CHAPTER XIX
AT THE END OF THE CIRCUIT
A tall man came running out of the hotel.
"What's that you say, boys?" he was demanding, as he advancedeagerly.
"Here's luck for you--the very car you said was stolen over inColumbia! See if it ain't, sheriff!" cried the fellow who had doneall the shouting.
"It's the same make car, as sure as you live. I wouldn't besurprised if it turned out to be Doc. Shadduck's new one,"observed the official, glancing at a yellow paper he gripped inhis hand, and which, as he held it close to the one burningheadlight of the car, proved to be a telegraph dispatch.
"That's right, sheriff; it is Doctor Shadduck's car," said Frankcheerfully, as he proceeded to alight.
"Hey! he's goin' to try and run for it, sheriff; nab him!"exclaimed the voice.
"You admit that this is the car stolen from Columbia this verynight do you?" demanded the stern-faced man laying a hand onFrank's shoulder.
"Of course I do, sheriff; but I'm shivering all over. I've been inJumper Creek not long ago. Come in with me while I get a cup ofhot coffee, and I'll tell you the story. You ought to know me,sheriff; I'm Frank Allen. I've seen you in my father's store morethan once."
"What's that. Well, I declare now if it ain't so! This is gettingmighty interestin', sure. Here, Dobbs, you watch this car until Icome out. Now, my boy, come along with me," said the sheriff.
"All right, sir; just wait a couple of seconds. There's somethinghere in the car that Jim and Bart seemed to think a heap of, andso I wouldn't like to lose sight of it just now."
Saying which Frank bent down and took hold of the little leatherbag. He had been surprised before to find it quite heavy, a factthat had convinced him it must hold something which had beenstolen from the doctor over in Columbia.
Fortunately there was hot coffee to be obtained. While it wascoming Frank entertained the kindly sheriff with a rapid accountof what had happened, commencing with the duck hunt, and thefinding of the stranded car on the road home.
"Well, I never!" the other kept saying, as he sat there with hiseyes glued on the face of the young speaker, and drinking in hiswords.
When Frank told of how he jumped over the railing of the bridgethat spanned Juniper Creek, the sheriff brought his hand down uponhis knee with a resounding slap.
"Beats anything I ever heard, I swan if it don't! And they tell methat you captained them boys as played the Clifford football teamto a stand this mornin'. I don't wonder at it; they ain't much ascould stand up before such pluck! And so you went souse into thecreek? Ugh! it must a been a cold bath, Frank. Go on," heexclaimed, enthusiastically.
"Oh! that's about all. I crawled out below, and when they camedown to hunt for me, because I'd fixed it so the machine couldn'tbe run, I just crawled up the bank, jumped aboard, and was off.Jim banged away after me a few times, but he was hurt so he had touse his left hand, and I knew he couldn't hit a barn. That's all.Here comes my coffee; I only hope I don't take cold."
The elated sheriff watched the youth gulp down the hot drink,admiration in his eyes.
"I'll see to it that you have a big fur coat the rest of the way.And I'm goin' along with you, boy, to be in at the finish. This istoo good to lose. Ain't had so much excitement in six months. Jimand Bart is loose on the community. I'll just have word sentaround so they kin be pulled in if they try to get aboard anytrain."
Ten minutes later and Frank again jumped into the captured car. Hewas now warmly clad in a heavy automobile coat that would defy thebracing air as they headed for Columbia, just seven miles distant.
"We'll make it in a quarter of an hour, easy," he remarked, as thesheriff took a seat beside him.
"I reckon we oughter, Frank. I'd sure like to be in your shoes forthis. They'll think more of you in Columbia than ever, I reckon,"remarked the officer, as they made a flying start, amid a fewcheers from the gathered crowd.
"Did you telegraph along the line about those men?" asked Frank,desirous of seeing justice meted out to Jim and his companion.
"I did, and told the operator at Fayette to pass the good wordalong everywhere. There's some reward out for the apprehension ofthem fellows, and its enough to make every chief of police keepbusy in hopes of corralin' the same. Now tell me what them menlooked like. That job of cuttin' the wires was a cute one. Ireckon that Bart he's been servin' his time as a telegraphwireman, and knows all the dodges."
Frank could not decline, although he would have much preferredkeeping silent as he drove the big car onward. The sheriff hadbeen so kind to him that he felt as though he could not refuse toaid him in any way possible. So he described both men as nearly ashe could, considering what few glimpses he had had of their faces.
The seven miles proved a short ride. Having more confidence in themachine now that the road was fine, and that hard object no longerprodded him in the back, Frank let out quite some speed in places.
"I wonder if Bones and Ralph have gotten home yet?" he wasthinking, as the outskirts of Columbia came in sight.
Turning several corners, he arrived in front of Doctor Shadduck'splace. The house he saw was all lighted up. And standing in frontwas the vehicle he and his two chums had used in their littleexpedition after the ducks of the marsh.
"That tells the story. Bones has arrived ahead of me, after all.Wonder if its struck him that he saw his father's new car, and mein it driving those two precious rascals off so cheerfully?"
Frank chuckled at the thought. Just then there came a big shout,as a figure rushed down the steps of the house.
"Here's the car, dad! And Sheriff Tucker's got one of the thievesin custody, too! He's carrying your bag. Hey, Ralph, come out andsee the fun!"
Of course it was Bones, and since Frank was bundled up in thatgreat wolfskin automobile coat, with a hat pulled down over hiseyes in place of the cap he had lost in Juniper Creek, it was notstrange that the other failed to recognize his comrade.
"Halt! hands up, Bones!" cried Frank, throwing the little leatherbag forward menacingly.
"What! great smoke! if it ain't Frank--and he's brought the carand the bag back home! Ralph said he would, just as soon as heheard about it; but I was a doubter. I thought they'd just eat youalive, Frank, old boy. Where'd you get the coat, and how'd thesheriff happen on you? Did he do the rescue act?" demanded Bones,throwing his arms around the other, enthusiastically.
"Did he? Not if he knew it, young man," replied the officerhimself, with a shake of the head; "but let's get inside, and thewhole story can be told while Frank warms up again. Your dad mustsee to it that the boy don't take cold, for he's been in JuniperCreek to-night!"
"Wow! now you have excited my curiosity some, Mr. Sheriff. Hurryin, Frank, and let's hear what happened after you left us. We justgot home five minutes ago, and found the whole place upset. Thoseslick scoundrels worked a confidence game on my governor--left himin a stupor in his private office, after supper, with the doorlocked, and skipped out with his new car and some valuables,including negotiable stocks worth a good many thousands, and allhis expensive new surgical tools that he kept in that glass case,you remember, in his consulting room." And Bones rattled this offat a tremendous rate.
"Oh! I see," exclaimed the sheriff just then; "so that's who Jimand Bart are. A couple of smart ones have been going aroundvisiting doctors upstate this two months past, and stealing theirinstruments, to sell again in New York. I reckon we'll try to makethis their last job, all right."
"But your father--surely he couldn't have been lying there allthis time?" observed Frank, wondering how the news could have beenwired or phoned over to Plattville if this were so.
"Oh! no; Mr. Willoughby happened to drop over to ask dad something,and when they couldn't get any answer, he broke in the door offather's den. They found him just beginning to come out of hissleep, for, what do you think, those rascals had chloroformed him,as sure as you live," replied Bones.
"I understand now. Of course a general alarm was sent out for thethieves. But
they couldn't have reached Fayette if they tried,"laughed Frank.
"And why not?" asked Bones, quickly.
"Wires down. Bart, the fellow who wasn't hurt, shinned up a pole,by the aid of a pair of lineman's spurs he carried with him, andcut every blessed wire soon after they made me turn into that roadleading to Fayette," replied Frank.
Doctor Shadduck they found pretty much himself. He greeted Frankwarmly, as did also Coach Willoughby.
"He's all wet, dad; he's been in Juniper Creek, the sheriff says.There's a story back of it, and I'm just dying to hear it," criedBones, shoving the other forward.
"First of all, please see if everything is safe here," said Frank,as he thrust the bag into the hands of the doctor.
"Everything they got, so far as I can see, is here. It's wonderfulhow you happened to get hold of them, and the car too," said thedoctor, shaking the boy's hand again warmly.
"There's where you're mistaken, dad; it didn't happen at all, andI'd wager on it that Frank played a right hot game with those tworascals, and beat them out in a square deal," declared Bones,sturdily.
"Bully for you, Bones," remarked the sheriff; "you just bet hedid. Wait till you hear the whole story. It's the greatest ever."
Of course Frank related all that had happened to him; but first ofall the wise physician insisted upon giving him something thatwould prevent any ill effects following his cold plunge andsubsequent wild ride.
Meanwhile Frank's father and mother were called over, and thestory had to be told again for their benefit; though Frank triedto beg off, and declared that after all it had been just good luckthat carried him through.
Boys of Columbia High on the Gridiron : or, the Struggle for the Silver Cup Page 19