Part 19 (2/2)

”I've been in the camp most of the time since we've been here.”

”Come along, then,” Ned replied. ”I'm going back to the cave, and it may be just as well to have some one with me.”

Frank went down the slope to the tent and Ned and Jack hastened down the slope on the other side. They were busy with their thoughts and for a long time neither spoke.

”Of course it is the abductors?” Jack asked, presently.

”I have no doubt of it,” was the reply.

”Do you connect the man Bradley with it?” was the next question.

”There is no proof against him,” Ned replied.

”But you must have some idea about it,” persisted Jack.

”For all we know,” Ned remarked, ”he may be entirely innocent in the abduction matter. He may have brought the real grandchild here.”

”The grandchild!” repeated Jack. ”Here's the old question once more: 'Is it the prince, or is it Mike III.?'”

”I have the answer to that question written down in my memorandum book,” Ned said. ”I don't want to show it to you now, because I may be mistaken. When the case is closed I will show you the entry. Then you may laugh at me if you feel like it.”

”I'd like to see it now,” Jack coaxed.

”I want all you boys to think for yourselves,” Ned went on. ”Don't get a theory and pound away at it. If you do, you'll overlook everything which doesn't agree with that theory. If I should show you what I have written, you might look only for clues calculated to prove it to be correct, or you might look only for opposing clues.”

A second examination of the counterfeiters' cave revealed nothing of importance except that the broken wall on the east side showed a small room into which Jimmie and his captor might have fled after the abduction. Still, there was no proof that they had done so, Ned explained.

”Why didn't the little fellow yell?” asked Jack.

”I think he would have yelled if that had been possible!” Ned said.

The boys left the cave in a short time and pa.s.sed south, toward the valley and the cabin. Instead of going directly to the cabin, however, Ned kept away to the west and came out south of it, in the section where Bradley had walked with the child.

After a time Jack wandered away to the east, so as to come up on that side of the cabin. Although the boys had circled the building, no sign of life had been seen.

While Ned was yet some distance away he saw Jack standing on the slope of the valley watching the front door. He walked back and looked in at a small window in the rear wall. The child lay asleep on a bed in one corner of the room, and Mrs. Brady sat by his side.

Bradley occupied a chair not far away.

”Quite a domestic scene!” Ned muttered.

While the boy watched through the window, the old woman arose and left the cabin by the front door. Then Bradley arose, went to a suitcase in a corner by the hearth, took therefrom a small green paper parcel, and went to the cupboard, hanging on the north wall.

After feeling about for a time he took out a cup, filled it with warm water from a kettle on the fire and stirred the contents of the green package into it with a brush which he took from a pocket. Ned could not see the contents of the cup, but when the man held the brush up to the light he saw that it was soaked in what seemed to be a black dye. It appeared too thick to suit the taste of the man, and he poured in more water out of the kettle.

Then, with the brush wet in one hand and the cup in the other, Bradley drew closer to the bed where the child slept. Ned watched for a few seconds more, then the footsteps of the old lady were heard approaching the door, ringing on the hard earth at the front of it.

Ned made another entry in his memorandum book and turned away.

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