A PARLEY WITH THE ENEMY
Even Tom Binns, sleepy as he was, and hard as it usually was to arouse
him, was wide awake as soon as he heard what his companions had seen.
"Broom!" he cried. "What's he doing here?"
"I don't know," said Jack, as he dressed hurriedly. "But I guess we'll
soon find out, unless he's changed his ways. Whenever he appears it's a
first-rate sign that there's trouble in the air. He's as good as a storm
warning. Whenever you see him, look out for squalls, and you're not
likely to be disappointed."
"He won't try to make any mischief here, with a whole army ready to drop
on him if he starts anything," said Pete. "I believe he's all sorts of a
scoundrel, and he's got plenty of nerve--but not enough for that."
"That's what we thought at the seashore, too, Pete, didn't we?" said
Jack. "But he made trouble, all right, and it was only by good luck,
really, that we got on to what he had in his dirty mind and stopped
him."
"Yes, that's so, too, Jack. Gee, I wish I was a little bigger--I'd jump
him myself and do all I could to lick him within an inch of his life!"
"What do you think we'd better do, Jack?" asked Tom.
"We've got to find out first what orders there are from Captain Durland.
Then we can tell better. If Broom leaves me alone, I won't do anything
about him. We're on active duty now, and we're not supposed to let any
of our private affairs interfere with our duty. We're just as much bound
to obey orders as if the country were really at war."
"I'm not worrying about interfering with him, Jack," said Pete, with a
grin. "I'm perfectly willing to let him alone--in this State. His pull
is in good working order here, you know. It wouldn't do any good, even
if we did have him arrested. I don't believe he'd ever be taken back to
Wellbourne for trial, because he and his gang know that there's a good
chance that he might be sent to prison if he were ever taken there. But
suppose he interferes with us? That's just what he's here to do, I
think, if the way he always has acted is any guide to what he's likely
to do now."
"Well," said Jack, "all we can do is to mind our own business and pay no
attention to him at all, Pete, unless he bothers us. If he lets us
alone, why, we'll do the same by him."
Then they went downstairs, and Jack found a note left for him by
Durland.
"I have left orders that you are not to be awakened, unless you wake up
yourselves, before three o'clock," the Scout-Master had written; "you
three have had plenty of work, and you are entitled to a good rest. The
Troop will be on scout duty near Tryon Creek, but your orders are to use
the car, and reconnoiter in the direction of Mardean. The fighting will
swing the Blue center over in that direction, unless we are badly
beaten, and your orders are to keep a close watch on the roads leading
to Fessenden Junction. It is possible that General Bliss may make a raid
in that direction, probably with his cavalry brigade. Timely warning of
any such plan is important, as it is not desirable to detach any
considerable number of troops to guard the Junction."
"What would they want to make a raid toward the Junction for?" asked
Pete, after Jack had shown him the note.
"Why not, Pete?"
"A cavalry brigade couldn't hold it a day, Jack. We would drive them out
in no time at all. Don't you think so?"
"Well, even so, a day would be enough to do an awful lot of damage. They
could destroy the station,--theoretically, of course,--tear up miles of
track, burn all the cars there, and destroy or capture and carry off
with them a great many of our reserve stores. That was why our capture
of Hardport was such a blow to them. We didn't hold it very long, of
course, but it wasn't much use to them when they got it back."
"I see, Jack. Yes, they could do a lot of mischief."
"You see, Pete, as it is now, even if we're beaten, we can fall back on
the Junction, hold it with a relatively small force, and retreat on the
capital and the inner line of defenses. But if our supplies and the
railroad cars, and everything of that sort that are massed there were
rendered useless by being marked destroyed, we couldn't do anything but
make our way back toward the capital as best we could, with a victorious
enemy harrying us all the way, which is a bad situation in warfare."
"Shall we cook breakfast for ourselves, Jack?"
"No! On account of Broom. Captain Durland will understand. We'll get our
breakfast here. I think that's better. If he's waiting for us, we'll
give him a good long wait, anyhow."
"Fine, Jack! I think that's a good idea, too. Gee, but I hate that man!"
"I can't say I exactly love him, myself, Pete. I wish I was big enough
to have it out with him with my fists. That's certainly one fight that I
wouldn't have any regrets for after it was over."
They had an excellent breakfast, and then they went out in the street
together. Broom was still waiting, and save for one or two of the idlers
commonly to be seen in a little country town, he was about the only
person in sight. He came over toward them at once.
"Don't shoot, Colonel," he said to Jack, smiling amiably. "I ain't
looking for no more trouble. I've been up against you and your pals
often enough now to know that it don't pay to tackle you. You're too
much class for me, and I'll give you best."
"We don't want to have anything to do with you," said Jack. "We know the
sort of a man you are, and you'll get your deserts some time. But right
now, if you'll let us alone, we'll do the same for you. We've got other
things to do beside talk to you. Good-day!"
Jack really was rather relieved at Broom's pacific advances. He had not
known what to expect from his enemy's appearance, and he knew that if
Broom had any considerable number of his allies on hand, he and his
companions would not be able to make a very effective resistance, try as
they would. After all, they were only boys, though in some respects they
had proved that they could do as well as men, and Broom and his fellows
were grown men, without scruples, who had no idea, apparently, of what
fair fighting meant. But though he was secretly pleased, he did not
intend to let Broom see it, and moreover he felt that he must be
constantly on the lookout for treachery.
"No use bearing malice and hard feelings," said Broom. "We never meant
to hurt you, my boy. You'd have been safe enough with us, and, as you
wouldn't come willing, we tried to get you to come the other way. We
didn't do it, so you've got no call to be sore."
"I've had plenty of samples of your good intentions," said Jack, his lip
curling in a sneer. "I'm not afraid of you, but you can't fool me with
your soft, friendly talk, either. I know you, and all about you, and
I'll thank you to keep away from us. We aren't going to stay here,
anyhow, and we haven't got time to talk to you, even if we wanted to."
"Yes, you have!" said Broom, suddenly, coming close to Jack and dropping
his voice. "Suppose I told you that I knew all about you, and could tell
you who you were and everything else you want to know? You'd have had a
better time at Woodleigh if you'd had a name of your own, like all the
other fellows, wouldn't you? You know you would! Well, that's what I can
do for you, if I want to. Now will you talk to me?"
"If you know all that about me, why don't you tell me?" asked Jack.
Despite himself, he was curious, and he was forced to admit that Broom
interested him. The secret of his birth, which seemed resolved to elude
him, was one that he would never tire of pursuing, and he was ready to
make use of Broom, villain though he knew him to be, or anyone else who
could shed some light on the mysterious beginnings of his life.
"I can't tell you now and here," said Broom. "But I tell you what I'll
do. Meet me here to-night at eleven o'clock, if you're off duty, and
I'll tell you the whole story. It's worth your while to hear it, too,
I'll promise you."
"I'm likely to do that," said Jack, with a laugh. "Do you know that
sounds like 'Will you walk into my parlor? said the spider to the fly.'
You must certainly think I'm an easy mark if you think I'll go into a
trap you set as openly as that! Not if I know myself!"
"You think you're mighty smart, don't you?" asked Broom, his face
working with disappointment and anger. "I'm not setting any trap for
you. If I'd wanted to do that, I couldn't have had a better chance than
there was here this morning, when your Scouts and all the rest of your
people went off and left you behind. If you're scared to come alone,
bring anyone you like--Durland, Crawford, or anyone. Bring them all--the
whole Troop! I don't care! But come yourself, or you'll always be
sorry!"
Jack was impressed, despite himself, by the man's earnestness. He knew
that Broom had been crooked in many ways, and he knew, also, that
Captain Haskin, the railroad detective, had given him the reputation of
being a clever criminal, whose scruples were as rare as his mistakes.
But there was some truth in what the fellow said. Had he meant to make
any attempt on Jack's liberty, he had already let the best chance he was
likely to have for a long time, slip by.
"I'll think it over, and talk to Captain Durland about it," he said. "I
won't promise to be here, but I may decide to come, after all."
"That's better," said Broom. "You think it over, and you'll see I'm
right. If I wanted to hurt you, I'd have done it before this."
"One thing more, Broom. If I do come, I shall certainly not be alone.
And if you try any tricks, it won't be healthy for you. I know you're
not afraid of the law in this State, but I've got friends that won't be
as easy on you as the police. And I'll have them along with me, too, if
I come, to see that you don't forget yourself, and go back to some of
your old tricks. If you're ready to take the chance, knowing that, I may
come."
"You surely won't think of meeting him, will you, Jack?" asked Pete, in
deep anxiety, after this conversation was ended and Broom had taken
himself off. "I didn't offer to butt in, because I thought you could
handle him better by yourself. But you won't let him take you in by just
pretending that he's got something to tell you?"
"I shan't meet him alone, anyhow, Pete. But I don't know whether he's
just pretending or not, you see. The trouble is this mystery about me is
so hard to untangle that I hate to let even the slightest chance of
doing so pass."
"I know, Jack, but please don't take any chances. You know what he's
tried to do to you before, and I'm certain this is only some new trick.
He's probably tickled to death to think that you didn't turn him down
absolutely."
"I'll promise you one thing, anyhow, Pete. I won't make a move toward
meeting him, nor have anything to do with him, without telling Dick
Crawford and Mr. Durland about it first. And I won't do anything that
they don't thoroughly approve of. Will that satisfy you?"
"Sure it will, Jack! Thanks! I hate to seem like a coward, but I'm a lot
more afraid for you when you're in some danger than I would be if it
were myself. That's why I'm so leery of this fellow Broom. I'm sure he
means some sort of mischief, and I surely do hope that Mr. Durland and
Dick Crawford will make you feel the same way about it that Tom Binns
and I do."
"What, are you in on this, too?" asked Jack, with a smile, turning to
little Tom Binns.
"I certainly am, Jack!" answered Tom. "I think Pete's quite right."
Then they got the car, and took the road for Mardean, prepared to turn
back when they reached the right cross roads, and scout along toward
Fessenden Junction.
Before them, on the other branch of the Mardean road, toward Tryon
Creek, there had been heavy firing. That had gradually died away,
however, and presently, as they sped on, they met a single soldier on
horseback. It proved to be their friend, Jim Burroughs.
"Hello, Lieutenant!" called Jack, cheerily, as he stopped his car and
saluted. "How is the battle going?"
"Fine and dandy," returned Jim Burroughs, reigning up his horse. "We got
to Tryon Creek, and we licked them there. They didn't come along for
more than two hours after we were in position. The umpires stopped the
fighting after a while, and gave us the decision. I don't see how
they're going to get through to Fessenden Junction, and, if we hold them
on this line, they'll never get near enough to the capital even to
threaten it, that's one sure thing!"
"I'm certainly glad we got the true news," said Jack, after Jim
Burroughs had ridden on. "It would have been fierce if that fresh
lieutenant had been wrong himself, and we had given our own army false
information that would have enabled them to beat us. But it's all right,
as it turns out, and I guess that they haven't got any chance at all of
beating us now."
"I'm glad of that, too," said Pete. "We certainly took enough trouble to
get the right dope, didn't we?"