The Auto Boys' Vacation Part 11

While Phil was relating the substance of what Paul told him and what the two papers revealed, MacLester sniffed suspiciously and gradually a.s.sumed his customary expression when doubtful opinions were being aired, apparently for his own benefit. While Phil was talking, Paul had extracted the crumpled printed sc.r.a.p, evidently clipped from some long forgotten town weekly, and the mysterious pencillings on the mussed envelope.

One after the other Dave and Billy examined both the printed clipping and the soiled, misused envelope on which were sundry drawings in pencil. Finally Dave sniffed suspiciously.

"S'pose we _do_ turn off here and do as Paul wants us to? S'pose we spend a day or two enlarging our hotel bill, and don't find anything after all? Besides, who would believe anything Coster says?

n.o.body"--here a skeptical look at P. Jones, Esq., now dressing in some haste--"n.o.body, I say, but him." Dave jerked a finger at Paul, who was pulling his s.h.i.+rt on over his head.

"I hear you," came Paul's voice, half smothered as he struggled up through the s.h.i.+rt and, his head popping into view, he eyed MacLester in disdain.

"Oh, I don't know!" remarked Worth, nodding at Phil. "What do you think of it, boss?" meaning Way.

"I think just what I said to Paul last night. It's a gambling chance.

Shall we take it? Is it up to a vote?"

"You bet!" shouted Paul, greatly enthused. "In the first place it will be lots of fun. No one seems to know anything about this secret place of hiding or what may possibly be hidden there but us. Do they now?"

"N-no." This from Worth, who was evidently much impressed. "We may be fooled, but who shall say that Coster wasn't acting on the square? I saw Paul going out of his way to make Coster a mite more comfortable, especially after he was caught with the goods on him, so to speak. Bad as he is, he may have had some notion of doing Paul the only good turn he alone could do, by putting him wise to this thing. Anyhow, it's fun and fun is one thing we're after."

"Well, then," remarked Phil, "shall we put it to a vote?"

"Yep--let's vot'er now, right off the bat." So added Jones, by now fairly in his trousers and reaching for his footgear. "I vote yes--yes, siree!"

"So do I," said Billy, glancing quizzically at Dave. "Me for treasure hunting! Gee! Wouldn't I like to feel my shovel sc.r.a.pe something hard, and see my hand pull out a wad of bank notes all caked with woods dirt?"

"What do you say, Mac?" Phil was looking at MacLester, who colored slightly.

"I--I'll vote last. You say what you'll do, Phil."

"Oh, well, if you want my decision, I'll say yes." Phil here grinned openly at Paul. "I'm fond of our youngest comrade and I want to please him whether we find anything or not."

All looked at Dave, who at first looked foolish, but straightway an open smile wreathed his ruddy Scotch face as he said:

"I'm with you, Phil! Paul sometimes acts the fool, but he means well all the same. Here's for the treasure! If we don't get it, maybe we'll have some fun out of it after all."

CHAPTER XI

Pa.s.sING THE LOAD OF HAY

Later that morning the Big Six was spinning over the road eastward from the small village where the preceding debate had occurred. Before starting Phil had asked their host if he knew of an old inn some miles ahead that had formerly been prosperous during the old stage-coaching days, before the advent of the railroads. The tavern keeper scratched his head as he reflected. Finally he said:

"Can't think of nary place onless it's what they used to call the Ghost Tavern, but--law me! That place must 'a' rotted down before now."

Phil intimated that this might be what he was after, asking how far the inn with the foreboding name might be.

"Might be thirty mile or it might be fifty or more, I can't say. You might pa.s.s it not knowing where it is, and yet be within a few rods of where it is--or was. It's a woodsy neighborhood, and seems to me that I heard it had burned down but I won't be sure. Anyhow, that's the only place I've learned of beyond here, eastward, that in the least is like what you been asking about. What might you kids be wanting such a place for? Looks like I'd ruther pa.s.s it not knowing there was such a thing near as a ghost tavern."

Phil replied evasively, for it was decided to say nothing at present as to what the boys were up to. At least to say nothing that might make others think that anything out of the common was embodied in their present purposes.

Before the car started, however, the innkeeper, still scratching his grizzled head, looked up again, saying:

"Seems like I heard 'way back yonder that there was a tavern near where a big railroad robbery took place. But I ain't sure. Old folks like me find that we forgit easier than we remember. However, I wish ye all good luck. Keep your eyes open, boys, and don't go it blind--at least no blinder 'n you can help. So long!"

All this strengthened their confidence in the sincerity of Coster's last bequest to P. Jones, Esq., who plumed himself accordingly, after his customary manner. He pinched Dave's arm as he said:

"Bet your life, Dave, there was more in what Coster gave me than you thought! You're driving. You watch the road. Me and Phil and Billy will keep up a lookout that will not miss that old tavern, ghost or no ghost."

"S'pose the old rookery has been burned or made way with?" Dave propounded this while curving his course round a steep embankment that made the roadway barely wide enough for two vehicles to pa.s.s. Before Paul had time to retort a rumble ahead broke in on their ears. Dave instantly turned towards the bluff on his right, for the shelving embankment sloped steeply to the left.

"That's right, Mac!" interposed Paul, his attention being thus diverted from a witticism at MacLester's expense. "Jam her close to the bluff and let the other fellow do the worrying."

Just then, round the further end of the curve came a farm wagon loaded with hay, one man driving as he sat cramped against the dashboard, while on the load behind was a boy and a girl, both somewhere along their teens in age. When the farm team saw the purring car they balked, tried to shy dangerously towards the slope, but the man behind reined them up so sharply that they were halted midway of the road and about twenty feet from the car. Dave at once shut off the power and the purring ceased.

"Say, mister!" called the man anxiously. "How we goin' to pa.s.s ye?"

"We've tried to give you all the room we could, don't you see?" This from MacLester as he leaned coolly back in his seat. "You'll have to slow up, then go at a walk to the right, won't you?"

"My team's sorter skeery along here. They ain't used to you autermobile fellers. Whoa thar! What ye up to now?"

The team was trying to shy again as they eyed the strange monster just ahead that was as terrifying to them as when some unsuspecting hunter suddenly sees just ahead of him a dangerous beast of prey. Meantime Phil, noting the alarm of the girl on the hay and similar symptoms in the younger boy, was taking in the possibilities of the situation. He signalled to the others to keep silent, then sprang out of the tonneau and made cautiously towards the team, speaking soothingly the while as the man held them in tightly.

"Let me get hold of their headstalls," he called, raising his voice slightly. "I think we can manage it. We'll pa.s.s each other all right."

By cautious management, speaking calmly to the horses, Phil managed at last to seize first one bridle, then the other, rubbing his hand propitiatingly over their noses, while securing a good grip on the startled animals, and began leading them to the left, towards the bluff.

At the same time he called to Dave, in a low but distinct tone:

"Loose the brake! Get out, two of you, and back the car gently. Keep her headed towards the middle of the road. Don't release your clutch, Dave."

With some difficulty Phil's directions were implicitly followed by the boys, all of whom had learned in the past to defer to Phil's judgment when sudden decisions were required. When the Big Six was squarely midway of the road and pointed slightly outward towards the dangerous slope, the car was halted, and Paul and Billy clambered back into the machine.

"Now, my friend," said Phil, "if I lead them, can you turn in close to the bluff, right where we were when we first saw you?"

"I'll try mighty hard. Whoa, Jack! Easy now, Jill!"

With Way still at their heads, the wagon and its c.u.mbrous load were safely jammed against the side of the bluff.

"Perhaps the young lady and the boy better get off on the upper side.

We'll try to pa.s.s you, but your team may not like the situation." Phil smiled. "It may cause trouble, but we will be as careful as we can."

"Well, boss," said the man, "you sure are good boys. My team--well, I don't know what they might have done if I'd tried to pa.s.s you on the outside."

He turned back to the couple on the hay. "Say, Danny, you slide off and then help Nan down. Be keerful! Remember she's your sister, and if she gets a fall you'll have to settle with me later."

Danny, a straw-hatted, barefooted lad with a freckled face and dangling legs, managed to slide himself down against the bluff and also managed to a.s.sist the girl in following him to a spot where they could uneasily await further developments.

"Better not start your car until I git by," remarked the farmer, while Phil, still holding the bridles, aided the loaded wagon to slip by the red monster, now quiet enough on the dangerous side of the road. Once their backs were towards the machine the team quieted down quickly enough.