Messenger No. 48 Part 33

"I think we had better find out first what the officers did after we left, and a few hours can't make much difference, for I'll get rid of plenty of the queer to keep us going before we've been out a day."

"I'm not certain that it is best for you to do this thing, Jabe. A minstrel show can be tracked a dozen times where one man could give the officers the slip without trouble."

"I'm not intending to shove so much that there'll be any fuss. Just enough to put us in funds so we can skip if things begin to look black.

We wouldn't be in this shape if my advice had been taken; I always insisted that there was no reason why Joe should carry all the cash."

"He's a slick one, Joe is, and could get out of a tight place where you or I would be pulled."

"Well, with all his smartness he's cornered this time."

"That remains to be proven. He may have had to skin out while we were watching the house. If he was arrested we should have heard it before this."

"That isn't certain; none of the gang have showed up yet, and---- h.e.l.lo! Who is this?"

Jet looked toward the road and there saw the form of a man coming cautiously up the lane as if trying to avoid observation from those in the house.

Bob and Barker were on their feet in an instant both acting ill at ease, until a low, peculiar whistle was heard, which the latter answered in the same manner, and then said to his companion in a tone of relief:

"Now we shall hear the whole story."

"Who is it?"

"Sam, I reckon; yes it is," and Jabe advanced to seize the new-comer by the hand.

"Well?" Bob asked, as if impatient to hear the news.

"We're cornered, or at least poor Joe is. We did all we could, and the result is that I've left the other fellows in jail on the charge of resisting an officer."

Then Sam went on to tell of Jet's appearing in town with his prisoner, and the remainder of the story which is already known.

Bob was silent for several moments after the new-comer ceased speaking, and then said savagely:

"But for me that cub would have been put out of the way before he'd done anything except tell a certain story in New York. Now all I ask is a chance to get hold of him again, and I'll swear to it that he won't do any more mischief."

"What is the New York racket?" Barker asked curiously. "I've noticed that you and Joe had a secret which bothered you more'n this matter did."

"If I don't tell you there'll be no danger of your splittin' on us,"

was the gruff reply. "What I want to know is whether there's any show of our being tracked to this place?"

"Of course, no man can say that to a dead certainty; but unless the fellows who are jugged give the snap away, we're safe here, providing Jabe can take care of us," Sam replied.

Mr. Barker did not venture any advice, possibly because he feared it might not be safe to have too many guests at his house for the villagers to gossip about.

"What about the house in the woods?" Bob finally asked.

"Two fellows from Albany stayed there a couple of days, and then got tired of waiting. They took the train home last night."

"Did they find anything?"

"No; I went up to the big oak this morning, and there were no signs the ground had been disturbed since we left."

Again Bob was silent, and when he finally spoke Jet was considerably surprised.

"This part of the country is getting too hot for me, and I'm goin' to make a jump."

"Where?"

"Almost any place is better than layin' around so near. What do you say to a hunting trip in the Adirondacks, Sam?"

"It would suit me. How much cash have you got?"

"Enough to see us through."

"Then I'm ready any time."

"When can we leave here, Jabe?"

"I don't reckon you want to go through Albany?"

"Of course not, you fool."

"Then at five to-morrow morning you'll get a train from here to Schenectady, and there are plenty out of there to take you into the mountains."

"I don't fancy running around those big towns," Sam said, hesitatingly.

"Very well, stay behind if you choose; I'm going," and Bob terminated the interview by walking toward the house.

"It's something besides shoving the queer that's crawling on him now,"

Jabe said, as the short man pa.s.sed out of hearing.

"I reckon so; but at the same time I'm bound to be with him, for if there is a man in this country who can steer clear of trouble he is the one, and I don't care to be pulled on a charge of counterfeiting."

Jabe made no reply, and a few seconds later the two followed their friend into the house, leaving Jet to ponder upon the magnitude of the task he felt bound to undertake.

Not until everything was quiet did the boy venture to come down from his hiding-place, and then his plans were formed.

"Between now and to-morrow morning I can walk fifteen miles," he said to himself when he had gained the highway once more, "and then I should be mighty near the junction. There I shall be able to telegraph at any hour, and have everything ready to board this five o'clock train when it comes along. But if we should reach the Adirondacks, and those fellows ever got hold of me there, it would be all up with Jet Lewis."

It was, indeed, a desperate undertaking for him to follow these men into the wilderness where he could not call upon his friend for a.s.sistance; but never for a moment did he think of s.h.i.+rking the responsibility.

His first move was to see the manager, and represent that he was going down the road a short distance, in order to prevent anything being said to the constable before the two men should leave.

"I'll most likely meet you at the next town," he said, cheerily, as he went up stairs apparently to retire, and half an hour later he had slipped out of the house without being recognized by any one he knew.

At this late hour the village was in a state of repose, and he hurried to the railroad, saying to himself as he started down the track on the ties:

"Now we'll see how many miles I can cover between this and sunrise."