CONCLUSION
At heart young Prescott was frightened enough. Yet he was also aroused
to a fury of resistance.
With an ugly growl Driggs started in to shake the lad once more. Just at
this moment, however, Dick found a chance on which he had been doing
some frenzied calculating.
As he hung from Driggs's outstretched hand Dick's foot was just about on
a level with one of the fellow's knees. Dick drew his foot back like a
flash, delivering a lusty kick.
The blow glanced. Even at that Driggs's knee-cap suffered. With a groan
of pain Driggs let go and stood by to rub his injured knee.
"You young fiend!" hissed Ab. Dexter, grabbing Dick by the collar.
Driggs tried two or three limping steps.
"Anything broken there?" demanded Ab. anxiously.
"No; but I've got to have cold water to bandage it with, right away,"
replied Driggs. "Give me hold of the young pest's collar, and I'll hold
him all right until you get in again. But hustle with the water."
By this time Driggs had sunk into one of the chairs. Ab. dragged the boy
to him and the other ruffian took vindictive hold.
"I'll settle with you, you little varmint, after I get my knee attended
to," growled Driggs. "If you try any more tricks I'll let even my knee
go and choke the life out of you."
Dexter hurried from the room. Dick, who felt that seconds must be made
to count now, turned like a flash, sinking his teeth in the wrist of the
hand that gripped his collar.
"You young----" began Driggs, in a wild temper, starting to rise from
the chair as the pain forced him to let go of Dick's collar.
But Prescott, moving only two steps, caught up the other chair, bringing
it down on the head of the ugly rascal.
"Dexter! Dexter--quick!" roared Driggs. "The boy's getting away!"
It was dark now, in the lower hall, as Dick, darting down the stairs,
made out the form of Ab. Dexter as the latter hastened in through the
outer door.
"Out of the way, or I'll hurt you with Driggs's knife!" panted the
fleeing boy.
In that instant Abner Dexter proved Dick's suspicion that he was at
bottom a coward. Ab. drew up close to the wall, and Dick, with the speed
of the hunted deer, dashed from the house.
[Illustration: Dick Caught Up the Other Chair.]
"It may take Ab. a little while to find that I haven't got Driggs's
knife," grinned the boy.
For more than a quarter of a mile Dick Prescott ran at the best speed
that he could summon. Then, after glancing back, he slowed down to a
walk, breathing hard. It was fortunate that he knew these forests so
well, or he might have been at a loss to find the path leading in the
most direct way to Gridley.
Finally he came out on a more traveled road. After keeping along for
another half mile or so he heard a horse behind him and the sound of
wheels as well.
"I won't take any chance on that," muttered the boy. Bounding over a
stone wall he lay low until the vehicle came up. Peering between the
stones of the wall Dick made out an unmistakable farmer.
"Hey, there!" cried Dick, leaping up and bounding over the wall. "Give
me a ride, please, mister!"
"Well, I swan! Who are ye--dropping from the skies that-a-fashion?"
demanded the astounded driver, reining up.
"Grammar School boy from Gridley," Dick replied. "Going that way?"
"I guess I've seen you before," murmured the farmer, as Prescott went
closer. "Your pa runs a bookstore, don't he?"
"Yes. Are you going to Gridley?"
"Straight."
"Then please take me."
Not waiting for an answer Dick climbed up to the seat.
"How do you come so far out of the way?" asked the farmer, as he started
the horse.
"I'd tell you, but for one thing," Dick laughed.
"What's that, son?"
"You wouldn't believe me."
"Wouldn't believe old Prescott's boy?" demanded the farmer. "Well, I
would if the boy is half as square as his dad."
Thus encouraged Dick began to tell his story. Some past events the
farmer already knew. This inclined him very strongly to believe Dick's
strange tale.
Once in Gridley the farmer drove the Grammar School boy straight to the
police station.
"Dick Prescott?" shouted the chief. "Boy, your parents are crazy over
your disappearance. What part of the skies did you drop from? And I've
four of my men out trying to track you! Tell me what has happened."
"I will if you'll walk around to the store with me," Dick offered,
smiling. "But the first thing I'm going to start to do is to show my
father and mother that I'm safe."
The farmer good-naturedly offered to drive them both around to the
Prescott store. On the way Dick told some of his story. The rest had to
wait until he had shown himself to his parents. Then Mr. and Mrs.
Prescott heard the story, too.
"This isn't really a case for me," said the chief of police. "It's for
the sheriff. I must get him on the 'phone."
The news spread with great rapidity. Dave Darrin, Greg Holmes and all
the other chums of Dick & Co. were on hand by the time that Dick had
finished a belated supper with splendid appetite.
"May I go out on the street with the fellows?" Dick asked his mother.
"Yes; if you'll keep on the lighted parts of the streets," smiled his
mother. "Although I'm not very much afraid of any more trouble
overtaking you when you have all your friends with you."
Later that night a party of sheriff's searchers came upon Driggs, not
far from the old mill site. The fellow, fearing prompt pursuit, had
endeavored to get away, but the pain in his stiffening knee had
prevented his going very far. Ab. Dexter had started with his injured
confederate, but had finally played the sneak and fled. However, Dexter,
too was caught later that night, while endeavoring to board a train two
stations away from Gridley.
Mrs. Dexter, of course, was notified as to what had happened.
For this latest outrage against Dick the rascally pair were not tried.
This was for the very simple reason that Dick would have furnished the
sole evidence for the prosecution, and the law would have required
another witness to corroborate young Prescott's testimony.
However, both men were held as fugitives from justice, for having jumped
their bail on their original trial. Both were now held without bail and
were presently tried before the higher court.
Both were found guilty, of course. As it is the privilege of the court
of resort to impose a heavier punishment than the original one appealed
from, Dexter and Driggs were both sent to jail for a year--the highest
penalty possible under the circumstances.
"That man will bother me worse than ever as soon as he gets out,"
complained Mrs. Dexter to Dick and Dave one day.
"If he finds you," added Dick, by way of a hint.
"If he finds me? What you mean by that?"
"Mrs. Dexter, you're not obliged to live in Gridley. Why don't you slip
away from here, one of these near days, without letting a soul know
where you and your little girl are going. With all your money you could
go to Europe or to the Pacific Coast. At a great distance from here you
can live securely. Dexter will never have any money if he has to earn
it. Go a few thousand miles from here, and, even if Dexter found out
where you were, he wouldn't be able to reach you. No--don't tell even us
where you are going."
Mrs. Dexter followed that very sensible advice. She and Myra vanished
completely one day not long after.
Before that good but timid woman went away, however, she did her best to
provide some suitable reward for the Grammar School boys who had proved
her staunchest friends and protectors, but they refused to consider any
reward.
Dexter, when at last at liberty, must have known of his wife's flights
to parts unknown, for he never revisited Gridley, and was not again
heard of there.
Dick Prescott's last and greatest adventure placed him securely on the
pinnacle of local fame. Where, in all the world, was there another
Grammar School boy who had been through as much, or shown as much
daring?
Even that shrewd and rather dryly spoken judge of boys and girls Old
Dut, took the latest happenings as the text for a little address to the
members of his class. He wound up by saying:
"In a few months more this present class will have passed on, some going
to High School and many more to their life employment. This present
class will be gone, and another class here in its place. Yet I believe I
can say in all truthfulness that I shall remember this present class
always with pride as the class containing the bravest and brightest
boys--and the finest girls--of any class that has been graduated from
the Central Grammar School."
It is not our purpose, however, to take leave of Dick Prescott and our
other young friends. There was too much yet ahead of them--absorbing
happenings that merit being recorded in other volumes. We shall meet
Dick, Dave, Greg, Tom and all of the chums once more in the next volume,
which is published under the title: "The Grammar School Boys Snowbound;
Or, Dick & Co. at Winter Sports." Here we shall find them amid stranger
and even more thrilling adventures.
The End
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5 GRACE HARLOWE'S RETURN TO OVERTON CAMPUS.
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4 THE IRON BOYS IN THE STEEL MILLS; Or, Beginning Anew in the Cinder
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1 MADGE MORTON--CAPTAIN OF THE MERRY MAID.
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1 THE YOUNG ENGINEERS IN COLORADO; Or, At Railroad Building in Earnest.
2 THE YOUNG ENGINEERS IN ARIZONA; Or, Laying Tracks on the "Man-Killer"
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4 UNCLE SAM'S BOYS IN THE PHILIPPINES; Or, Following the Flag Against
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(_Other volumes to follow rapidly._)
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By FRANK GEE PATCHIN
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By JANET ALDRIDGE
Real live stories pulsing with the vibrant atmosphere of outdoor life.
1 THE MEADOW-BROOK GIRLS UNDER CANVAS.
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6 THE MEADOW-BROOK GIRLS ON THE TENNIS COURTS.
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* * * * *
High School Boys Series
By H. IRVING HANCOCK
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1 THE HIGH SCHOOL FRESHMEN; Or, Dick & Co.'s First Year Pranks and
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2 THE HIGH SCHOOL PITCHER; Or, Dick & Co. on the Gridley Diamond.
3 THE HIGH SCHOOL LEFT END; Or, Dick & Co. Grilling on the Football
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4 THE HIGH SCHOOL CAPTAIN OF THE TEAM; Or, Dick & Co. Leading the
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Cloth, Illustrated Price, per Volume, 50c.
* * * * *
Grammar School Boys Series
By H. IRVING HANCOCK
This series of stories, based on the actual doings of grammar school
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1 THE GRAMMAR SCHOOL BOYS OF GRIDLEY; Or, Dick & Co. Start Things
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2 THE GRAMMAR SCHOOL BOYS SNOWBOUND; Or, Dick & Co. at Winter Sports.
3 THE GRAMMAR SCHOOL BOYS IN THE WOODS; Or, Dick & Co. Trail Fun and
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4 THE GRAMMAR SCHOOL BOYS IN SUMMER ATHLETICS; Or, Dick & Co. Make Their
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Cloth, Illustrated Price, per Volume, 50c.
* * * * *
High School Boys' Vacation Series
By H. IRVING HANCOCK
"Give us more Dick Prescott books!"
This has been the burden of the cry from young readers of the country
over. Almost numberless letters have been received by the publishers,
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1 THE HIGH SCHOOL BOYS' CANOE CLUB; Or, Dick & Co.'s Rivals on Lake
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2 THE HIGH SCHOOL BOYS IN SUMMER CAMP; Or, The Dick Prescott Six
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3 THE HIGH SCHOOL BOYS' FISHING TRIP; Or, Dick & Co. in the Wilderness.
4 THE HIGH SCHOOL BOYS' TRAINING HIKE; Or, Dick & Co. Making Themselves
"Hard as Nails."
Cloth, Illustrated Price, per Volume, 50c.
* * * * *
The Circus Boys Series
By EDGAR B. P. DARLINGTON
Mr. Darlington's books breathe forth every phase of an intensely
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1 THE CIRCUS BOYS ON THE FLYING RINGS; Or, Making the Start in the
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3 THE CIRCUS BOYS IN DIXIE LAND; Or, Winning the Plaudits of the Sunny
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4 THE CIRCUS BOYS ON THE MISSISSIPPI; Or, Afloat with the Big Show on
the Big River.
Cloth, Illustrated Price, per Volume, 50c.
* * * * *
The High School Girls Series
By JESSIE GRAHAM FLOWER, A. M.
These breezy stories of the American High School Girl take the reader
fairly by storm.
1 GRACE HARLOWE'S PLEBE YEAR AT HIGH SCHOOL; Or, The Merry Doings of the
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2 GRACE HARLOWE'S SOPHOMORE YEAR AT HIGH SCHOOL; Or, The Record of the
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3 GRACE HARLOWE'S JUNIOR YEAR AT HIGH SCHOOL; Or, Fast Friends in the
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4 GRACE HARLOWE'S SENIOR YEAR AT HIGH SCHOOL; Or, The Parting of the
Ways.
Cloth, Illustrated Price, per Volume, 50c.
* * * * *
The Automobile Girls Series
By LAURA DENT CRANE
No girl's library--no family book-case can be considered at all complete
unless it contains these sparkling twentieth-century books.
1 THE AUTOMOBILE GIRLS AT NEWPORT; Or, Watching the Summer Parade.
2 THE AUTOMOBILE GIRLS IN THE BERKSHIRES; Or, The Ghost of Lost Man's
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3 THE AUTOMOBILE GIRLS ALONG THE HUDSON; Or, Fighting Fire in Sleepy
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4 THE AUTOMOBILE GIRLS AT CHICAGO; Or, Winning Out Against Heavy Odds.
5 THE AUTOMOBILE GIRLS AT PALM BEACH; Or, Proving Their Mettle Under
Southern Skies.
6 THE AUTOMOBILE GIRLS AT WASHINGTON; Or, Checkmating the Plots of
Foreign Spies.
Cloth, Illustrated Price, per Volume, 50c.
*/