adamant.
"I've stretched a point in letting you young fire-eaters come along at
all," he said. "As it is, I may have a hard time explaining to your
parents. And I hate to think what my position would be if anything
happened to you. So I am going to put you where I think you'll be
comparatively out of danger. You're just to be lookers on at this
shindig. And if the bullets begin to fly, you just lie flat on the
ground behind the trees until they stop. It may not be so glorious, but
it's likely to be a mighty sight more healthy."
So, much against their will, the boys were compelled to obey orders and
take the place assigned to them which was on the further side of the
bridge.
"Putting us up in the gallery when we ought to have seats in the
orchestra," grumbled Joe, as the boys ensconced themselves in a thicket
behind a big clump of trees.
"Cheer up, you old gloom hound," chaffed Bob. "We may get in on this
yet. At any rate, if we are in the gallery, we have a good view of the
stage. Or at least we shall have, when the searchlight gets busy."
The darkness deepened until the night became as black as Egypt. There
was no moon, and even the stars were obscured by clouds that heavily
veiled the sky. The night was chill, and the boys buttoned their coats
tightly about them as they sat waiting for developments.
They had perhaps an hour to wait, but it was not known but that some of
the robbers would be on the ground at an earlier time than had been set,
and every sense was on the alert as all strained their ears for the
slightest sound and peered into the darkness on the chance that they
might catch glimpses of shadowy forms. After the first few moments they
had not ventured to talk for fear that they might be overheard. But this
did not debar them from thinking, and they thrilled with excitement as
they pictured each to himself the struggle that seemed about to take
place on the road.
The minutes dragged along interminably, and in the intense silence the
lads could almost hear the beating of their hearts. Then at a little
distance a twig cracked and sent the blood racing madly through their
veins.
Soon footsteps were heard approaching, and the lads crouched still lower
in their hiding place. The sounds came nearer, and they could detect the
tread of two men. They were approaching without any excessive degree of
caution, as they had no reason to believe that their plans had been
discovered. As they drew closer, the boys could hear them conversing in
low tones.
"I tell you it's all right," said a rough voice, which they recognized
as that of Black Donegan. "All the fellows are tipped off and know just
what they've got to do. Jake and Toppy will do the holding up, and then
the rest of us will jump in if the driver cuts up rough. If he does,
there'll be one more dead driver."
The boys waited for the answer that seemed to be long in coming. What
they heard finally was a whistle that made them jump. They had heard
that whistle before!
"Cassey!" whispered Bob to Joe. "Cassey, as sure as you're born!"
The next instant his belief became a thrilling certainty.
"It-t-t-t isn't the d-d-driver." The voice came out, with an explosive
quality. "It's the g-g-guards he may have w-w-with him. The p-p-police
are getting pretty l-l-leary about all the robberies t-t-t-that have
been taking place around here lately, and they've g-g-g-," again came
the whistle, "g-got to do something or lose their jobs. At any rate
t-t-this is the last thing we're g-g-going to pull off around here----"
"I guess he's right about that," Joe whispered to Bob.
"----and j-j-just as soon as we're through with this, w-w-we'd better
p-pull up stakes and try somewhere else."
The voice was now so close at hand that if the boys had reached out of
the thicket they would almost have touched the speaker. At this thought
Jimmy and Herb, especially, felt a thrill of excitement.