“And smoky,” answered his brother, beginning to cough.
They passed the cell again and started down the passageway in the opposite direction. Twenty feet further on they reached a wooden door, bolted on the other side.
“Stumped again,” muttered Tom. “Dick, what shall we do now?”
“Try to break it down. Now, then, with all your might, Tom!”
It was their only hope, and with increased energy they hurled themselves at the door, which bent and creaked. Then, at the fourth onslaught, the door flew open and they went sprawling into the underground chamber beyond.
Here the light from the blazing building could be plainly seen, and by this they made out that they were in a regular printing office. Three foot-power presses were there, also a quantity of variously colored inks and packages of odd-colored paper.
But they could waste no time in investigating. The burning brands were dropping around them, and they leaped across the printing room to where they saw another passageway. This had a door, but the barrier stood wide open.
“In you go!” sang out Dick. “It must lead somewhere—and, anyway, we can’t stay here.”
They rushed into the passageway, not an instant too soon, for a second later there came another crash and the printing room was filled with sparks and bits of burning timber. Then a cloud of smoke all but choked them.
Half-blinded, and scarcely knowing what they were doing, the two Rover boys ran on and on, down the passageway. It had several crooks and turns, and more than once they brought up against some stones and dirt in anything but an agreeable fashion. But they felt that they were getting away from the fire and smoke, and that just then meant everything to them.
At last, the danger from the conflagration seemed to be passed, and they slackened their pace, and finally came to a halt. Both were out of breath.
“Whe—where does this lead to?” gasped Tom.
“That’s a riddle, Tom. But I know it has taken us away from the fire, which is a blessing.”
“Dick, we have had a narrow escape.”
“Right you are.”
“Those rascals meant to burn us up!”
“They were afraid we knew too much about their affairs.”
“They ought to go to jail for this, and Dan Baxter with them.”
“I wish we were out of this passageway and could find the rest of our crowd.”
“We must find a way out.”
This was easier said than done. They went on once more, and soon, without warning, stepped into water up to their knees.
“Back!” cried Dick, who was in advance. “We don’t want to get drowned. That would be as bad as being burnt up.”
“We can swim,” answered Tom as he scrambled back.
“True, but I want to know where I am swimming to, don’t you?”
Tom got out his waterproof match safe and found that it contained just one match. This was lit, and then he set fire to some leaves from a notebook in his pocket. By this light, they saw another turn of the passageway, leading upward.
“That must be a way out,” exclaimed Tom, and started in the direction, followed by his brother.
“Now, go slow,” warned Dick when they were once more in darkness, the paper having burnt itself out. “We don’t want to run into any more danger, if we can avoid it.”
“I am on my guard,” answered Tom.
They soon found that the side passage narrowed greatly, so that they had to proceed in single file and with heads bent. They moved with their hands in front of their heads, so as to avoid a possible collision with the rocks along the way.
Presently Dick’s hand came in contact with something long and straggling. He drew back, thinking he had touched a snake. But then he grew bolder and found it to be a tree root.
“That shows we are close to the surface of the ground,” said he. “If the worst comes to the worst, I fancy we can dig our way upward with our hands.”
“Maybe, but we don’t want this roof to cave in on us, Dick. Come on.”
They continued to go forward, but now the passageway was so small that they had to crawl on their hands and knees.
“This looks as if we were going to be blocked, after all,” said Tom.
“Something is ahead,” whispered Dick. “Be quiet!”
“What do you see?”
“There is an opening, and I can see a little light, and, what is more, I hear the sounds of voices. Maybe we have run into our enemies again!”
CHAPTER XXVIII
FROM ONE SURPRISE TO ANOTHER
Left to themselves in the woods, Fred, Songbird and Hans scarcely knew what to do to fill in their time.
“I must say, I don’t like this dividing up at all,” remarked Fred, after a half-hour had passed. “First it was Sam and Dick, and now it is Tom. After a while none of us will know where any of the others are. Even the dog has left us.” It may be added here that they never saw Wags again.
“Vell, you can’t vos plame Tom for drying to find his brudders,” came from Hans. “I vos do dot mineselluf, of I peen him.”
“I hope Tom steers clear of trouble,” said Songbird. “You know how he is—the greatest hand for getting into mischief.”
The time dragged heavily on their hands, and when it grew dark not one of them felt like retiring. Songbird tried to put on a cheerful front, but it was a dismal failure, and nobody listened to the rhymes he made half under his breath. 230
At last came a whistle, repeated several times in rapid succession. Then a form emerged out of the darkness.
“Who goes there?” shouted Fred.
“Hullo, boys!” was the answering cry, and James Monday came into the little clearing. “I was afraid I had lost my way.”
“Didn’t you see Tom?” they asked.
“Yes, I saw him—up to the ranch. He came with a letter, and that spoilt about everything, for it was a warning. They found out who he was through that Baxter and made him a prisoner. Then I had to sneak away, for I knew they were after me, too.”
“Found out you wasn’t me, eh?” put in Bill Cashaw. “Thought they might. That crowd is a clever one. Where’s my wagon and horses?”
“I had to leave them behind. Here are your hat and coat. I’ll thank you to give me my own,” went on the government official, and the exchange was quickly made.
The boys asked James Monday many questions, which he answered as best he could. But he was in a hurry, and told them so.
“I want to watch that ranch,” he said. “But I’d like one of you to ride to town as hard as you can and take a message for me.”
“I’ll take the message, if there is anything in it,” came quickly from Bill Cashaw.
“No, I want one of the boys to take it. You can go along, if you wish,” went on James Monday. He was not quite willing to trust the old man.
The matter was discussed hurriedly, and it was decided that Fred should carry the message, and it was written on a slip of paper which the boy tucked away in an inside pocket. Then off he and the old man started for town, both on horseback.
“The gang at the ranch is a desperate one,” said the government official when the pair were gone. “The most I can hope to do is to watch them until help arrives.”
“Then you sent for help?” asked Songbird.
“Yes, and if the message is properly delivered, the help will not be long in arriving.”
The detective wanted to move closer to the ranch, and Hans and Songbird did as requested, taking the horses with them. They were as anxious to make a move as was the detective, but just then there seemed nothing to do but to wait.
Suddenly Songbird uttered a cry.
“I smell smoke! Can the forest be on fire?”
“Of it vos, ve had besser git owit kvick!” ejaculated Hans. “I ton’t vont to burn up, nohow!”
/> “I see a light,” returned James Monday. He ran to where there was a cleared space. “I believe the ranch is on fire!” he gasped.
“It is so!” exclaimed Songbird. “I can see the flames plainly. Now, how did that happen?”
“I don’t know. Let us draw closer. I want to see what Sack Todd and his crowd will do.”
The government official hurried forward and the two boys followed him, bringing along the horses as before. Soon they were at a spot where they could see the conflagration plainly. To their astonishment, not a soul appeared around the ranch or the outbuildings.
“What does this mean?” asked Songbird. “That gang certainly can’t be in the burning building.
“I know what it means!” cried the detective, and there was something like anguish in his voice. “They have abandoned the ranch and set fire to it!”
“Abandoned the ranch?” repeated Songbird.
“Den vot of der Rofer poys?” asked the German youth.
“Don’t ask me,” said the detective. “They may have escaped, or else—” He did not finish.
“Do you mean those rascals might leave them in the ranch, prisoners?” asked Songbird.
“It’s a hard thing to say, but you know as mush as I do. This knocks my last plan endways. I must see if I can’t get on the trail of the gang that has run away,” James Monday added. “Will you let me have one of the horses?”
“Certainly. But—”
“Unless I act quickly, those men may get miles and miles away, and then it will be next to impossible to round them up,” continued the government official. “I must go after Fred Garrison and hurry along that extra help.”
“Where shall we meet you?”
“I can’t tell, exactly. We might—Hullo, what’s that?”
A peculiar sound close at hand caused the detective to pause. They heard a flat rock fall down, and then, to their amazement, saw two dirty and begrimed persons emerge from a hole in the ground.
“Who vos dot?” gasped Hans, ready to retreat in fright.
“Hullo, Hans!” cried Tom Rover. “Don’t you know Dick and me? We just arrived by the new subway.”
“Tom and Dick!” ejaculated Songbird. “Truly, I must be dreaming!”
“But you are not,” came from Dick as he stepped closer. “Oh, but I’m glad to get out of that hole!” he added. “And glad to fall among friends once more.”
“Hullo, Mr. Monday,” said Tom. “So you escaped, after all? That’s good. Have any of you seen anything of Sam?”
“Sam?” asked Songbird. “Wasn’t he with you?”
“He was, but the counterfeiters carried him off with them when they left the ranch.”
“Then he must still be a prisoner.”
“Yes.”
“When we first heard your voices, we thought we had run into some of our enemies,” said Dick. “We were mighty glad to learn otherwise. Now, if Sam was only here—”
“We must find him!” broke in Tom. “And the sooner we get on the trail, the better.”
“I was just going away to hurry along some help,” came from James Monday. “Maybe all of you had better remain in the forest on guard until I get back. If you spread out, you may learn something.”
A little later, the government official hurried off on one of the horses, leaving the boys to themselves. Tom and Dick brushed off their clothing and washed up in a nearby pool of water.
“I think the best thing we can do is to move over to one of the wagon roads,” said Dick. “We’ll never discover anything in a spot like this.”
They moved along, taking turns at riding on the horses left to them. They were still a short distance from one of the trails, when they caught sight of a lantern’s gleam, and soon after they heard the low murmur of voices.
“Somebody is over there, that is certain,” whispered Dick. “Don’t make any noise, fellows!”
Almost holding their breath, they crawled forward through the undergrowth and between the rocks, and presently gained a point where they could see the outline of a wagon. The vehicle had lost one wheel, and they could see three persons moving around it, inspecting the damage done.
“This is the worst luck yet,” they heard a man exclaim.
“Well, why didn’t you look out for ruts?” said another.
“Look out? How could I look out in such a pitchy darkness?”
“What’s to be done?” asked a third voice.
“I don’t know, unless we unhook the team and take turns at riding horseback,” was the reply.
At this juncture, Dick clutched Tom by the arm.
“Two of those fellows are that Jimson and Dan Baxter!” he whispered. “And do you know who is in the wagon, on the rear seat?”
“No.”
“Sam.”
CHAPTER XXIX
ON THE TRAIL ONCE MORE
Dick and Tom were delighted to think that they had gotten on the trail of their brother thus readily, and they and their friends withdrew for a short distance, that they might hold a consultation without being overheard by their enemies.
“You are sure it’s Sam?” questioned Songbird. “I must say it was so dark I couldn’t see him.”
“I saw him plainly, just as the lantern was flashed his way,” answered Dick. “He had his hands behind him. More than likely they are tied fast, or handcuffed.”
“Well, what do you propose?” came from Tom. “I move we go in and attack our enemies rough-shod. It is what they deserve.”
“I second the motion,” put in Songbird.
“Dot is vell enough to dalk apout,” put in Hans. “Put blease ton’t forgot dat da pistols haf got, und da can shoot, hey?”
“You’ve got a pistol, too, Hans.”
“Dot is so.”
“And I’ve got one,” went on Songbird.
“Dick and I can get rocks and sticks,” said Tom. “We’ll make it warm for them.”
A few words more, and Dick and Tom man-aged to find some sticks and stones which suited their purpose. Then they moved forward once again.
At that moment came a cry from a distance, followed by a pistol shot. The men around the broken-down wagon were instantly on their guard, with pistols and a shotgun.
“Shoot the first man who tries to corner us!” shouted Andy Jimson. “Don’t take any chances.”
“Wait!” cried Dick to Tom, who was on the point of exposing himself. “Don’t show yourself now. Help may be at hand. Besides, those men will shoot as soon as they see us, now.”
“What did that shot mean?”
“I don’t know. Maybe it was a signal.”
“If we could only let Sam know that we are at hand.”
Further words were cut short by another shot, and a moment later four men came riding up at top speed along the wagon trail.
“Hullo, what’s up here?” came in the voice of Sack Todd.
“Had a break-down,” growled Andy Jimson. “What are you shooting for?”
“Just got word that somebody has gone to town for assistance to round us up. We must change our plans. You’ll have to let the wagon stay where it is and take to the horses. Luckily, we have some extra ones along. Be quick.”
“What of the prisoner?”
“We’d better let him go.”
“Don’t you do it!” cried Dan Baxter. “I tell you, you can make money by holding him.”
“I’d like to wring Baxter’s neck for that!” muttered Tom.
“All right, then, take him along—at least, for the present,” said Sack Todd. “But don’t waste time. Here are the horses.”
The transfer from the wagon to the horses was quickly accomplished. Sam was made to mount a steed, and Andy Jimson rode on one side of him and Dan Baxter on the other. The rest of the men rode in front and in the rear, and s
oon the spot where the break-down had occurred was left behind.
“Now, what’s to do?” asked Tom ruefully. He realized, as well as the others, that it would have been useless to have attacked such a large crowd.
“There is but one thing to do, Tom: follow them. As soon as they locate, we can go back for help. They can’t travel more than twenty-four hours without stopping, and I believe they’ll go into hiding as soon as it is daylight.”
With care, they advanced on the trail of those ahead. This was a rather difficult task, for the lantern had been put out, and it was pitch-dark tinder the trees. More than once their steeds went into a hollow with a jounce that threatened to throw one or another to the ground.
“If only James Monday would appear with about ten men,” sighed Tom. “Couldn’t we make it warm for those chaps!”
“He won’t be coming back for a long time,” said Songbird. “He is no wizard, even if he is a detective. It is only in the sensational, five-cent libraries that the noble detective turns up every time he is needed.”
“Yes, and kills about ten men hand-running,” added Tom with a laugh.
At the end of an hour’s ride through the forest, all of the boys were so fagged out they could scarcely keep on horseback. It must be remembered that they had to take turns at riding, there not being enough steeds to go around.
“I wish they’d come to a stop,” muttered Songbird. “I declare, if I ever get the chance, I’m going to rest for a week!”
“Ton’t say a vord,” groaned Hans. “I vos so lame I can’t most sit up alretty!”
“Let us be thankful if they don’t discover that we are following them,” said Dick. “If they did find it out, they would certainly make it warm for us.”
A little while later the forest was left behind, and the party ahead and that in the rear came out on the broad and rolling prairies. It was growing cloudy, so that the boys kept their enemies in sight with difficulty, not daring to draw too close.
Far away, they could see the lights of a town gleaming, but these were soon lost to view around a bit of rising ground. Then they forded a small stream and began to climb the slope of a small hill, at the top of which were a series of rocks. Here they fancied the counterfeiters might halt, but they were disappointed. The crowd ahead toiled over the hill and then struck off across an-other section of the rolling plains.
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