They sneaked up behind the man, and before he could resist had thrown him flat on his back. Then, while Dick held him down, Sam ran and got the straps and ropes.
“You let me go!” yelled the man. “Let me go, or it will be the worse for you!” And he tried to get away. But then Dick put a pistol to his head and he collapsed and offered no more resistance.
As soon as the chauffeur was again secured, the boys bundled him into the enclosed portion of the car and tied him fast to the foot rail and the robe rail. Then the youths lost no time in readjusting the machine so it could be used, and lighting all the front lamps.
“If they hear us they’ll think it is the chauffeur going away,” said Dick.
“Can you run her, Dick?” asked his brother.
“I think so. It seems to be a good deal like our car at home, only larger.”
It was agreed that Sam should get into the coach part and watch the prisoner while Dick ran the car. Then Dick started up the machine, backed out and turned around, and then made his way out of the woods and across the field to the highway. At first he ran cautiously, but as soon as he became accustomed to the car he turned on the speed and spun along at the rate of thirty miles an hour in the direction of Plankville.
“How is she going?” asked Sam, from behind.
“Fine! How is that prisoner?”
“As mad as a hornet,” and there was a chuckle in Sam’s tone.
It was not long before they came in sight of Plankville, and Dick slowed down a little. He ran directly up to the hotel, where several men were on the point of separating for the night.
“I want to get some officers of the law,” he cried. “Where can I find them?”
“Well, you’ve got one of ’em right here,” answered one of the men, stepping forward. “What do you want?”
“Who are you?”
“I am Jackson Fells, and I happen to be sheriff of this county.”
“The sheriff!” burst out Dick. “Just the man I’d like to meet. Sheriff, I’ve got a prisoner for you, and I want you to raise a posse as quickly as you can and round up five or six other persons.”
“Eh, what? A prisoner?” cried the sheriff. “Where is he?”
“Tied up good and tight inside the car. Tell me where to take him, will you?”
“Hum! Well, I guess you better take him over to my office first and we’ll look into this,” said the sheriff. “It’s right around the corner. I was just going home.”
The county official got into the car and the other men followed on foot, anxious to see what was going on. In less than a minute they reached the sheriff’s office and several lamps were lit and the chauffeur was brought in.
It took quite some time for Dick and Sam to make themselves clear and get Sheriff Fells to move. The driver of the big touring car was questioned, and then placed in charge of the keeper of the lock-up.
“Maybe you’ll get off easy, if you turn state’s evidence,” said one of the men present. “You’d better do it, too, for this is a serious case.”
“I’m willing to tell all I know,” growled the prisoner. “I was led into this before I knew what was going on.”
“We’re going to use the car to round up the others,” added Dick.
“Go ahead, I don’t care. It don’t belong to me anyway—I hired it from my boss.”
“Then we’ll settle with your boss,” said Sam.
One of the men present was a constable and another a special policeman, and both said they would go along with the sheriff and the boys. The posse went well armed, for Dick had warned them that some of the rascals to be rounded up were desperate characters.
“We don’t want any of them to get away,” said the oldest Rover boy. “We want to make each one a prisoner.”
“Don’t you worry, young man, they won’t get away from me,” answered the sheriff. “I used to be on the New York force before I moved out here, and I know that class of scoundrels. I know that old stone house, and when we get there we’ll fix a plan to bag every one of ’em.”
All were soon in the touring car, and once more Dick put on the speed. They ran so fast it made the constable chuckle.
“Gee whizz!” he murmured. “We’re exceedin’ the speed limit, Sheriff! Don’t you think I’d better hop out an’ arrest the bunch?”
“‘Necessity knows no law,’” quoted the county official. “Just the same, young man, don’t you land us head up in a ditch!” he added, to Dick.
The boys were on the watch, and presently saw the field from which they had come and steered into it. Then they ran into the woods and brought the car to a standstill just where it had been before.
“Now, I think you had better be as quiet as possible,” said Dick.
“Right you are,” returned the sheriff, and gave orders to his men to that effect.
As silently as so many ghosts the posse and Dick and Sam hurried along the woodland trail in the direction of the old stone mansion. Soon they came in sight of the place. As they did so Tom came to meet them.
“Anything new?” questioned Dick, in a whisper.
“The men folks are in the sitting room of the place,” answered Tom.
“In the sitting room? As late as this? Wouldn’t you think they’d retire,” said Sam.
“They are quarrelling,” went on Tom, and now he was chuckling.
“Quarrelling? Over what?”
“Over the way they are going to divide the money they squeeze out of dad and Mrs. Stanhope and Mrs. Laning. They’ve got it all cut and dried that they are going to get forty or fifty thousand dollars before they send Nellie and Dora back to school, and Crabtree and Sobber want the lion’s share, while Koswell and Larkspur and that other chap, the doctor,—if he is one—want just as much. They are at it hot and heavy.”
“What of the girls?”
“They must still be in the upper room, and the woman is either with them or next door to them.”
Tom was glad to see the sheriff and his men, and in a very few words the county official outlined his plan for capturing the evildoers in the old stone mansion.
“We’ll let them believe that I brought about a dozen men with me,” said Sheriff Fells. “That will most likely take the starch right out of them. Then, before they can think of resisting, I’ll clap the irons on them. You, Thompson, can stay out in front, and you, Rapp, can walk around to the rear. If they run, plug them in the legs,” added the sheriff grimly. It had been a long time since he had had such an important case to deal with and he intended to make the best showing possible.
“We can go in with you, can’t we?” asked Dick.
“Certainly, and don’t hesitate to show your guns, boys. But don’t use them unless they show fight and try to get away.”
“They are not going to get away!” cried Tom, sturdily. “This is the time we are going to round ’em up, every one!”
A few further directions were given by the sheriff, and then he and the three Rover boys advanced to the front door of the old mansion. At the same time, with pistol in hand, the officer named Thompson remained where he was, while he named Rapp walked around to guard the rear.
The door was unlocked, for those inside had not dreamed of being disturbed. On tiptoes the party entered the dark hallway. To keep out the cold, the door to the sitting room had been closed. From within the room came a murmur of voices.
“Well then, that’s settled,” came from Tad Sobber.
“I think we ought to have more money,” grumbled Koswell.
“You will be getting your full share,” said Josiah Crabtree, tartly.
“And you’ll be getting what is coming to you in another minute!” chuckled Tom.
Advancing to the door the sheriff paused for a moment and then threw it wide open, at the same time holding up a brace of pistols.
“
Hands up!” he cried sternly. “Hands up, all of you, in the name of the law!”
CHAPTER XXX
THE ROUND-UP—CONCLUSION
“What’s this?”
“It’s the Rovers!”
“Who is this man—an officer?”
“We are caught!”
“Let me get out of here!”
These and various other exclamations rent the air, when those in the sitting room of the mansion beheld the sheriff of the county and the three Rover boys standing at the doorway, each armed. All leaped to their feet and every one present tried to get out of range of the sheriff’s pistols.
“The game is up, gentlemen,” went on Sheriff Fells. “The best thing you can do is to submit quietly. I’ve got fifteen men outside to take care of you.”
“Caught!” burst out Bart Larkspur hoarsely, and sank on a chair all but overcome. “Oh, why did I go into this scheme!”
“The—there is—er—some mistake!” stammered Josiah Crabtree, whose face had gone the color of white chalk.
“Yes, a big mistake, Crabtree—and you and the others are going to pay for it,” answered Dick.
“I’ll not submit!” yelled Tad Sobber, and sneaking up behind Koswell he sent that individual flying into the sheriff. Then he leaped towards one of the windows. At the same moment Crabtree leaped for another window.
But the Rover boys were too quick for them, and while the sheriff continued to cover Koswell and the so-called doctor, and also kept an eye on Larkspur, the lads leaped on their old enemies. With a rapid swing of his right hand, Tom gave Sobber a blow on the jaw that sent him staggering against the wall. At the same time Dick attacked Josiah Crabtree.
“That for abducting Dora Stanhope and her mother!” he exclaimed, and his fist landed on Crabtree’s nose with such force that the former teacher was sent spinning across the room. He let out a yell of agony, and another yell when Dick hit him in the left eye.
“Don’t! don’t! I beg of you Rover!” he whined.
While this was going on, Koswell tried to dodge behind Larkspur and go out by a side door. But Sam put out his foot and tripped the rascal up, and then sat on him.
The noise downstairs reached the ears of those above, and in a few seconds Mrs. Sobber appeared at the head of the stairs, with a lighted candle.
“What is going on down there?” she asked.
“Madam, you keep where you are!” shouted the sheriff. “This house is surrounded by officers of the law. Don’t you dare to come down.”
“Oh dear me!” shrieked the woman.
“Sam, go up and see if the girls are safe!” cried Dick. “We can take care of things down here. Don’t let that woman get away.”
“I’ll take care of that woman, never fear!” answered the youngest Rover.
The sheriff had brought along all the handcuffs necessary, and in a few seconds he had handcuffed Koswell. He threw a pair of the steel bracelets to Dick and another pair to Tom, and the Rovers had the satisfaction of handcuffing Josiah Crabtree and Tad Sobber. Then the sheriff made prisoners of the rest of the crowd, and called in the two men from the outside, at the same time shouting loudly: “You other fellows remain where you are!” as if the force of a dozen or more were still there.
“Can we go upstairs now?” asked Dick.
“Sure you can,” said the sheriff, with a little grin. “But I’ll have to go along—to get the evidence, you know.”
Up the stairs bounded Dick and Tom. They found Mrs. Sobber in a corner of the hallway, the lighted candle on a dusty stand. At a nearby door Sam was inserting a key in the lock.
“Just got the key from the woman,” he explained. “Can we come in?” he called out.
“Yes! yes!” came eagerly from Dora and Nellie.
The youngest Rover opened the door, and like a flash Dick and Tom sped past him and into the room. Dora and Nellie rushed to meet them, laughing and crying hysterically.
“Oh, Dick! Dick!” burst out poor Dora, and then sank into his arms, too weak to stand.
“Dora!” he murmured. “Oh, this is awful! Well, it shall never happen again, never!” And he pressed her to him.
“Oh, Tom, how glad I am that you came!” said Nellie as she clung to him.
“They didn’t hurt you, did they?” demanded Dick.
“They carried us off—that was enough,” answered Dora. “Oh, Sam, what of Grace?”
“It was Grace who told us,” answered the youngest Rover. “She got away from them, you know.”
“We hoped so, but we weren’t sure. They wouldn’t tell us about her,” said Nellie. “Are you alone?”
“No, indeed; we have the sheriff and his posse with us. Every one of the rascals is under arrest.”
“Good! It is what they deserve!”
“Have you got Mr. Crabtree?” faltered Dora.
“Yes,” returned Dick. “And this time we’ll take care that he is put where he will never bother you and your mother again,” he continued.
Although told to do so by Mrs. Sobber, the girls had refused to go to bed and were fully dressed. They had been offered supper by the woman but had found it impossible to eat.
“Well, we haven’t had a mouthful ourselves,” said Sam.
“But we are going to have the finest kind of a spread just as soon as we get to town and those rascals are locked up,” added Tom.
“But how did you manage to follow us so quickly?” asked Dora, wonderingly.
“We came to Hope to call on you in the Dartaway,” Dick explained. “And we followed most of the way by biplane.”
“Then you have the flying machine here?”
“Yes, although we didn’t bring it very close to the house.”
“What are you going to do with me?” cried Mrs. Sobber. “Oh, please do not send me to prison! Tad made me do it!”
“This case is now in the hands of the law,” answered Dick, coldly. Then the sheriff, who had said nothing, came forward and handcuffed the woman and marched her downstairs.
When the Rovers and the girls went below they found that all of the prisoners had been marched outside. The sheriff was anxious to get them to the jail and the boys did not blame him.
“I don’t see how that auto is going to hold all of us,” said the county official. “Reckon we’ll be kind of crowded.”
“Oh, I’d hate to ride with those bad men!” murmured Dora. “I’d rather walk!”
“So would I,” added Nellie.
“It’s too far to walk,” answered Dick. “But I’ll tell you what you might do, if you are willing to risk it. You might sail to town in the Dartaway.”
“Dick if you do it, so will I,” cried Dora.
“You won’t be afraid?” he asked, anxiously.
“Why should I be?” she murmured. “If anything happened to you, why I—I’d just as soon have it happen to me, too!”
“I’ll go, if Tom goes,” put in Nellie. “I don’t want to go anywhere near those horrid men.”
“Someone will have to run the touring car,” said Dick.
“I can do that,—if you will look after the girls,” answered Sam, promptly; and so it was finally arranged. A few minutes later the prisoners were marched off by the sheriff and his men and Sam. Dick and Tom, and the two girls, went ahead, to walk to where the biplane had been left among the trees.
The girls were a little frightened at first, but did their best not to show it. Dora sat as close to Dick as she could, and Tom held Nellie in a seat in front of him. Up into the air rushed the Dartaway and both girls gave a little gasp. Dick did not sail high, nor did he put on much speed, since there was no need.
“I see something in the road!” cried Tom, after they had been sailing along for several minutes. “It’s the auto, with the sheriff’s crowd, and the prisoners!” And then Dick swept down cl
ose to the turnout and Sam gave three blasts on the horn, to let them know he saw them. Then the biplane and the touring car continued on the way to Plankville.
News of the intended arrest had been circulated, and a crowd was in waiting at the sheriff’s office when they arrived. As it was past midnight, the hearing was a brief one, and soon the prisoners were placed behind the bars, to await the further action of the law. Then the Rovers and the girls were told they could go where they pleased so long as they agreed to appear when wanted.
“We’ll appear all right enough!” cried Tom. “Why, Mr. Sheriff, you couldn’t beat us away with a club! We intend to see to it that every one of those rascals gets what is coming to him!”
“I reckon you’ve got a good enough case,” answered the county official, grimly.
The hotel keeper had been at the hearing and he readily offered to give the girls a room next to that occupied by himself and his wife, and give the boys rooms also. And he likewise agreed to get the party a substantial midnight supper.
“But we must send word to the folks first,” said Dora.
“Yes,” answered Dick. And this was soon done, although they had to get a telegraph operator out of bed to do it. But as the man was well paid for his trouble, he did not mind this.
“And now to get back to Hope and to Brill!” cried Tom, the following morning, when the boys and girls were dining again. “How shall we go?”
“We’ve got to get the Dartaway back,” said Sam. “I can do that, if you folks want to go by train, trolley and stage.”
“It’s a long-winded trip that way,” answered Tom. “We’d have to make five changes. I asked the sheriff about it.”
“Do you boys want us to go in the biplane?” asked Nellie.
“Would you go?” asked Tom, eagerly.
“I will if Dora will.”
“I’ll go if Dick wishes it,” said Dora, with a fond glance at the youth who was some day to be her husband.
So it was settled that all should travel in the flying machine, and the boys at once set to work to go over the biplane carefully. The start was made an hour later, the sheriff and the hotel keeper and his wife waving them a farewell. Sam ran the biplane, and, as was to be expected, Dora sat close to Dick and Nellie close to Tom. There was no wind, only clear sunshine, and after a little nervousness, the girls began to enjoy the trip. Not a stop was made, all being too anxious to get to Hope.
The Rover Boys Megapack Page 253