The Banner Boy Scouts Snowbound Part 32

Paul drew back and touched each one of his companions in turn. They knew just what the gesture he made signified. The time for action had come, and they were thus invited to take part with him in the holding up of the desperate pair.

That the tramps belonged to this cla.s.s of wandering criminals there could not be the least doubt after hearing s.n.a.t.c.hes of their conversation. This affair of Mr. Briggs' store was apparently but one of many similar episodes in their careers.

The little party now proceeded to creep around to the front of the shack. They knew, of course, that the door had been repaired and that it was also closed tightly, but Paul hardly believed they would find any difficulty in pus.h.i.+ng it open.

Arriving at the point that was to witness their sudden attack, Paul marshaled his followers in a compact ma.s.s. He meant to imitate in some degree the flying wedge used upon the football field with such good effect.

Tolly Tip was given the post of honor in the van. This was done partly because of the fact that he was a man, and the boys felt the tramps would be likely to feel more respect for a company of invaders led by a grown-up.

After the woodsman came Paul and Jud. Jack, Bobolink and Tom Betts formed the base of the triangle which was to push through the opening with all possible speed, once the door had been thrown open.

Even though they found it fastened by some sort of bar or wooden pin, Paul had arranged in his mind just how such fastenings could be broken without trouble. He had noted quite a good-sized log lying near by, used by the vagrants in their seclusion to chop their firewood on. And Paul had decided that this log would make an admirable battering ram.

The door was old and feeble, so that one good slam would doubtless hurl it back, and give them free ingress.

There was no need of all this display of energy, however, for upon investigation Paul discovered that he could easily move the door, once he got his hand on the wooden latch.

He only waited to make sure that the others were ready, and then fell back into his pre-arranged place, leaving to Tolly Tip the honor of opening the way.

When the woodsman felt a hand jab him in the short ribs he recognized this as the signal from Paul for which he had been waiting. He immediately threw the door back with such violence that it crashed to the floor, its weak hinges giving way under the strain.

In through the opening the whole six of them poured. The boys' hunting guns were instantly leveled in the direction of the astounded tramps, who started to scramble to their feet, but, cowed by the display of force, sank back again in dire dismay.

"Hold up your arrms!" roared Tolly Tip, just as he had been instructed to do by the scout-master.

Both hoboes made ludicrous haste to elevate their hands as far as they could. In the excitement of the moment, having only caught glimpses of khaki uniforms, they imagined that a detachment of the State militia had been called out to search the woods for the firebugs guilty of trying to destroy Mr. Briggs' establishment in Stanhope.

By the time they realized that five of the invaders were only boys it was too late to attempt anything like defiance. Besides, those shotguns and rifles, even when held in boyish hands, had just as grim a look as though gripped by grown-up warriors.

"Jud, you've got the thongs I supplied!" called out Paul, "so get busy, with Jack to help you, and tie their hands behind them. Slip those mitts on before you do it, because we've got a long way to go, and it would be cruel to have their fingers frost-bitten on the road to Stanhope."

The men dared not offer any objections, though they kept using strong language, much to the disgust of some of the scouts.

"Paul, tell them that unless they close their mouths and quit that swearing we'll gag them both," said Jack, unable to endure it any longer.

"I was just about to say that when you took the words out of my mouth!" declared the scout-master, indignantly. "I've got a couple of gags ready here, made for the occasion. If you know when you're well off, you fellows, keep still, and accept your fate like men. You're only going to get what you deserve after all."

"It was a bad day for you both when you struck Stanhope," said Jud, with one of his tantalizing grins. "I only wish I knew the tramp signs, so I could write a warning on every fence outside the town so's to keep other hobo yeggs away."

Having accomplished the object of their mission without any trouble they now went back to join their comrades, who were anxiously waiting for the signal Paul was to give in case their help was needed. And great was the disappointment of Bluff, Sandy, Frank, Spider and Phil when they found that they had been left out of the game.

CHAPTER x.x.xIII

CONCLUSION

Once more striking the frozen creek the boys, accompanied by Tolly Tip still, headed down the stream, bent upon reaching Lake Tokala early in the afternoon. The two prisoners were well looked after, though there was little danger of their giving any trouble.

Upon searching them the boys had found some money and several small articles of more or less value that they suspected had been taken from the storekeeper's safe at the time of the robbery. These would perhaps a.s.sist materially to convict "Billy" and "Shorty" when the time for their trial came.

The men, stolid, after their kind, seemed to have become reconciled to their fate. Nevertheless, Paul did not mean to relax his vigilance in the least degree. He knew very well that such cunning characters would be ready to take advantage of the least opportunity to break away.

In fact all of the scouts had resolved to be constantly on the watch.

They were in imagination already receiving the hearty congratulations from some of the leading townspeople for capturing the guilty rogues, and did not mean to be cheated out of their pleasure through careless handling of the case.

"There's the lake!" announced Jud Elderkin, presently.

"Yes, and I can see smoke coming from the cabin of Abe Turner!"

Bobolink hastily added, for he knew just where to look for the humble domicile of the man Mr. Garrity had stationed at the lake to make preliminary preparations for the extensive logging operations he meant to start on the following spring.

Abe heard their shouts and greeted them warmly. Of course, he was interested on discovering that they had captured the two tramps, and admitted that there could be no reasonable doubt of their guilt, once he heard the story, and saw Shorty's scorched hand.

But the boys did not mean to stay over night at the lake. That would make their next day's journey too long, for they hoped to get into Stanhope before the setting of another sun.

Tolly Tip said good-bye sorrowfully. He concluded that he might as well stay with Abe that night for company.

"'Tis harrd to say ye go away, lads," the old woodsman told them, as he wrung each scout's hand with a vim that made him wince. "Depind on it, I'll often think av ivery one av ye as the days c.r.a.pe along.

Here's a good luck to the whole bunch! And be sure to remimber me to Mr. Garrity."

"We will, Tolly Tip, and here's three cheers for you!" cried Bobolink; and no doubt the vigorous shouts that arose would ring pleasantly in the ears of the old woodsman for many a day.

The boys managed to cross the lake and use their iceboats in the bargain, for the violence of the wind had kept most of the surface clear of snow. It was a new experience to the two vagrants, and one they hardly fancied; though the boats they were placed on did not make any remarkable time, the breeze being very light.

Once on the Radway river, the boys found it necessary to drag the boats pretty much all the way. They kept on, however, until the sun was setting, and then concluded to camp for the night.

Paul knew that this would be the time when the most danger would arise concerning the possible escape of the prisoners. He was more than ever determined that such a catastrophe should not occur, even if he himself had to sit up and keep watch all through the night.

The boys chose a very good spot for a camp, in that there was an abundance of loose wood at hand that could be used for fuel. Jud also suggested that they build two fires, so that they would have a certain amount of warmth on either side.

"That's a good idea," said Paul, falling in with it immediately, for he saw how it would simplify matters in connection with their prisoners.

He did not dare allow these men to have the freedom of their arms, for there could be no telling what they might not attempt in the desire to gain their freedom. And with their hands tied the lack of circulation might cause their extremities to freeze unless looked after.

Supper was cooked, and things made as cheerful as the conditions allowed. Indeed, most of the boys thought that it was rather in the nature of a novel experience to be forced to sleep amidst the snow banks, and with only a scanty brush shelter between themselves and the clear, cold sky.

Few of them secured much sleep, it may as well be admitted. Paul himself was on the alert most of the night. Dozens of times his head bobbed up, and his suspicious eyes covered the cowering forms of the two prisoners, who had been placed where they would get the full benefit of the twin fires.

Then again the fires needed frequent attention, and Paul took it upon himself to see that they did not die down too low; for the night was still bitter cold. As an abundant supply of wood had been gathered by willing hands it was not very hard to toss a few armfuls on each fire from time to time.

Morning came at last, and the scouts were up with the break of day.

The fires were again attended to, and breakfast started, for the lads knew they would have a hard day's journey before them.

There was a strong possibility that they would encounter some huge drifts which might block their pa.s.sage; and it was this that gave Paul the most concern.

It was nearly eleven when they finally sighted the place where the one-time ca.n.a.l merged its waters with the Radway river, forming the connecting link between that waterway and the home stream.

"Looks like an old friend," a.s.serted Jud, when they had turned off the wider stretch and started to follow the ca.n.a.l.