Part 26 (2/2)
”You washed the boy, as I asked you to?” Ned then enquired.
”I tried to,” was the reply, ”but Bradley said he would take him out and give him a swim in the run down in the valley. He wouldn't let me touch him.”
”Well, what did the pillow case show this morning?”
The old lady pointed to the white paper.
”It was stained like that,” she said.
During this talk Jack had been standing looking from Ned to the old lady with all shades of expression on his face. Now he spoke.
”Say, Ned,” he almost gasped, ”what is the meaning of all this?”
”Wait a minute!” Ned said, facing the old lady again. ”And you listened to their talk when they sat together last night?”
”Indeed I did, sir, and its the first time I ever played the spy!”
”What was Bradley saying to him?” asked Ned, then.
”He was saying French words over and over for him to repeat!”
Jack dropped into a chair and looked helplessly at his chum.
”Foolish little French phrases, like one finds at the back of any dictionary?” asked Ned. ”He was repeating them so that the boy could say them after him?”
”Yes, sir, that is just it.”
”Now, Jack, what about your prince of the royal blood?” asked Ned.
”I gather from what I hear that he was painted,” said Jack, with a shamed look in his eyes. ”Painted!”
”Sure he was!” cried the woman. ”Painted and taught foolish little French words to say! But he is Mike's boy! I know that!”
”This is like the Arabian Nights!” Jack cried.
”Worse!” Ned declared, ”for all my plans have gone wrong with the disappearance of the boy.”
CHAPTER XVIII
BRADLEY BECOMES INDIGNANT
Frank and Jimmie hastened down the slope to the west, after toiling up and crossing the broken summit, and soon caught sight of the man they had been instructed to take prisoner. Bradley was walking swiftly, his haste not at all matching the leisurely air he had affected at the camp.
”How do you feel now?” asked Jimmie, wrinkling his nose at Frank.
”How does it seem to be a bold, bad gunman?”
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