CHAPTER XVII
A DESPERATE REMEDY
"All right, Bart?" called out the man in the car, as the otherseemed to have reached the cross-bars far up the pole, over thelower of which he threw a leg, after the confident manner of oneaccustomed to such antics.
"Sure. It was dead easy," came floating down from above.
"Then get to work, and make a clean job of it. Look here, boy,don't you be thinkin' of leavin' us in the lurch just now. I ain'tfit to run this shebang, so we need you, and need you bad. Ireckon you know what this is, don't you?" and the fellow showedsomething that glistened like steel in the mellow moonlight.
Frank could not help feeling a little chill; still, he, was notgiven to showing the white feather easily.
"Of course I do. It isn't the first time I've seen a revolver," hemanaged to say, with a nervous little laugh.
"All right, then; don't get gay, and make me ugly, or somethingmight happen. Hey! Bart, why don't you get busy?" raising hisvoice again.
There was a sharp click, and a clear "tang," as of a strained wiresnapping. Frank understood now what was doing. These men had fearof pursuit, and were cutting the telegraph wires in order toprevent direct communication between Columbia and Fayette!
A second and a third metallic "pink" announced that the man upamong the cross bars was indeed using his cutters with effect. Atthat rate he would have the entire sheaf of wires severed inanother minute or so.
The matter began to assume gigantic proportions to the boy, as hesat there in the car and listened. Certainly these men must havedesperate need for delay in the pursuit, if they went to suchextremes in order to accomplish it. And they seemed to haveprovided against such a contingency, too, which would indicatethat they were now only carrying out a part of a well-laid plan.
What could he do? Half a dozen ideas thronged into his brain, butthey seemed so utterly useless that he discarded them as fast asthey arose. He must in some manner get away from their companybefore arriving in the neighborhood of Fayette; because if theywere as desperate as they appeared the chances were they might seefit to tie him up, and leave him under some farmer's haystack,where he would not be found for hours.
"That light ahead is the doctor's place," he said, finally.
The man called Bart had apparently severed the last of the wires.He was even then coming down the pole hastily, as though eager tobe on the move.
"It is, eh?" remarked the other, with a plain sneer, as though heguessed the sudden hope that had leaped into being in the heartof the boy; "well, seein' as how we've been held up here so longI reckon I'll have to let that chance get by me. Seems like Ican move that arm a little. P'raps she aint broke after all."
Bart jumped rather clumsily into the car.
"Hit her up now, kid. We ought to make up some for the time we putin here. Been a preachin' to him, ain't you, Jim? It's just aswell that he knowed how things lie, 'cause we can't afford to haveany foolin'?" he observed.
"I warned him that we wouldn't put up with any hoss play. If hetries to run us into the bushes he's goin' to get himself into apeck o' trouble. Likewise, keep a still tongue in your mouth whenwe go past the doctor's house; understand!"
Jim thought it good policy to accompany these last words with avigorous prod between Frank's shoulder blades; and there could beno mistaking the nature of the hard object with which he did thispunching.
To tell the truth Frank had really thought of doing some shoutingjust when they were in front of the little house where the countrydoctor lived. His plans had been in a sort of chaotic state atbest, for he could not see just how anything of this sort mightavail to divorce him from the unwelcome company of these tworascals.
"I'm not saying a word," he remarked, with another little nervouslaugh, as the speeding machine passed the home of the medical man,perched on a little knoll.
While he bent forward and seemed to be scanning the road ahead, soas to avoid a collision in case they met another vehicle comingthe other way, Frank was again doing his best to conjure up somewild plan that might promise him the desired chance to escape fromthe company of these two desperate men.
He now had not the least doubt but that they were thieves of somesort. What he had heard them say with reference to some person whowould not be apt to wake up for several hours, made him thinkagain of Doctor Shadduck.
The gentleman was a rich man, and accustomed to dealing in manyenterprises that necessitated the employment of considerablemeans. Possibly these men had managed to hoodwink the capitalistin some fashion, and when their opportunity came had run awaywith something valuable belonging to him. They may even have usedsome of the good doctor's chloroform, or other drugs, to put him ina condition whereby he could not give the alarm or start a pursuitfor some hours.
It was really thrilling; but Frank had no desire to see anythingfurther of his unwelcome companions. He wished he had the nerve toturn the car from the road; but the chances of being injuredhimself discounted this desire.
Surely there ought to be some other way whereby he could say good-byein a hurry. They would not search long for him if he once got away.Since Jim admitted that his arm was feeling better perhaps he wouldtry and guide the machine into Fayette. Meanwhile Frank could betrying in some fashion to warn the authorities.
The sound of their voices just reached him as he sat therethinking. They were talking low now, as if desirous of not lettinghim hear, but Frank possessed keen ears, and could catch certainwords, especially in Jim's heavier tones.
"It's just got to be did sooner or later. He could ruin all ourgame if he wanted to. I've risked too much now to take chances.Don't you go to showing any of your squeamishness, Bart; I won'thave it," he was growling.
They must be referring to the boy who sat at the wheel and guidedthe moving car. Bart evidently said something more, for presentlythe voice of Jim once more came to the listening ears of the oneso deeply interested.
"He ain't goin' to be hurted, I tell you. But his mouth has got tobe kept closed, unless you want the hull county on our heels. Iseen that feller play, and I know what he's capable of doin'. Sojust shut up, Bart, and do what I says, hear?"
Evidently the other finally agreed to abide by the decision of hisleader; for they both relapsed into temporary silence.
"I _must_ find some chance to jump!" Frank said over and overto himself, after having heard what had passed between the two menback of him.
To do it then and there invited a dislocated shoulder when hestruck the hard ground. And then again there was that ugly, shinything which Jim had taken such deliberate pains to show him; hedid not fancy being used for a target.
"How far along are we now?" asked Jim, close to his ear.
"About five miles out of Fayette, I think?" replied Frank, who hadfrequently come over this some course on his wheel, and knew thecountry well.
"Huh! that's encouraging. Keep her going like she is, bub. Youseem to know how to run a machine, all right. Steady! there comessomething ahead. Give 'em the horn, boy, and steer to the right,d'ye hear! Not a peep as we pass, remember!"
Again came that wicked punch in the small of Frank's back.
"I'll remember," he said, hastily, as he turned as far out as thenature of the road permitted, and at the same time caused the hornto give a few croaks.
It was another auto approaching, as the several lights announced.Frank's heart seemed to be in his throat as the two machinesrapidly approached each other. What would he not have given for achance to shout out, and tell the parties who were in the othercar that he was held under duress, and compelled to play the partof chauffeur to these fugitive rascals; but he dared not, withthat desperate wounded man right at his back.
Judge to his astonishment when he saw that the other car held anumber of Columbia people, among the rest Minnie Cuthbert and herfather. He only had a quick glimpse of them as the two machinespassed; but it was enough to show him a look of sheer astonishmenton the face of the girl, which told that she must have recognizedh
im.
"Hello! Frank!" came a voice booming after them, as the other carslowed down suddenly; and he believed that it must be Mr. Cuthbertwho called, possibly influenced by Minnie.
"Silence! not a word, do you hear?" exclaimed Jim, emphasizing hiswords with a further display of significant pushes with that hardobject.
"And keep her going, kid, keep her going right along," added theother man, grimly.
"Are they turning around, Bart?" demanded the stout party,savagely.
"Naw. Nothing doing this time. There they start up again, andheadin' the other way. It's all right, pard, all right sure."
"Lucky for them it is," grunted Jim; though he sighed in reliefbecause the peril had passed; "them fellers seemed to know you,son?"
"Yes, they are Columbia people," replied Frank, shortly, for hehad experienced a bitter disappointment when he realized that thissudden little chance had slipped away without helping his forlorncause a mite.
Three more miles or so had been passed over when suddenly thereflashed into his mind a brilliant idea that promised results. Justahead was a bridge over Juniper Creek, quite a good sized streamthat flowed into Harrapin River above Clifford.
Passing down the incline that led to the bridge, Frank managed tomake the car act wobbly, as though there might be something thematter. And as it ran on to the boards of the bridge itself, hebrought it to a sudden stand.
"What's wrong here?" demanded Jim, angrily.
The engine had stopped working.
"I'll get out and see," observed Frank, suiting the action to theword, and opening up the hood of the car.
"Don't you try to run away, son, if you know what's good for you,"said the man, after Frank had used a wrench on the engine. "Trycranking her again, and see if she refuses to work. There--holdon, you fool--why, he's crazy, Bart!" for Frank had suddenlywhirled around, and taken a plunge over the side of the woodenbridge into the cold waters of Juniper Creek!
FRANK HAD SUDDENLY PLUNGED OVER THE SIDE OF THEBRIDGE.]
Boys of Columbia High on the Gridiron : or, the Struggle for the Silver Cup Page 17