UNDER THE CAR
Reassured as to the fate of the car, Phil was about to turn back to
where Paul and Billy were still picking up the things, when Dave's voice
was heard:
"Oh, Phil! Here's trouble! Come on down here--quick!"
Shouting back to the two lads behind that the car was found, Phil jumped
down and ran round to where Dave was staring at something on the ground.
Meantime catching the meaning of Phil's words, Paul and Billy hurried
forward with the loads they already had.
"Geemineddy!" This was of course by Paul, always emphatic and
exclamatory. "If I ever get my hands on that old Six again, I bet she
don't go out of my reckoning soon!"
"I know just how you feel, Paul. I was to blame, but--oh, don't I wish
we had the chaps that did it!"
The two, their hands filled with sundry belongings, were hastening after
Phil who had vanished from their view. Down the slope, over the jagged
embankment they hurried, giving a yell as they saw the Big Six upturned,
but apparently safe. The tops of Dave's and Phil's heads bobbed up and
down on the further side of the car.
Reaching the spot, what was their surprise to see the body of a man
lying prone on the ground, his legs and part of his body fairly under
the car. Billy, after one look, gave a gasp of amazement. The man was
bareheaded, his face half turned under and pressed against the ground.
"Here, boys," began Phil. "Drop everything and let's turn the car off
his body!"
By the united efforts of all the Big Six was lifted at the forward end
so that the weight of the car no longer rested on the dead or insensible
man.
"Boys," said Billy, "that's the man in gray who wore the visored cap we
found back yonder. I'll swear to that. Is he dead?"
Phil and Dave, stooping closely, examined the man, and in so doing
turned his head to one side. There, near the temple, was a purplish
blot, from which a few drops of blood were trickling. At the same time
certain movements, not unlike muscular tremors, were evident in body and
limbs.
"Why, he's alive!" said Paul. "Let's get him more comfortably placed."
While this was being done Worth picked up a tin cup, ran to a rocky
puddle in the dried brooklet where some water was left, and returning
with the filled cup bathed the fellow's face and head, very gently now
that they knew life was not extinct.
This, aided by the more comfortable position in which he had been
placed, had such effect that the man's eyes soon opened. He groaned as
he breathed, while with one hand he attempted to feel his head near what
was now seen to be a bullet wound. Paul, wiping his head, felt a
protuberance under his hair, and directly thereafter drew forth a small
pointed bullet, such as is much used with pocket pistols of the Smith &
Wesson type.
"Well, well!" exclaimed that lively youth. "If here ain't a regular
twenty-two pistol ball. It must have glanced along under the skin near
the temple and come out again. Who could have done it?"
When the man felt Paul's hand extracting the ball from his mass of
touzled hair, he clutched at the place, saying:
"I always--told--Dippy--that gun--was no--good--" A scuffling sigh, and
the fellow was again in a swoon.
What had they better do now? Here was their car, all right except for
some scars and bruises incurred during the last flight after Billy was
captured and stowed away in the old tavern. Where was the other man? As
usual in such stress, Phil again took command of the situation.
"This man's not dead. He may recover. He's either been shot by someone
or he's shot himself, which isn't likely."
Here the man struggled into a half sitting position, as he murmured:
"Didn't sh-shoot myself! Dippy shot--me! Dippy always--poor--shot--"
Then with a groan he fell back again into a state of coma. Phil, looking
hastily over the car, now said:
"Help right the car, boys."
This was accomplished almost as soon as said, by simply easing the upper
side down so that the Six again stood on "all-fours," as Paul expressed
it. It stood squarely across the brook-bed, headed towards the railroad
which here was not more than an eighth of a mile distant.
"Now, Paul," resumed Phil, "you hike across through the brush to the
railroad, if necessary. It may be the real highway lays over there
somewhere. Pick out the easiest way to get our car there. We can hardly
go back the way we came, can we?" The others shook their heads at this.
"When you're through, come back. Mebbe we'll meet you on the way."
Without a word Paul vanished in the thick undergrowth beyond the
brooklet. Meanwhile Dave was examining the car, which he pronounced
uninjured by the rough usage to which it had been subjected with the
exception of sundry scars and a slight twist in one of the minor
connecting rods, easy to readjust. Both he and Phil were kept busy
restoring the things that had been dumped out by the fleeing couple
during the last stages of that hurried flight to--where? Probably where
they thought the nearest open road would be; or perhaps it was the
railroad and the nearest station they sought.
When Paul came back, he said that they were only a short distance to the
new highway and the railroad. The guide book told them that they were
within a very few miles of a small station east, while Midlandville, the
nearest town west, was not more than two hours away, with a good road.
"Better put that chap in the tonneau, hadn't we?" suggested Worth.
"Aw, where'll we take him?" This from Dave who now was in the driver's
seat.
"Looks like we had enough trouble long of him and his mate as it is."
"Put him in back, of course," corrected Phil. "If these two are in bad
about something, it is our duty to keep track of this one, for the
present at least. Who knows? He may give us a pointer yet as to what
they were up to."
So the wounded man, despite his querulous complaints, was put in the
tonneau with Billy and Paul to assist him and do whatever was necessary
to make him as comfortable as conditions would permit.
Then the Big Six was started. As has been stated, the incline being
gradual, the big car, carefully steered, had less trouble in making the
remainder of the trip to the new highway than the boys anticipated.
True, with the injured man and the equipment of the lads the car was
rather crowded, but the motor did its duty, the purring sounds being as
even as could be wished. Paul, on his return, had broken down a sort of
trail which it was not difficult to follow.
Arrived at the roadway it had been already determined that, as the day
was already well spent, they would return to Feeney's for the night,
then make for Midlandville in the morning.
"Won't old Feeney open his eyes when we tell him what those two
strangers were up to to-day?" remarked Paul who, tired of fanning the
wounded man, had managed to exchange with Dave.
Not far from where they turned into the highway, it veered southward,
leaving the railroad to the right, and a mile further crossed the old
road along which the boys had motored that morning on their way to the
old tavern.
To say that they were cordially received by Mr. Feeney would be only the
truth. At sight of the bareheaded man in gray, his visored cap somewhere
among the things in the car, Pat eyed him perplexedly, saying:
"Holy Moses! Little did I think to see the likes of you back again!"
The wounded man opened his eyes slowly and blinked the lids when he saw
they were carrying him to the house from the car.
"Dippy done it--yes--Dippy--he done it." Then he fainted away again.
After the wounded man was placed on a cot in a small shed room attached
to Feeney's not very commodious house, Pat took Phil and Worth aside,
while Dave and Paul remained with the stranger. It was felt intuitively
that the man should be closely watched. Why none of them knew exactly,
except that their methods with Billy and the taking of the car indicated
that something was wrong, somewhere. What it might be, of course none of
them as yet had any distinct idea. Feeney scratched his head
meditatively, as he said to Phil:
"Them two fellers come here about night, afore you boys appeared. They
wanted to stay all night and after breakfast they had my wife put up
some grub; quite a lot of it. But when you came in, all at once they
took a notion to leave, sudden-like. After they was gone my woman found
the stuff we'd packed up, which they seemed to have forgotten. That's
all we seen of 'em until you came in here with that one in the fix he's
in now."
"It all does look mysterious," remarked Phil. "From a hasty look we took
in the old tavern we saw what looked like a forge and some tools. I
thought I glimpsed some dies but I might have been mistaken."
"Wait a minute," broke in Pat, going to the door of the kitchen. "Ma,"
he called out, "any sign of Nan and Dan yet?"
A broad-bosomed, red-faced woman appeared for a minute at the open
doorway, as she replied:
"No, Pat, I ain't seen nothin'. I went to the bend of the road, too.
It's time they was here onless something's bothered them."
Coming back to the two boys, Feeney explained:
"Last night, ruther late, Bill Spivee, our nearest neighbor to the west,
came over. He's got a telephone and he says that the Midlandville
op'rator asked him if any strangers had been round lately. Bill told 'em
he hadn't seen any, but that two fellers had stopped here, for I'd told
him that when we met up after puttin' up some marsh hay yon way,"
jerking a thumb southward. "We often puts up wild grass together.
"Well, later they 'phones ag'in. Asks Bill to see me right away and find
out all he could 'bout them strangers. If it was what they thought, them
fellers was wanted right away."
Feeney pointed towards the shed-room, as he continued: "We mustn't let
go of that chap, whatever happens, until we knows more."
"I should say not," put in Worth, who quickly related what these
strangers had done to him. Then Phil briefly described the subsequent
proceedings, including their finding the man senseless under the
overturned car, and with the pistol wound, finally showing the bullet
that had been found in his hair, which had glanced from the skull, as we
have described. Feeney looked at the bullet.
"Smith & Wesson pistol sure!" He thought a moment. "I think I saw that
pistol when the man that is missing changed some of his things, as I was
passing their door. After thinking it all over, I sent Dan and Nan on
horseback, soon after you all left, but I didn't say nothing, for I
didn't really know nothing. We needed more coffee, and that was a good
excuse. But I told the kids to be sure and see the operator of the
telephone booth and try to find out what was the matter. I reckon we'll
know if they ever get back."
Mrs. Feeney now appeared in the doorway and excitedly pointed westward.
"Nan and Dan's a-comin'. I can see 'em out at the kitchen back door.
There's nobody with 'em as I can see."
Just then Paul came in to say:
"That chap's come to again. Looks like he's worrying some. What ought
Dave and I to do? He seems to want Dippy, as he calls that mate of his."
Phil accompanied Paul back, while Worth remained with Pat to wait for
the arrival of the girl and boy. Their horses seemed tired, and stood
with drooping heads while they dismounted, delivered the coffee to their
mother and glanced shyly at Billy as the father explained briefly what
had happened.
The children brought news that as soon as a telegram could reach
Midlandville, two officers would start at once for Feeney's place. Might
get there some time in the night.
"Well, here's a pretty to-do!" exclaimed Mrs. Feeney. "How am I goin' to
feed so many strangers? You know, Pat, we're pretty near out of flour."
"Shucks, mother! We got plenty of meal and hog meat, and there's
vegetables. We'll not starve. Besides," here he whispered in Mrs.
Feeney's ear, "you'll get some money from 'em, eh? I knows you--"
"Pat, you know you're not going to charge them four boys, if they stay a
week. I've heard ye say so."
"Now, Mrs. Feeney," put in Billy, "don't you worry! We boys are not
going to cost you a dollar more than we'll pay back. We like you folks."
Here Billy winked boldly at Nan who laughed as she slightly blushed.
"Anything will do us."
"You sure are good boys," nodded Mrs. Feeney. "You were nice to my folks
on the way from the hay market. Pat and me are glad to have ye. But
these others--real strangers, that might be different."
"Oh, Billy," called Paul from the shed doorway, "please come here!"
Thus summoned, the two at once followed Paul into where the sick man was
picking at his wounded head and moaning:
"Dippy--done--it. What'd you do it for, Dippy?" A series of feeble
coughings ensued, and the man again seemed to swoon away.
"That's the way he keeps going on," remarked Worth, regarding Phil
attentively. "Reckon he ought to have a--a doctor?"
After another short consultation Dan, who meanwhile had eaten and felt
refreshed and rested, set out on another horse for the nearest
physician.
"Tell Doc the whole story, Dan," urged the father. "If we get any sense
outen him, mebbe it will help undo this mystery that surrounds the whole
business. Tell him I won't pay his bill, but the county probably will.
Thurfore he can stick it up to a pretty stiff figure."
Meanwhile Phil had been conferring with his three chums apart.
"I've made up my mind that some of us ought to visit that old tavern
again. There's something up down there or I'm a fool in judging by
appearances. How do we know that this Dippy, as that chap calls his
mate, may not slip in, having, as he may think, killed his partner, and
destroy what I saw when we went in after Billy? We've got time now. We
can take the car--Worth and me."
"That sounds bully," exclaimed Worth. "I'm with you. They kidnaped me; I
want to get even."
The only trouble now was that both Dave and Paul wanted to be "on," in
this adventure; but they yielded when Phil made it plain that part of
them must remain at Feeney's to make sure that the one they had captured
was in safe keeping. They all felt that if anything serious were in all
this, it was incumbent on all of them to be where things would go
smoothly.
"Well then," remarked Phil in low tones, "when Billy and I are gone, it
falls on you, (meaning Dave and Paul) to help Feeney when anything
happens."
Just then the wounded man suddenly sat up in bed, clapped a hand upon
his forehead and began to mumble to himself.
"No--good--" he began. "Metal--dies--all there. Then--Dippy--tries to
kill--me--"
"Who are you anyway?" suddenly demanded Phil, spurred by a sudden hope
that in his delirium the wounded man might let out something as his now
disordered brain appeared to connect the present with what he remembered
of the past.
"Me?" The man stared vacantly past Phil at the wall. "I--I'm
Jimmy--Horr. I'm--I'm--" His voice trailed off into a mumble.
Phil bent forward close as he demanded:
"If you are Jimmy Horr, who is Dippy? You've been calling him often
enough. We want to find him."
"D-Dippy--he--he's my partner. He's--he's Dippy Quinn--he--" Again he
stared, straight now at Phil. "Wh--who be you?"
Still staring, he fell back, trembling as if in pain, muttering:
"My head--my--he--head!" Then his eyes closed and he was off in another
apparent swoon.
"Come on, Billy," said Phil. "Let us be off! Are the things out of the
car?"
"Most of them," replied Dave. "I put 'em in the porch. Don't be gone
longer than you can help."
In they jumped, Phil at the wheel, and the car purred softly down the
old woods road towards the Ghost Tavern. Whether either of them knew
their departure was observed by the Feeneys was not important, and gave
them no concern. Both now felt that no time should be lost in finding
out if the partner of Horr was yet in that vicinity. Despite the
improbability, Phil could not help feeling that if those two had been
doing wrong in the old inn, it might be that the survivor, as he
probably deemed himself, might wish to pay a final visit there before
taking his stealthy departure.
In fact, so mysterious was the whole series of adventures which the boys
had gone through that almost anything might happen. In due time the Big
Six drew up near the old tavern, and the boys cunningly hid the car
behind a screen of shrubbery, where it would hardly be seen if any one
should pass by. Still Phil, in view of what had happened to the car,
made a suggestion.
"You stay here, Billy; at least until I call you or you see something is
happening. If I find anyone or anything that's dangerous, I'll let you
know."
"Will you--sure?" queried Worth anxiously.
Before Phil, now out of the car and heading for the porch could answer,
there came the muffled sound of something inside the inn being moved. At
the sound Billy seized a heavy walking stick from the driver's seat,
which no one ever used, but which was carried simply because it might
some time come handy. Giving this to Phil, he himself took a short thick
rubber tube used at times when gasoline was transferred from a tank to
the machine reservoir.
"I'm going with you, Phil," he whispered. "No use to say no!"