IN THE HANDS OF THE LAW.
Arrested!
Both Dick and Phil started to make a vociferous protest but were quickly
silenced by Garry.
"All right, officer. But we answer no more of your questions and ask to
be taken immediately to the station and the services of a lawyer
procured for us," said Garry firmly.
"Huh, pretty smart youngsters, aren't you. Well, let me tell you one
thing, laddy buck. You'll answer any questions I ask of you and answer
them quick. Now who are you and how were you in this room at the time
this man died--or was killed," said the officer in a threatening tone.
The three boys held their silence, taking their cue from their leader,
Garry.
"Won't talk, eh, well we'll make you open your mouth in a hurry," and
the officer advanced on the boys.
Just what steps he would have taken will never be known, for the
physician, who was the city coroner, interposed.
"That will do, Murphy. You have just told these boys they were under
arrest, and you have failed to give them warning that anything they may
say can be used against them. You are barking up the wrong tree anyway.
These are no runaways nor young desperadoes. My advice is that you let
them go immediately, or else take them to the station and let the chief
talk to them. He was still there when we left the house. And, boys, I'll
see that you get a lawyer as soon as you get there unless the captain
shows more sense than the lieutenant has."
The lieutenant glowered at the coroner. Evidently there was bad blood
between them, but he realized that he had overstepped his authority, and
was in the wrong, so he ordered everyone present to repair to the
station.
The walk to the headquarters of the city police consumed only a few
minutes, and soon the boys were standing in the office of the Chief.
"What's all this, Lieutenant Murphy?" he asked.
"There's been foul play of some sort down in that old shack that's used
in the wintertime for a lumberjack boarding house. These three boys were
there at the time the man died and don't seem to be able to give a
satisfactory account of themselves. They have been put under arrest,"
answered the officer sulkily.
"Well, boys, what have you to say to this," asked the Chief as he swung
around on his chair and surveyed the three.
By this time Garry was boiling mad.
"I first want to ask that we get a lawyer. I don't propose to have a
continuation of the bullying that the lieutenant started down at the old
shack continued, nor do I propose to let my companions be questioned
without competent advice," he said respectfully but decidedly.
The Chief's face darkened.
"Have you been up to your old tricks again, Murphy?"
"I've just been doing my duty," said Murphy sullenly.
"I am afraid you exaggerate your duty at times, then, lieutenant. Now,
boys, what have you to say? This is only an informal questioning and you
are under no obligations to answer. I think, however, that there has
been nothing more here than the stirring up of a mare's nest, and I
think the best thing to do is to come out and say what you have to say.
If there is nothing against you, then that is your best course."
Garry recognized that the Chief was a fair man, and decided to tell
their story.
"We are Forest Rangers, sir, just going to a new post of duty. We were
down on that street in search of a gunsmith's shop to procure a new
rifle to replace one that one of my companions lost. We heard screams
coming from the old house and ran to see if we could be of assistance.
One of the boys found the old man who is now dead being attacked by a
younger man. He was driven out, making his escape by a window and over
the roof of the ell. Then we went and summoned the policeman from his
beat, and now here we are."
"How does it happen you do all the talking?" asked the Chief.
"Why, the boys have seen fit to make me the leader and spokesman at all
times. We have always done that."
"You seem to tell a straight enough story in some ways," said the Chief.
"But I have seen a good many Forest Ranger service men go through this
town, and I never saw boys doing that work before. As far as the death
of the old man is concerned, I see nothing to hold you on, as I
understand that he died and was not killed while you were there. I am
inclined to think you are stretching things a bit, however, when you
claim to be Rangers. You are sure you boys aren't making tracks for the
Big Woods in search of supposed adventure, are you?"
"That is the second time tonight that we have been accused of that, and
it is getting a bit tiresome. I think we can satisfy you very quickly,
however. There are probably men in town who know my father, who is part
owner of the pulp mills up the river. The best way, however, is to get
the Chief Ranger, Mr. Ardmore, on the long distance 'phone. Till then I
think we won't say anything more."
The Chief looked at them quizically for a moment. He was still inclined
to be suspicious, but the mention of Garry's father made him think that
perhaps he was on the wrong track. He pulled an extension 'phone to him,
and called the long distance operator.
"This is the Chief of Police talking," he said. "I want you to get the
Chief Forest Ranger, Mr. Ardmore, at Augusta. You can get his home
telephone number from the night operator at the State House. This is an
emergency, so rush it through," and he replaced the receiver on the
hook.
"That will do for now, Murphy, and Coroner, I suppose you want to make
out your report. You will find a desk not in use in the next room. In
the meantime, you boys make yourselves comfortable for a few minutes, I
don't expect that the call will be more than five minutes in going
through," and the Chief began to busy himself with some papers around
his desk.
The boys withdrew to a corner of the room, and found chairs.
The minutes seemed to drag horribly. None of the boys was exactly
worried, except for the fact that they were losing precious time. They
wanted to go back to Canal Street and buy the rifle and such other
things as they might need. If they were held for some sort of a hearing
in the morning, it would delay them considerably as their train left
early, and there was no other until late in the afternoon, meaning they
would lose almost a day on their journey.
After a few minutes of silence, Dick cautiously whispered to Garry, "How
about showing him our customs papers and badges?"
"Only as a last resort," answered Garry in a low tone.
They looked up when they saw the Chief reaching for the telephone.
"How about that Augusta call?"
He listened a moment, then hung up the receiver and turned to the boys.
"Operator says she is still working on it, that they cannot find him
now, but are trying places where he might be. Still of the opinion you
want me to talk to him?"
"Positively," answered Garry.
The Chief resumed his newspaper, and the boys fidgeted a minute until
Garry bethought himself of the pocket checkerboard they generally
carried. He fished it out and suggested they play to while away the
time. Dick elected to play first with Garry, and let Phil take on the
winner.
Seeing them at their game, the Chief walked over and stood watching.
Garry had just succeeded in getting a king after an unusually clever
play, and the Chief, who was quite a player himself, was applauding
softly when the 'phone bell rang.
"Guess there's our call now," he remarked, as he hurried back to his
desk.
Sure enough it was the call, and in a moment the Chief was talking with
Mr. Ardmore.
"Listen, Mr. Ardmore, this is the Chief of Police of Bangor. I have
three boys here who were picked up after finding a dead man in a room
here. There is nothing against them on that score, but they claim to be
Forest Rangers, and I say they are too young, so to settle the matter I
am calling you. They give their names as Boone, Wallace and Durant," and
here the Chief described them. "They're all right, you say?" queried the
Chief, in a slightly surprised tone. "All right, guess I was wrong then.
All right, here's one right here." Then he turned to Garry and said:
"He wants to talk to you."
Garry exchanged greetings with the Chief Ranger and heard him say:
"Can't you three take a step without running smack into something
exciting? I declare, you fellows see more and do more than men who have
ranged the woods for these past ten years. Keep it up, and keep out of
trouble. Write me all about this, not an official report, only a
personal letter, to satisfy my own curiosity. Best of luck to the
others. Goodbye. I had to leave the theatre to answer this call, and I
am anxious to get back to my seat."
Garry hung up the receiver, and then turned and asked the Chief if he
was satisfied.
"Indeed I am, and I wish you boys all the luck in the world in your new
station," said the Chief. The three boys then took their leave. They
returned immediately to Canal Street to see if they were still in time
to buy a rifle for Phil from the old gunsmith.
They arrived at the shop just in time to find him locking the door. He
recognized them immediately, and had no hesitancy in opening up his
store again. Phil soon found a rifle to his liking, and Garry replaced
the compass that he had dropped when he was lost in the woods;
ammunition was also procured, and then Garry purchased a small automatic
revolver, deciding that this would be a wise project in view of the kind
of work that they might be called upon to do in running down the band
of smugglers.
"Now," said Garry, "I wonder if there is anything more that we will
need?"
"Yes," said Dick, "I think we should procure new, heavy pocket knives. I
have broken the big blade of mine, and you remember that Phil's was
taken away from him by LeBlanc and Anderson that time that they left him
tied to the tree in the forest."
"That is a wise suggestion," remarked Garry, as he turned to the old man
and asked to see something in combination knives.
"Here is something that I frequently sell, both to campers and
woodsmen," said the old gunsmith. "You see it has one heavy blade,
suitable for skinning a small animal, and in addition has a heavy
canopener."
The knives met all requirements, so each boy procured one. The last
thing bought was an ample supply of batteries for their flashlights.
"There," said Garry, "I think that completes everything we have to buy
except a supply of food. We can get that in the morning, and I have some
ideas of what we should buy. Of course, this time we won't have to
supply ourselves with enough food for a month, as we will probably make
the town of Hobart our base of supplies. However, my idea is to get a
very small compact bundle of concentrated foods, such as bar chocolate
and highly concentrated soup. This, with a small portion of tea and
coffee, can be packed into a very small bundle, and yet were one lost in
the woods, he would find that such a supply would last him more than a
week."
Bidding the old gunsmith goodnight, they returned to the hotel, meeting
Lieut. Murphy on the way. "Sure boys, I hope you will forget everything
that has happened this evening. It was only last week that I picked up
three boys who were going up into the woods to shoot Indians, and I
didn't know but that you might be tarred with the same brush."
"Don't let that bother you at all, Lieutenant. I suppose you have to do
your duty just as you see it, so we will forget about it, and say
goodnight."
They reached the Penobscot Exchange, and getting their key from the
clerk, went directly to their room. As Garry popped open the door, he
uttered a shout of surprise, for there, making himself comfortable in an
easy chair, sat Nate Webster.