Books: The Rover Boys out West
A >>
Arthur M. Winfield >> The Rover Boys out West
Pages:
1 |
2 |
3 | 4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
11
"Now we'll take dat ring," said Nuggs, pointing to the article on
Tom's little finger.
"So I have fallen in with a lot of thieves, eh?" said the boy.
"Well, if you want the ring you can fight for it."
"Shut up!" roared Dan Baxter, and struck him across the mouth,
causing Tom's under lip to bleed. The boy tried to retaliate, but
his bonds held him fast.
While one tramp held his hand the other possessed himself of the
ring. The ring contained an opal of which Tom was very proud, and
to part with the article made the young cadet feel pretty bad.
"You will rue this night's work," he muttered. "I'll see you in
prison for it."
"Don't waste your breath in threatening," cried Baxter.
"All right, Baxter, wait and see. I'll put you where your father
is."
The bully's face reddened. "Will you shut up, or do you want
another crack on the mouth?"
"It's only a coward who would strike a person when he is helpless."
"Coward or not, I want you to keep a civil tongue in your head."
"Perhaps you imagine we don't know who tried to wreck the stage,"
went on Tom pointedly.
"Wreck a stage? I know nothing of such a thing."
"You know all about it. And we'll prove it too -- when you are under
arrest."
"I won't talk to you!" howled Baxter.
"Come with me," he added to the tramps, and then the three quitted
the building, leaving Torn to his reflections, which were dismal
enough.
"I'm in a pickle and no mistake," he murmured. "What will they do
with me next?"
Hour after hour went by and still Tom was left alone. In the
meantime Baxter had held a long conversation with the tramps and
had formed a compact with them, paying them the ten dollars as
agreed.
The sun was shining brightly when at last Dan Baxter re-entered the
old building.
"Getting hungry, I suppose," he remarked, with a wicked grin.
"Not particularly so," answered Tom coldly. He was hungry, but he
was not going to admit it.
"I suppose you would like to have your liberty," went on the bully.
"Don't ask superfluous questions, Baxter. Let us get down to
business. Why did you make me a prisoner, and what are you going
to do with me?"
"I made you a prisoner because I felt like doing so," growled the
big youth.
"And what do you propose to do next?"
"Teach you a lesson that you won't forget all your life, Tom
Rover."
"Thank you for nothing."
"I haven't forgotten how you and your brothers handled me out in
Africa -- and here, too, for that matter."
"You deserved what you got, Dan Baxter. Some persons would have
had you sent to prison for your actions."
"Bah! You don't know what you are talking about. What were you
doing out so late last night?"
"None of your business."
"Were you over to the Stanhopes' place?"
"Perhaps I was and perhaps I wasn't."
"Don't get mulish. Remember that you are absolutely in my power."
"And what if I was at the Stanhopes' place? Haven't I a perfect
right to go there?"
"Did you meet anybody there?"
"Yes, I did. I met your particular friend, Josiah Crabtree."
Baxter's face fell. "And what -- that is what did you have to say to
each other?"
"Crabtree tried to rob the widow--and I believe you were outside
waiting for him," Tom continued suddenly.
"Nonsense."
At this moment Stumpy Nuggs came in.
"There's a man comin' dis way!" he said excitedly, "Wot shall we
do?"
"A man!" ejaculated Baxter, in alarm. "I'll go out and see if I
know him."
He left the building with the tramp. The newcomer was approaching
along the gully path. As he drew closer Baxter recognized Josiah
Crabtree.
"Baxter!" exclaimed the former teacher, as, he carne up. "This is
fortunate; I was afraid you had been captured."
"And I was afraid you were in the same box," rejoined Baxter.
"I had a hard time of it to get away. I got lost in the woods and
had to remain out in the cold all night."
"Then you didn't succeed in getting what you wanted, or in seeing
Mrs. Stanhope?"
"No. Those confounded Rover boys turned up, and I had to -- ahem --
leave in a hurry. But who are these two men?" and Josiah Crabtree
looked apprehensively at the tramps.
"They are all right, Crabtree. They helped me do a slick thing
last night."
"Ah, and what was that?"
"I met Tom Rover on the road and they helped me to capture him."
"Indeed, and where is the -- ah -- young rascal now?"
"A prisoner in the old house yonder."
At this information Josiah Crabtree was much astonished, and begged
for the particulars of the affair, which were speedily forthcoming.
"And now you have him a prisoner, what do you propose to do?" asked
the former teacher.
"I'll soon show you," growled Baxter. "I'm going to do him up
brown -- or rather, black. See here."
He led the way back to the gully and pointed to a pot of tar and a
brush which rested by it.
"It is tar!" cried Crabtree.
"Exactly."
"And you are -- ahem -- going to give him a coat of that?"
"Yes. Doesn't he deserve it?"
"To be sure he does. I will assist you," answered the former
teacher readily, with a malicious gleam in his fishy eyes. "I wish
you had all three boys here, to tar them with the same brush."
"One at a time, Crabtree. We'll fix the others some time later."
A fire was started and the pot of tar was hung from a chain caught
up between two uprights.
Some of the softening stuff was smeared on the wood which was
burning, and this made the blaze more fierce than ever. Soon the
tar was near to the boiling point.
The two tramps had thrown themselves down to watch the
proceedings.
"Yer ought ter have some fedders," suggested Longback.
"I have. There was an old musty feather bed in the house. I'm
going to use that."
Going into the building Dan Baxter brought forth the feathers in
question, and placed them close to the pot of tar.
While he was doing this Josiah Crabtree went in to talk to Tom.
Of course the boy was surprised to see the former teacher, who eyed
him darkly.
"So Baxter has caught you," began Crabtree.
To this Tom made no answer.
"I presume you do not like your present position," went on the man.
Still no reply.
"You feel so bad about it that you do not even Wish to talk, is
that it?"
"No, I was just thinking of what an ugly, black-hearted villain you
were, Crabtree," aid Tom, looking him full in the face. "I don't
believe you have a single spark of honor left in you."
At this Crabtree's face grew as dark as a thunder cloud.
"Ha I how dare you address me in this fashion?" he cried.
"I know I am taking a great risk, but I cannot help it."
"Do you forget that you and your brothers are solely responsible
for my present position? That but for you I would have married the
Widow Stanhope and started one of the finest boys' school in New
York State?"
"Yes, and you would have made Mrs. Stanhope perfectly miserable,
and squandered every dollar that she holds in trust for Dora."
"That is your opinion, and it is worth nothing."
"My opinion is the opinion of everybody that knows you as well as I
do."
"You have constantly interfered in the doings of myself and of
others, and now you must stand punishment for the same."
"What do you intend to do?" demanded Tom quickly.
"I'll show you," broke in the voice of Dan Baxter, and he came in,
followed by the two tramps. Soon Tom was released from the
fireplace and marched between them out into the open air.
"How do you like that?" asked Baxter, as he led the way to the
fire. "Tar and feathers are fine, aren't they?"
"You would tar and feather me?" asked Tom, and now it must be
confessed that he shivered in spite of his efforts to remain calm.
"Yes, we'll tar and feather you," responded Baxter.
"And lay it on -- ahem -- thick, Daniel," put in Josiah Crabtree.
"Trust me for that."
Baxter gave a signal to the two tramps and they began to literally
rip Tom's clothing from his back. Soon the unfortunate youth was
stripped to the waist. Then Baxter caught up, a brush full of tar
and advanced upon him.
CHAPTER X
IN THE NICK OF TIME
"Baxter, don't you dare to tar me!" cried Tom, as the bully faced
him.
"Ha! ha! I guess you are pretty well scared now," laughed Baxter.
"Your former show of bravery was all put on."
"If you go ahead you shall suffer the full penalty for the outrage,
mark my words."
"Bah, Tom Rover, you can't frighten me. When I get through with
you I'll warrant that your own mother won't know you."
Tom tried to retreat, but each of the tramps held him by the arm,
so that he could not stir. As his legs were still bound, kicking
was likewise out of the question.
"Let me put a nice big cross on his breast first," said Baxter.
"Here goes!"
He reached out with the brush, but before he could touch Tom an
interruption came as forceful as it was unexpected.
A thick stick came flying through the air, hitting his arm and
sending the tar brush spinning to a distance.
"You rascal, let Tom alone!" came in Dick Rover's voice, and he
rushed in and threw the bully headlong.
"Dick! Sam!" came from Tom joyfully. "Oh, how glad I am that you
have come."
"Wot's dis!" gasped Stumpy Nuggs. "Longback, dare's trouble
ahead!"
"Yes, an' I don't intend ter be in it!" answered the second tramp.
"I reckon we've got about all we want out of dis crowd, anyway!"
And both tramps took to their heels.
Josiah Crabtree stood by, speechless. The interruption had come so
suddenly that he knew not what to do.
As quickly as he could Dan Baxter scrambled to his feet. As he did
so Sam leaped for the tar brush and secured it.
"Let me alone!" roared the bully, and began to back away. But as
he did so his hand went into his hip pocket and he drew a pistol.
"No, you don't!" cried Sam, and knocked the weapon from his hand
with the brush. This action caused, the hot tar to leave a heavy
streak over Baxter's face and neck, and be let out a yell that
would have done credit to an Indian on the warpath.
"Wait, I'll get even for this, Sam Rover!" he hissed, and then as
Dick advanced he turned and took to his heels, running as if the
Evil One were after him. Sam followed him, still swinging the
brush, but Dan Baxter was soon lost to sight in the bushes.
Dick now turned to where Josiah Crabtree had been standing. The
former teacher had recovered and was making tracks down the gully
toward the lake. The tramps had disappeared. He leaped to Tom's
side.
"We must bag some of them, Tom," he said, as he whipped out his
knife and set his brother free.
"There goes Crabtree -- let us collar him."
Both boys ran as never before, and came upon the former teacher
just as that individual reached the lake shore below the bluff.
Tom made a grab and caught him by the coat tails.
"Let me go!" snarled Crabtree, and aimed a blow at the cadet's
head. But Tom ducked, and the next instant put out his foot and
Crabtree pitched headlong into the lake.
"Help me! I'll be drowned!" spluttered the former teacher, as he
came up with his head covered with mud, for the lake at this point
was less than five feet deep.
"Climb out and you'll be all right," sang out Dick, and feeling the
bottom with his feet, Crabtree looked very sheepish and clambered
slowly up the bank.
As he stood before them, all dripping with water and mud, he looked
the picture of misery.
"Boys, this is a --- a -- sad way in which to treat your former
teacher," he wailed.
"Don't talk like that, or I'll be tempted to throw you in again,"
exclaimed Tom. "Dick, what will we do with him?"
"Hold him until we hear from Sam."
They looked up the gully and soon espied the youngest Rover
hurrying toward them.
"Where is Baxter?" asked Dick.
"He got away, but not until I had let him have that tar brush right
in the neck," answered Sam. "Hullo, so you have captured old
Crabby, eh? That's good."
"Surely you do not intend to --- ahem -- keep me a prisoner," remarked
Josiah Crabtree, in a voice which he tried in vain to steady.
"That's just what we do intend to do," answered Dick. "You'll
march right to the Cedarville lock-up with us."
While Dick and Sam guarded the prisoner, Tom ran back for his torn
coat and other garments, and also for the rope. When he returned
Crabtree's hands were bound and the cadets told him to move along.
He was searched, and a pistol was taken from him.
Crabtree went along most unwillingly. Once he refused to budge,
but Dick showed the pistol, and that settled his stubbornness, and
he went along as willingly as a lamb.
On the outskirts of Cedarville the party met Chief Burger and
Detective Trigger.
"So you have one of them, eh?" cried the chief. "Very good, very
good indeed. Turn him over to me and I will take him straight to
headquarters."
"You must be careful that be doesn't get away," said Dick.
"Just so, lad; I will be. No one ever escaped from me, not much!
Come on, sir!" And be caught Josiah Crabtree by the arm.
"This is awful!" groaned the former teacher. "And right here in
Cedarville, too, where everybody knows me!"
"You should have thought of those things before, Mr. Crabtree,"
said Dick, his heart softening a little, now that he saw the man
was beginning to break down.
"What will my friends, and the profession at large, say?" and
Crabtree shook his head bitterly.
"You have only yourself to blame," put in Tom. He had not
forgotten how Crabtree had threatened him but a short while before.
Suddenly the former teacher's last drop of courage seemed to desert
him and, deadly pale, he sank on his knees.
"Spare me, boys, spare me! For the sake of my family and my
friends, spare me!" he moaned.
"I didn't know you had a family," put in Sam.
"My relatives -- my poor, dear, distant relatives," replied Crabtree,
hardly aware of what he was saying. "Spare me for their sakes, and
I will reward you well."
"The law must take its course, Mr. Crabtree," said Dick. He turned
to Chief Burger. "Take him, and Tom can go with you, to make the
charge for us and for Mrs. Stanhope. I think Detective Trigger had
better come with Sam and me to hunt for Dan Baxter."
So it was arranged, and soon Crabtree was walking into Cedarville
with the chief of police on one side of him and Tom on the other.
The sight of a man being placed under arrest was an unusual one,
and soon a crowd began to follow the three.
"It's Mr. Crabtree that used to teach at Putnam Hall," said one.
"My, but ain't he a sight."
"Must have tried to get away by jumping into the lake," suggested
another.
"What's he arrested for?" asked a third.
Nobody in the crowd knew, and consequently all followed to the
police headquarters.
Here Chief Burger, who also acted as justice of police, took down
Tom's charge against the former teacher.
"Breaking in and trying to steal," said Tom.
"It's not so!" cried Crabtree. "Boy, this is -- ahem -- infamous! I
never stole a thing in my life!"
"We will prove it when your trial comes off," answered Tom coolly.
"Let us -- ahem -- try to patch this thing up," went on Josiah
Crabtree. "Chief, will you kindly send for Mrs. Stanhope? I am
certain she will not allow this charge to stand against me."
"See here, you shan't try any of your games on that lady!"
exclaimed Tom. "I know the peculiar influence you exert over her,
and I feel bound to protect her."
"She is not my enemy, as you are. I know she will clear me."
"Not much. If she won't testify against you, her daughter Dora
will, and so will I and my brothers, and some other folks, too."
"I demand to see my accusers!" stormed Crabtree," trying to put on
a bold front.
"All right, Dick and Sam will be here after awhile. And then, if
you wish, we'll air all of your doings since the time Captain
Putnam discharged you."
At the last words the former teacher winced and turned pale, for he
knew his record would not bear investigating.
"You are a bad boy, Tom Rover -- leave me!" he muttered, and turned
his back on the cadet. A few minutes later, as he could not
furnish bail, he was led to a cell and locked up.
As soon as Crabtree was disposed of, Tom left the jail to find his
brothers. This was no easy matter, and it was not until well along
in the afternoon that he discovered Dick, Sam, and Detective
Trigger down by the lake shore nearly a mile from Cedarville.
"Any luck?" he asked.
"Not a bit," replied Dick. "He has given us the slip nicely."
The hunt continued until nightfall, and was kept up all of the next
day. But it proved of no avail. Dan Baxter had left the vicinity
of the lake entirely, and the Rover boys were destined not to see
him again for many days to come.
The arrest of Josiah Crabtree had occurred on Friday. On Monday
came a letter from Mr. Anderson Rover, stating that Alexander Pop
would arrive in Cedarville on Tuesday and might remain at Mrs.
Stanhope's cottage as long as the lady and the boys wished.
"I wish Aleck to be near you," wrote Mr. Rover. "It alarms me
greatly to hear of the trouble that you are having. It seems to me
that our family are bound to be in hot water all the time. I
cannot understand Arnold Baxter. As he is in prison at Albany I do
not see how he can trouble me, at least for the next few years.
"I have looked up that mining property in Colorado very carefully,
and shall go out there as soon as the coming winter is at an end.
Perhaps I will take one or all of you with me, but that will depend
upon how good you do at your studies this winter. I shan't take
anybody along that can't show a good report."
CHAPTER XI
BROUGHT TO TRIAL
"By jinks! we'll have to be on our good behavior," observed Tom,
after he had read his father's letter.
"That's so," responded Sam. "Father means to have us study, or
else we must stay here during the spring term."
As anticipated, Alexander Pop reached Cedarville Tuesday afternoon.
He came first to Putnam Hall, and was warmly received both by the
Rover boys and by the others who knew him as an old hand around the
Hall.
"Glad you have come, Aleck!" cried Tom. "I declare it looks as if
you belonged here."
"Yes, sah, an' I dun feel like I belong heah, too, Massah Tom,"
answered the colored man.
"Remember the sport we used to have?" put in Sam.
"'Deed I does, Massah Sam -- an' de tricks youse lads used to play
on dis yeah coon," and Aleck smiled broadly.
Captain Putnam also came forward to greet Pop. There had been a
time when the captain had suspected Pop of stealing, and the
colored man had run away in preference to being sent to jail, but
now it was known by all that the faithful negro was innocent, and
the master, of the Hall was sorry that he had ever accused the man.
"Pop, I miss you a good deal," he said kindly.
"If ever you are out of work again, come to me and I will let you
stay here as long as you please."
"T'ank you, Cap'n Putnam, I'll remember dat. But I dun lub de
Robers, ain't no use ter talk, an' so long as da wants me to stay
by 'em, why dat's whar you will find Aleck Pop, yes, sah!" And he
bobbed his head to emphasize his words.
"I do not blame you for sticking by them," answered the captain.
"For they always stood up for you."
Of course some of the boys could not help but have some fun with
Pop. Some ran off with his hat, and when they returned it to him
it was half full of flour, although he did not know it.
"Mustn't do dat, Larry Colby," he said, as he took the hat. "Dis
niggah dun cotch cole in his haid widout a hat." And then they
clapped the headgear on his head, very carefully.
"Only a bit of Larry's sport," said Frank. "Come in, the captain
wants to give you some supper before you start out for the
Stanhopes' place."
Never suspecting that anything was wrong, Aleck Pop entered the
kitchen attached to the academy, where Mrs. Green, the matron, had
a nice supper spread for him.
"How do you do, Aleck," she said pleasantly, as he came in.
"How do yo' do, Missus Green," he answered, and took his hat off
with such a flourish that part of the flour swept into her face and
the balance landed over the supper table.
"Oh! oh!" screamed Mrs. Green. "What in the world have you done?
I am covered with flour from head to foot!" And then she began to
sneeze with great violence.
"Deed, missus, I don't -- ker -- chew!" replied Pop, sneezing. "I
didn't -- ker -- chew --"
"But you did -- ker -- chew!" she answered. "You covered me with --
ker -- chew! Ker -- chew!"
"Oh, you -- ker -- chew!" and then she went off into another prolonged
sneeze.
Pop had gotten some of the flour in his eyes, indeed, his face
was white from top to bottom, and it was several minutes before he
could see what he was doing. His sneezing made him bump his
head against the kitchen shelf, and at a point where sat a bowl of
rice pudding. Part of the pudding was plastered to his forehead,
while the balance turned over on to the cat sleeping on the floor.
"Me-ow!" wailed the cat, and started across the kitchen on a run,
nearly upsetting Mrs. Green in its hurry to get away from more
trouble.
"Stop! Did you kick my pet cat?" screamed Mrs. Green. "Oh,
you -- ker -- chew! You brute! I never -- ker -- chew! Ker -- chew!"
And then she had to stop talking and let the sneezing have full play.
"I didn't kick -- ker -- chew -- nuffin!" spluttered Aleck. "I'se
dun -- ker -- chew -- dem boys dun -- ker -- chew! Dern boys did it."
"Did what?"
"Put flour in ma hat, de ole boy take 'em!" finished Aleck, and
then he blundered out of the kitchen and tried to find Larry and
the others. But all of the cadets, who had been watching
proceedings through the kitchen window, had vanished and could not
be found.
A couple of hours later Tom and Dick took the colored man down to
the Stanhope cottage. Mrs. Stanhope already knew the man well, as
did Dora, and both were glad that he had come to stay with them.
Pop had brought along a pistol, and also a war club he had picked
up in Africa, and declared himself ready to meet any and all
comers.
"I'se dun learned how to shoot putty straight," he remarked. "So
de fellers wot prowls around bettah look out fo' demselbes."
"Crabtree is in jail, so you will only have Dan Baxter to guard
against," said Dick. "And I hardly think he will show up in a
hurry."
That night Dick and Tom had a long conversation with Mrs. Stanhope.
The lady was very nervous, and when asked if she would appear
against Josiah Crabtree she shivered from head to foot.
"I -- I cannot do it," she said brokenly. "Do not ask it of me! He --
he -- I cannot face him without he makes me feel as if I were in his
power."
"He is something of a hypnotist," said Tom. "Cannot you remember
that, and nerve yourself against coming under his spell?"
But the lady only shivered again. "No! no! I have tried it -- for
Dora's sake -- but I cannot do it! I am horrified at his influence,
but I cannot withstand it."
"Then you will keep away from the court room when he is tried?"
"Yes, I must. I will get my doctor to issue a certificate that I
am ill."
"Will you let Dora testify? If she wishes to do so."
There the matter rested, and the two boys sought out Dora.
"It is too bad," said Dick, on the way. "Mrs. Stanhope is on the
verge of a nervous collapse, and I believe it is all on account of
Crabtree's doings."
"Yes, and I am afraid she will never get away from his influence.
If he hadn't been something of a hypnotist I don't believe she
would ever have taken to him at the start as she did."
When Dora was told of what her mother had said, she felt like
crying, and the tears stood in her eyes.
"I know it all only too well," she said. "I am glad mamma mill not
face him. Why, he would influence her into declaring that he was
innocent!"
"But you will testify, won't you?" asked Dick earnestly.
"If you wish it, Dick. But I hate the publicity."
"Crabtree ought to be put where he can do your mother no further
harm."
"Yes, I feel that, too."
"And you must remember how he helped to abduct you."
"I haven't forgot that."
Vick and Tom remained until it was quite late, and then almost ran
back to the Hall, for the captain had told them not to be out after
eleven o'clock.
For several days matters ran smoothly at the Hall. Then came
Josiah Crabtree's trial, and all of the Rover boys went to the
county seat, to remain several days. With them went Dora and her
uncle, John Laning.
The former teacher's trial lasted longer than expected, and the
jury were out the best part of a night before arriving at a
verdict. In the end, much to the Rover boys' surprise, Crabtree
was sentenced to six months in the county jail, instead of to
several years in the State's prison.
"I can't understand it," muttered Dick, when, they were on the way
back to the Hall. "He must have hypnotized the judge who tried the
case." The verdict was a disappointing one, yet it was something
to know that Crabtree would be out of the way even that long.
"Before he gets out you can be on your trip to Buffalo and the
Great Lakes," said Dick to Dora. "And perhaps you can hide your
whereabouts from him, so that he can't get at your mother, to try
on his game again."
Pages:
1 |
2 |
3 | 4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
11