Part 29 (1/2)
”Oh, I don't lay that up against them!” the sheriff replied ”After all,” he continued, ”they were careful not to injure any one on the hold-up they're accused of, and I don't think they'll get more than five or six years”
The officers and the boys parted with feelings of ret They had not had much faith or confidence in each other at first, but in the end each group knew the worth of the other The parting between the boys and Seth was particularly heartfelt Although Sheriff Pete had been trying to reach inforht in his oay, the deputy had faced him dohen he believed that the boys were to be lynched There was h after that, in the room of the Sheriff at Lander
When at last the boys reached their caht the escaped convict down had disappeared, Sandy ca out from under a pile of blankets in one of the tents
”What do you know about that?” asked To to the boy
Sandy yawned and rubbed his eyes
”Say, what time is it?” he asked
”Four o'clock!” replied Will
”Is it yesterday or today?” asked Sandy
”It's the day after toet funny, now,” Sandy advised ”Whatever day it is, I've been asleep ever since you boys went away”
CHAPTER XXI
CONCLUSION
”You never have!” declared Tommy
”Honest!” replied Sandy ”I filled myself up with provisions and crawled under the blanket and went to sleep just after you went away to get soet the steak?” the boy added with a grin
”You bet I did,” answered To the waistband of his trousers ”How's your shoulder?”
”Fine as a fiddle,” was the reply ”I' to have any trouble with it after this! Did you find Chester's fond parent,” he added, glancing in the direction of the escaped convict
”Sure we did,” replied Tommy ”And, do you know,” the boy went on, ”that we needn't have bothered about finding hi about the Freht, Chester?” asked Sandy
”Now you come on over here to father,” Chester said, ”and we'll ask him what took place in the private rooht, and we'll see if his s which occurred there is the same as mine”
The boys now all trooped to the tent where Mr Wagner had been placed and Chester asked:
”Do you knohy these boys are here, father?”
”To take me back to prison, I suppose,” was the almost sullen reply
”They are here to establish your innocence,” the son went on ”Do you knohy?”
The father glanced keenly fro with excitement: