Dick Hamilton's Fortune Part 24

"Where?" asked d.i.c.k, excitedly.

"I was driving along last night," went on the young representative of the old metal concern, "and, just before I had my breakdown, I saw a wagon pa.s.s me. I looked in the back and saw something covered with a blanket. It was moving, and I wondered what it could be when I heard a dog bark. I thought it was rather funny to cover a dog up that way on a hot day. One of the men leaned back, and, when it barked, he hit the dog with a whip."

"Poor Grit!" murmured d.i.c.k. "Wait till I get hold of those fellows.

Where did they go, Henry?"

"I'll tell you. I was thinking that was a pretty mean way to treat a dog, but I never thought they might have stolen him, and were trying to keep him hid. I watched their wagon until it was out of sight and then----"

"Did you lose sight of them?" broke in d.i.c.k.

"I went on a little farther," continued Henry, "and one of the springs of my wagon broke. I knew I couldn't get it fixed until morning, so I unhitched the horse and drove him along until I came to a hotel. This was at Maysville, and when I got to the tavern I saw the same two fellows. They were just driving away, and I heard one say it wasn't far to the Eagle Hotel. Now there's an Eagle hotel in Leonardville, and I'll bet you'll find your men and dog there. I'd like to go back with you and help----"

"That's all right, Henry," interrupted d.i.c.k. "I guess I can manage,"

and, calling back his thanks to the young iron merchant, and promising to see him later, d.i.c.k urged his horse off at a gallop, disappearing in a cloud of dust.

"Now there's a good example for you to follow, old bag of bones," said Henry, addressing his own steed. "Why don't you try that for a change and you'd get home to supper quicker. Well, I s'pose you'll last longer if you don't go so fast," and, with that comforting reflection, Henry managed, after a time, to get his horse in motion, the beast having almost gone to sleep during its driver's talk with d.i.c.k.

"Now to find Grit!" exclaimed the millionaire's son, as he galloped on.

"Poor dog, I hope they haven't abused you very much."

d.i.c.k did not stop along the road to make any further inquiries. He reached Leonardville in good time and soon found his way to the Eagle Hotel. He let Rex trot into the stable yard, and, dismounting, told one of the hostlers to feed and water the animal when it had cooled off.

As d.i.c.k started up the steps to the porch, intending to make some inquiries of the landlord, he suddenly started back in surprise, for, coming out of the main entrance, was Simon Scardale.

"h.e.l.lo, Simon!" exclaimed d.i.c.k.

"Why-er-w-w-why, h.e.l.lo--d.i.c.k," stammered Simon. "Have you come to--what are you doing here?" he managed to say, with an attempt at pleasantry.

"I might ask you the same thing," responded d.i.c.k.

But Simon did not wait to hear anything further. He darted back into the hotel murmuring:

"Wait a minute--I've forgotten something--see you right away----"

"He acts as though he was afraid to meet me," thought d.i.c.k, as he walked on. "I wonder what he's doing here?"

An instant later he was surprised to see Simon come out of a side door and fairly run to the stables. At the same instant a man appeared in the door of the barn, and to him Simon made frantic gestures to remain hidden. Then, as d.i.c.k watched this by-play with a bewildered air, there came from the stable the bark of a dog.

"Grit!" exclaimed d.i.c.k. "Grit! Grit, old boy!"

The barks became a howl of rage and there sounded the rattle of a chain.

"Grit! Grit!" cried d.i.c.k, running toward the stable.

There was the noise of a chain snapping. Then came frightened shouts. An instant later Simon, followed by a ragged man and a youth, dashed from the barn with the bulldog in close pursuit. Out of the hotel yard they raced, with Grit growling and barking and making fierce leaps for them.

"Grit!" called d.i.c.k, but, for once, Grit refused to obey his master's voice. His heart was too full of revenge for the insults he had suffered.

Out into the highway ran Simon and the two others, with the dog gaining at every leap.

"Help! Save me!" cried Simon, as d.i.c.k ran out to see what the end would be. He was fearful that Grit would get one of the fleeing ones down and set his teeth into his throat.

"Grit! Grit!" he called, frantically, but the bulldog never heeded.

Simon turned, hoping to get out of the path of the maddened beast, but he did not reckon on Grit's quickness. The dog made a grab for Simon's trousers and caught them at the seat. There was a ripping sound, a frantic yell from Simon, and he fell, rolling over and over in a cloud of dust.

"Grit! Don't bite him!" shouted d.i.c.k, fearful of what might happen.

CHAPTER XVIII.

UNCLE EZRA'S VISIT.

But Grit had no intentions of wasting time on Simon when his revenge was not complete. He dropped the large piece of cloth he had torn from Simon's trousers and kept on after the two other fleeing individuals.

The ragged youth was the faster runner, and the man, lagging behind, turned as if to beat off the dog. But Grit was fearless. Right at the man he sprang, and the fellow gave a yell of agony as he saw the brute launched at his throat. But Grit was not blood-thirsty. He caught the man by the lapel of his ragged coat, and, in an instant, had pulled him to the ground. Then, having worried him until the thief must have thought he was being eaten alive, Grit left him and set off after the third of the trio.

The youth was becoming exhausted, but Grit was as fresh as ever. There was no give-up to him. He caught the ragged lad before he had gone a hundred feet farther and soon had him down. He fairly tore the coat off his back, and, after standing over him a few seconds, growling as though he was about to tear him into little pieces, Grit, with a satisfied shake of his head, started back on the run toward d.i.c.k.

"Grit! Grit, old boy! So they tried to steal you, did they?" murmured d.i.c.k, as the dog bounded up on him and frantically licked his face.

"Well, I guess they wish they hadn't."

Grit nearly shook himself apart trying to wag his stump of a tail to show his delight at again being with his master. d.i.c.k fairly hugged his pet, but the tears almost came to his eyes as he saw several cruel welts on the dog's satin-like coat, where he had been beaten.

"So they struck you, eh?" asked d.i.c.k, a fierce light coming into his brown eyes. "I don't blame you for taking after them as soon as you broke loose. I guess I'll have a score to settle with Simon and his cronies."

But there was no chance to do this. Simon gave one look at d.i.c.k and Grit as they walked back to the hotel. Then, trying to pull his coat down so as to conceal the big hole in his trousers, he hurried away up the road, after the man and youth, who had continued their interrupted escape as soon as they were a.s.sured that Grit had left each two legs on which to run.

"Well, Grit, old boy," went on d.i.c.k, as he entered the hotel. "I got you back without putting any two hundred dollars under a stone at b.u.t.ternut Creek, didn't I? But I guess Henry is ent.i.tled to his hundred of the reward. Now to make some inquiries."

The landlord soon told all he knew of the case. Late the previous night, he said, the ragged youth and his companion had arrived at the hotel, bringing the dog in the wagon. They said they had purchased it and were taking it to a man in the country. They paid for the keep of themselves and their horse and remained all night.

"This morning the well-dressed young fellow came along," went on the landlord.

"That was Simon," murmured d.i.c.k.

"He registered as Thomas Henderson," said the hotel keeper. "I didn't much like his looks, but I'm here to hire rooms and furnish meals to travelers, not to criticise 'em. I was a leetle s'prised that he seemed to know them other two, but I thought that was his business. He seemed to know the dog, too, but the beast didn't take much of a notion to him.

They stayed here all day, and one of my hostlers says the dog tried to break loose several times. They kept him chained in the stable, and they licked him more than once, I guess. They said he was savage and had to be beat to make him mind."

"Poor Grit," murmured d.i.c.k, and the dog barked joyfully at being again with his master.

"Wa'al," resumed the hotel man, "Simon, as you call him, an' the other two, they had several talks together. I heard 'em say suthin' about expectin' someone with money."

"That was me," interposed d.i.c.k, with a smile.