AT THE OLD MANSION
After that the chauffeur became more communicative, and in a few words
told how he had been engaged by Koswell and Larkspur to do a certain job
that they said might take the best part of the afternoon and night. They
had told him that a certain college professor at Brill had a wayward
stepdaughter and that the daughter and her school chum had grossly
insulted a lady teacher and were in danger of being arrested. The old
professor wanted to get the two girls away and place them under the care
of an old lady, a distant relative, who would know how to manage them.
He had been promised fifty dollars if he would do the work and say
nothing about it to anybody, he being informed that the old professor
wanted to avoid all publicity and also wished to shield his
stepdaughter.
"They told me first there were three girls," went on the man. "And so
there were, but one got away somehow, so then we took only the two."
"But you heard what the girls said, didn't you?" asked Dick, sharply.
"I was paying attention to running my car," mumbled the chauffeur.
"How about when I and my brother came after you on horseback? Why didn't
you stop and find out what we wanted?"
"The young fellow, Sobber, said you were from the school where the young
ladies attended and that maybe you wanted to arrest them. They made me
go on."
"That sounds pretty fishy to me," returned Dick. "Still, I won't condemn
you until this whole thing is cleared up. Just now we've got to find
those young ladies."
"Going to leave me tied up?" cried the chauffeur.
"Yes, until we get back."
"That aint fair nohow!"
"Well, fair or not, that's the way it is going to be," put in Tom. "My
own opinion is, you are almost as guilty as anybody. You didn't plan
this thing, but you were perfectly willing to do your share in carrying
it out."
The chauffeur begged and pleaded, but the three boys would not listen to
him. All were eager to go on, to ascertain what had become of Dora and
Nellie. They felt that the girls must be suffering intensely even though
Mrs. Sobber was with them.
"No use of taking the lantern, we can easily find the way," said Dick.
"I'd rather have the stick handy, and my pistol."
Leaving the chauffeur grumbling roundly, the three Rover boys hurried
along the woodland trail. It made half a dozen turns, the last around a
spring of pure cold water, which the tired-out lads could not resist.
Each got a good drink and felt much refreshed. All were too excited to
notice their hunger, even though they had not tasted a mouthful of food
since the noon lunch.
"I see the house!" whispered Sam, presently, and pointed ahead, and his
brothers nodded.
Set in a cleared space was an old stone mansion, two stories high, and
with several wings. The porch was badly rotted, the chimney top gone,
and the whole structure showed signs of decay. Around the place was what
had once been a well-kept flower garden, now overrun with a tangle of
dead flowers stalks and untrimmed rose bushes. Evidently no one had done
any work around the place for several years.
"Just the kind of a place those chaps would pick out," whispered Dick to
his brothers. "They never suspected anybody would trace 'em. I suppose
they found out the old mansion was not being used, and they either hired
it or took possession without asking."
"I begin to think this was all a well-laid plot," said Sam.
"Sure thing," muttered Tom. "The only trip-up they made was when they
didn't catch Grace as well as Nellie and Dora."
"And when old Crabtree dropped that visiting card," added Dick.
The boys saw that lights were burning in one of the lower rooms of the
old mansion and in two of the upper rooms.
"I guess they are all there," said Dick.
"Can't we get closer and make sure?" pleaded Tom.
"We don't want them to see us, Tom."
"Why not?"
"Because it might spoil everything. Remember they are four or five
strong, not counting the woman, and she would probably fight as hard as
anybody, if cornered."
"Five?" queried Sam.
"Yes, counting that fellow the girls took for a doctor."
"Oh, yes, I'd forgotten him. The machine certainly had a load coming to
the place."
"If the girls are there--and safe for the time being--I know what I'd
like to do," went on the big brother, after a pause.
"What?"
"Go to the nearest town and notify the authorities, and make that whole
crowd prisoners."
"That would be fine!" cried Tom. "But can we do it? They might try to
slip away."
"That is true, although I doubt it. I think their plan is, now they are
here, to lay low. They'll think they are perfectly safe here. Most
likely they'll send some kind of a letter to dad, and to Mrs Stanhope
and Mrs. Laning, asking for money, and then they'll wait for answers.
They'll want us to pay a big sum for the release of Dora and Nellie."
"If only we could capture them ourselves!" murmured Tom, his eyes
glistening. "Don't you think we can do it, with the sticks and pistols?"
"We might, Tom,--but it would be a big risk. Those fellows are
desperate, Sobber especially, and they must be armed, too. There is no
use of our getting shot if it can be avoided."
With extreme caution the three boys walked around the old mansion. In
one of the upper rooms, the curtains of which had been drawn, they could
make out several forms moving about.
"There, I think that was Nellie!" cried Tom, as a shadow appeared on the
curtain.
"And there is that woman!" added Sam, as another form appeared and
vanished.
"I'd like to know if Dora is there," murmured Dick.
They waited for a minute and saw several shadows pass and repass the
curtain. They were sure Nellie was there but were not so certain about
her cousin. The woman was Mrs. Sobber beyond a doubt.
"If they leave the girls in that room and alone--with that window
unlocked----" began Dick.
"The woman may stay with them," interrupted Tom.
"Get back--somebody is coming!" whispered Sam, and dragged his brothers
down, behind some rose bushes.
Two persons were coming out of the old mansion. One carried a lantern
and what looked to be some bed slats and the other a ladder. They were
Tad Sobber and Jerry Koswell.
"Do you think the ladder is long enough?" they heard Koswell ask.
"I guess so--I'll soon see," answered Tad Sobber.
The pair walked around to the side of the house and the ladder was
placed in position under the window of the room the boys had been
watching. Then Sobber went up with the slats, and some nails and a
hammer, and commenced to nail the slats across the window.
"He's going to make a regular prison cell of the room!" whispered Tom.
"Oh, if only I dared to run in and yank that ladder from under him!" he
added, with grim humor.
"Hush, or they'll hear you," warned Dick. "I am glad to see this," he
went on, in a low whisper. "It shows that they think they haven't been
followed and are safe. Now to get to the nearest town, notify the
authorities, and bag the bunch of them!"
"If we could only get some word to the girls," murmured Tom.
"Yes, Tom, that would be very nice. But we can't afford to take the
chance. If some of those rascals get away, sooner or later they'll make
more trouble for us."
"I know that."
"I think one of us might remain here on guard, while the others go to
town for help."
"How are you going to get to town?"
"I've got a plan for that," and Dick smiled faintly. "I'll make our
friend, the chauffeur, do us a good turn."
"What, will you go in that touring car?" cried Sam.
"Why not? It's a big, roomy car, and can carry a lot of officers of the
law. And we know it can make speed."
"All right, Dick, go ahead. I guess you know the right thing to do."
After a few words, it was decided that Tom should remain on guard while
Dick and Sam went for assistance. Dick cautioned Tom not to show
himself.
"If you do, you may spoil everything," said he.
"All right, I'll lay low," answered Tom, "that is, unless I find out
that the girls actually need me," he added. "I won't stand it if that
old woman, or Crabtree, illtreats them."
"No, if they try that, sail in and do what you can to save them," said
Dick.