The Boy Scouts Patrol Part 30

"Do you think they could have carried him off?" asked Pepper.

"I don't know what to think," replied the colonel. "It's queer.

You boys certainly have an amazing faculty for getting into trouble."

"But how did you get here?" asked Rand.

"I was just taking a stroll," replied the colonel, "when I heard the noise and came down to see what it was."

CHAPTER XXI

A SURPRISE

"W-W-WHAT was that?" stammered Pepper. "I t-thought I heard a cry.

T-t-there it is again," as a faint call came from the river.

The three boys were standing on the landing with Colonel Snow, still discussing the mysterious disappearance of Gerald.

"T-that you, Gerald?" shouted Pepper.

"Where are you?" cried Donald; but, without waiting for a reply, he threw off his coat and shoes and plunged into the river, swimming in the direction from which the cry had come,

"He's all right!" came the rea.s.suring cry from Donald a little later. "I have got him," and shortly afterwards reappeared paddling a boat in which was the bewildered Gerald, who was helped onto the landing by the colonel and the others.

"H-h-how did you g-get into the boat, Gerald?" asked Pepper when Gerald had somewhat recovered from the effects of his experience.

"Did you think it was a good time to take a row?"

"It looks that way," replied Gerald. "But when Rand called to me to stop them I ran out to try and head them off, but something gave me a rap on the head and the next thing I knew I found myself lying in that boat. Say, I feel as if I had a head like a pumpkin."

"I s-should think it would feel more like a s-squash," commented Pepper.

"That is going altogether too far," a.s.serted the colonel indignantly.

"It might have had a very serious ending. I think that there is a bad quarter-of-an-hour in store for that Rae boy if I can get hold of him in the morning."

As there was no likelihood that Monkey Rae would return to renew his attempt to injure the boat the house was locked and the boys went back to the town discussing, as they went, the events of the evening. The colonel was very indignant.

When they came near to the top of the hill they were met by Jack, who was running at full speed down the road.

"h.e.l.lo!" called Rand when he came near. "Where are you going in such a hurry?"

"h.e.l.lo," returned Jack, slowing up and joining the others. "Where have you been? I have been looking all over for you."

"Down to the boathouse," replied Rand.

"Down to the boathouse!" exclaimed Jack. "What took you down there tonight?"

"Why, we heard that Monkey was g-going to s-smash the boat," answered Pepper.

"Monkey!" cried Jack. "I wish I had been there----"

"Wouldn't have done you any good," said Donald. "He was too quick for us."

"Was any one with him?" asked Jack.

"Only Sam Tompkins."

"Ah!" returned Jack. "What did I tell you?"

"Don't know," replied Pepper; "you tell us so many things that we can't remember them all. What did you tell us this time?"

"About Monkey Rae and Sam Tompkins, and the queer coins you picked up in the road that day."

"I believe you did say something about Monkey and the coins,"

admitted Donald, "but I no paid much attention to it."

"But what has that got to do with the present excitement?" asked Rand.

"Listen to this," exclaimed Jack, stopping under an electric light to read a circular that he drew from his pocket.

"Three hundred dollars reward. Escaped from jail. Three hundred dollars will be paid for the arrest and detention of one James Rae, alias 'Limpy,' who escaped from the jail at Melton on June fifth.

Said Rae is about forty years old, stoutly built, and five feet eight inches in height. Has smooth face, red hair, and walks with a limp. James Robinson, Sheriff."

"W-w-why, t-t-that must be M-M-Monkey Rae's father," stammered Pepper when Jack had finished reading. "I knew he was away somewhere, but I didn't know he was in prison."

"Shure, there's lots of things ye don't know, me darlint," interjected Gerald.

"And he is the man who was with Monkey on the river," added Rand.

"And the man that was in the boat the other day," put in d.i.c.k.

"I hope they catch him!" said Pepper vindictively.

"Go for him, Pepper," encouraged Gerald.

"And that is what Monkey stole the fish for," continued Pepper.

"Of course it was," replied Jack. "Didn't I tell you there was something back of this monkey business?"

"But I no see it yet," remarked Donald.

"Of course you don't," said Jack. "You want it explained with a diagram. It was Rae who robbed Judge Taylor's office, and Monkey and Sam Tompkins helped him. He was hiding in the woods when we saw him."

"But what has that got to do with the coins?" demanded Donald.

"Why, they stole them out of the judge's office and lost them where Rand and Pepper found them. I've been studying this thing out ever since the night we were in the judge's office. You see, there was suspicion of some of us and I wanted to clear it off. It's all as clear as day now."