Part 12 (1/2)
”Why can't you tell hirouped themselves in a shadowy corner of the cave ”Why don't you tell hiht, and hoe happened to come into the cavern I don't believe they'll do us any harm if you tell the truth”
”Now, look here, kid,” Will answered, ”if we tell the cowboys that we ca for a demented man, they'll want to knoho the demented man is, and why he came into the hills without any supplies Can't you understand that?”
”If he does,” replied Chester, ”I'll tell him all about it”
”If you do,” Will continued, ”the cowboys will join in the search for your father, and when they catch him, they'll turn him over to the two detectives who are now in the hills searching for hiainst the wall of the cave His voice was piteous as he asked:
”So you know all about that, too, do you?”
”Yes,” answered Will, ”and we don't want the officers to get hold of your father If they do, it will spoil all our plans, because they'll take him back to the penitentiary, and that would make new trouble for our friend We want to find him ourselves”
”But I don't understand--”
”I know that you don't understand,” Will declared, ”and this is no tiive you the information you lack”
”But I'll see father taken back to prison before I'll see you two boys lynched!” insisted Chester
”You'd better think the matter over carefully,” Will advised ”The chances are that they won't believe anything we say to them now”
”Well!” the sheriff called out impatiently ”Have you boys reached a conclusion?”
”We have already told you everything which can possibly interest you!”
Will answered ”We have nothingout your rope, boys!” the sheriff shouted
Seth threw a hand back to his pistol pocket and faced the sheriff angrily The sheriff's eyes flashed vengefully
”I protest against this murder!” Seth exclais, get out!” ordered the sheriff ”We can do the ithout you!”
”I don't propose to see these Boy Scouts murdered!” Seth declared
Every un in his hand, and it seemed to the boys that a desperate battle must take place They drew their own revolvers and stood side by side with their defender
”Take those guns away fro two of his ht to have attended to that before this!”