Messenger No. 48 Part 26

During the last portion of the journey, Jet dozed as he rode along, forcing himself to open his eyes now and then to make certain he was on the right course, and it was while he was thus in a semi-conscious condition that a shout from a clump of bushes told the tramp was nearly at an end.

"That is Mr. Harvey," Jet cried, gleefully, all desire for slumber gone from his eyelids now.

CHAPTER XVI

ON THE TRAIL.

The detective had crawled out of the bushes by the time the new-comers were opposite his place of concealment, and, before speaking to the two men, he clasped Jet warmly by the hand, as he said:

"I knew you could do the job, if it was in the power of any one, my boy. After making the capture, single-handed, it would have been strange if you had failed at the last minute."

"He didn't tell us that it was him who took the fellow prisoner," one of the men said, in surprise.

"But he did it nevertheless, and I would trust him as far as any person I ever saw."

Then the men held a short consultation as to what should be done, and Harvey insisted on making a detour, in order to approach the house on the side opposite where he believed the enemy were stationed.

"If you help me on the horse I can ride," he said, "and it will be possible to hold communication with the besieged, if nothing more."

"But you should go where your wound can be dressed properly."

"There is time enough for that. I want to get hold of Bob, and then I'll give you fellows a chance to clear up the counterfeiting case."

Since Harvey was really the leader of the expedition, the others could do no more than advise against his engaging in work, and he led the way, seated on the saddle, with his wounded leg fastened to the pommel in such a manner that it would not be injured by the trees while they were pa.s.sing through the woods.

In due time the party came to a point from which the building could be seen.

A deep silence reigned. One would have said the house had long been deserted.

"I'll go where they can see me, and, if no one shoots, climb over the wood-pile," Jet suggested.

To this plan Harvey would not listen.

He first sent the new-comers to beat the thicket on this side, for the purpose of learning if any of the enemy were in the vicinity, and, when they returned with the information that no one had been seen, he advanced to the very edge of the bushes, where the signal was given.

"They won't be likely to answer it after having been fooled this morning," Jet suggested, and, without waiting for orders, he stepped beyond the shelter of the trees.

Instantly he did so one of the besieged appeared at the window, and hailed:

"Are you alone?"

"There are three besides me," Jet replied, and the words were hardly out of his mouth before the remainder of the party came into view.

"Are you all right?" Harvey shouted.

"Except for being mighty hungry and thirsty."

"Have you seen anything of the enemy?"

"Not since early this morning. It's my opinion that they have skipped after trying to get in here."

"We can soon find out," Harvey said. "We'll go boldly up to the gate, and before it is torn down we shall know how many are in the vicinity."

During the time Jet and the two men were forcing an entrance nothing more was heard from the adjoining woods, and when the party entered the yard it was with the belief that the gang had been frightened away by the escape of the detective and Jet, and the disappearance of their leader.

"It won't do to take chances," Harvey said, as his friends opened the door of the house. "Go out with these gentlemen who have just arrived, and make careful search. The boy and I will care for things here."

This order was obeyed after the detective had been a.s.sisted into the building, and the horse fastened in the stable.

The prisoner was occupying the same position as when Jet saw him last, and appeared to be thoroughly tired of the whole business.

"If you had brought up some food we might have stayed here until morning; but as it is I reckon we must make a move pretty soon."

"How strange that I never thought of such a thing," Jet replied, and straightway he began to blame himself, until his companion said soothingly:

"After what you have gone through with, it is not strange such a thing should have escaped your mind. We shan't suffer very much if we don't get anything for a few hours more."

A short time later the searchers returned laden down with provisions, and reported that they failed to find any signs of the enemy.

They had come upon a place where the ground appeared to have been lately disturbed, and on digging there discovered a large store of bacon, hard-tack, flour and potatoes.

Before waiting to discuss the situation, the hungry men at once proceeded to cook a hearty meal, two of them going in search of water, and while this work was being done Harvey had a long, serious conversation with Jet.

"There is no question but that they have grown frightened and run away," he said by way of beginning, and to this remark Jet a.s.sented, nodding his head.

"Our trip will have been a failure, despite the fact of having captured Joe, unless we also get Bob."

"It'll be mighty hard work to find him now."

"That may be; but yet I am depending upon you to do the work."

"Me?" Jet repeated in surprise.

"Certainly; what is to prevent?"

"I don't even know where to look for him."

"Neither do I; but we shall hit upon the trail after a while, for I believe in the maxim that 'all things come to him who waits.'"

"But surely some of these men could do better than I."

"Are you afraid to try it?" Harvey asked, as he looked Jet full in the face.

"Not a bit of it. I only thought that there'd be more chance of success if somebody else took the job. You see I've made a big fool of myself half a dozen times since this thing was started."