Swamp Island Part 41

Hod grasped Penny's arm, while his brother aided Danny with the boat.

"No go!" ordered a cool voice from the thicket. "I gotta you covered!"

As the three men whirled around, Tony, rifle in hand, came out of the deep shadows.

"Stand-a by tree!" he commanded, motioning with the gun. "Keep-a hands up!"

Sullenly the three men obeyed. Tony guarded them closely until policemen swarmed over the island.

In the first boat were Salt, Jerry and several officers. Behind came a second boat, also loaded with policemen.

Danny, Hod and c.o.o.n quickly were handcuffed and placed under heavy guard.

Tony then helped Penny release her father.

"What about Ezekiel?" the publisher asked. "We ought to get him too!"

Jerry revealed that the swamper already had been taken prisoner at Lookout Island. Two policemen had remained behind to guard both him and his wife.

"Oh, Jerry! I'm so glad you got through safely!" Penny declared. "Did you have any trouble?"

"Not a bit," he replied. "When I reached the farmhouse, police already were there. Mrs. Jones had telephoned them."

"We arrested Mrs. Hawkins," Salt took up the story. "Then we captured Ezekiel at Lookout Point, and followed your boat here. Most of the time we had you in sight, though from a long distance."

Penny was greatly relieved to be able to turn over the three cans of stolen money to police officers. By lantern light a hasty count was made and it was disclosed that a sizeable portion of the funds were missing.

However, when Danny Deevers, Hod, and c.o.o.n were searched, a large roll of bills was found in the escaped convict's pocket.

"This should account for it all," said the police officer, taking charge of the money and adding it to the other. "So you were trying to double-cross your pals, Danny? Figured on keeping the lion's share!"

Danny glared at the officer, refusing to answer.

"So you got nothing to say, eh?" the officer prodded. "Maybe you'll be in a more talkative mood when we get you back to the pen. You'll do double time for skipping out!"

Danny's sullen gaze fastened briefly on Jerry Livingston.

"I got only one regret!" he muttered. "I wish I'd slugged that guy harder when I had the chance!"

"May I ask the prisoners a question or two?" Penny asked the officer in charge.

"Sure, go ahead," he nodded. "If you get anything out of 'em, you're good."

Penny knew that Danny, a hardened criminal, would never give her any information, so she centered her attention upon Hod and c.o.o.n.

At first, they only eyed her sullenly, refusing to speak. But after she had pointed out that a more cooperative att.i.tude might bring a lighter sentence, they showed a little interest.

"How did you come to be mixed up with Danny?" she asked. "Were you all together in the big bank robbery?"

The question drew fire from Hod.

"No, we weren't!" he shouted. "We never even knowed where Danny hid the money until tonight!"

"Then why were you so willing to hide and help him?"

"'Cause him and Paw always was good friends! Danny come here, saying the cops was after him and would we give him some clothes and hide him fer a day or two? So like fools we was, we took him in and kept him in the woodshed. It would have been safe enough if you hadn't come snoopin'

around!"

"No doubt you all would have gone free if you hadn't made the mistake of keeping Louise's dog," Penny retorted. "However, you seem to forget you were operating a still illegally."

"Anyone else in on that business?" the policeman cut in. "How'd they market the stuff?"

"Through a trucker at Hartwell City," Penny exclaimed. "I think they called him Ike."

"Too bad the bird will go free, while these eggs do a stretch in the pen," commented the policeman. "You can depend on it though, they'll never do the smart thing and turn him in."

"Oh, wouldn't we?" growled Hod. "He was no pal o' ourn!"

"Would it git us a lighter stretch if we was to turn him in?" asked c.o.o.n craftily.

"It might."

"His name's Ike Glanzy and he stays mostly at the Devon Club in Hartwell City," Hod volunteered.

"We'll pick him up," said the policeman. "Depend on it, he'll be behind bars before another twenty-four hours. Now let's get out of here!"

As the boats began to load for the return trip through the swamp, Penny glanced anxiously about the tiny clearing.

"Where's Tony?" she asked.

No one had seen the Italian lad in the last few minutes. Unnoticed, he had slipped away into the interior of the island.

"We can't leave without Tony!" Penny protested. "He's afraid he'll be sent back to Italy, so he's run off somewhere!"

"He can't have gone far," said Salt. "We should be able to find him."

However, an intensive search of the bushes nearby did not reveal the missing youth. At last, in desperation, Penny called his name several times.

"Please, Tony, give yourself up!" she pleaded. "You won't be sent back to Italy! I'm sure of it! Please come out of hiding!"

"If that appeal doesn't fetch him, nothing will," said Salt. "We've held up the party too long now, Penny. We've got to shove off."

Penny nodded disconsolately. When the photographer took her arm and started back toward the waiting boats, she did not resist.

But after they had gone a few yards, she abruptly halted.

"Tony _is_ close by!" she insisted. "I can _feel_ that he's watching us now! Listen! Don't you hear the bushes rustling?"

"I do hear something. Maybe it's only an animal."