Part 28 (2/2)
But they doubtless made a cache of it somewhere, believing that the scouts would be too timid ever to return to this camp, and then they could take up their quarters here. If they were left unmolested, they could move back the furniture and food later.”
”That's what I thought, too,” agreed Mr. Gilroy. ”And by depriving the girls of food and camp-beds, they were sure of driving them away from here at once.”
”Exactly. Now, I should propose to the scouts that they thrash the bushes near here to see if the villagers have not pa.s.sed over the hidden stores or pieces of furniture. Of course they ought to have beaten the woods too well to miss anything, but one never can tell as, in their zeal, they are hunting _men_, not food,” said the Chief.
”We will search if you are quite sure it is safe for us to do so. If the hunters who sought first missed the chairs or table, why couldn't they pa.s.s over a rec.u.mbent form of a man?” said Mrs. Vernon.
”Oh, I do not think the tables or chairs are left standing intact. And the food-stuffs will not be in boxes, either; but small installments of it probably will be found here and there under the leaves, in hollows, or hidden under roots of trees.”
”Well, Chief, you leave two of your best men here with us for protection, and then go as far as you like over the mountain-top,”
agreed Mr. Gilroy.
So two big fighting men were detailed to remain behind with the camp-party, and the rest of the police started in different directions to hunt out the desperadoes.
After the police were out of sight, Joan said: ”I wish we could find our food-stuff and furniture before a rain-storm comes.”
Mrs. Vernon laughed. ”If the grapevine could withstand the snows and rains of many years before we found it, now that it is turned into furniture for us it will surely not suffer from a slight storm.”
”Well, _I_ am not thinking of storms, but of hunger. Let's go to work and hunt, then we can stay on in camp--if we find the food,” said Julie.
So in short order every one was beating the bushes and leaves as if in search of diamonds. The policemen had given the girls a ”safety zone” in which to work, while they themselves wandered further afield.
Not long after they began seeking, Mrs. Vernon found a cooking-pot under a bush. Then Joan found some groceries. In all sorts of out-of-the-way holes and nooks, well-covered from curious eyes, different articles were found, but the greater part of the food-stuff was still to be regained, when the Captain told her girls to rest for a short time and eat some of the crackers Ruth had found.
A dish-pan of water was brought from the spring and the scouts sat down to eat and drink, while reviewing the thrilling adventures of the past two days.
”I still must say that I am dubious about the reception this present undertaking will receive, when it is known that I am so weak-minded as to give in to four coaxing girls and Mr. Gilroy, who has a wonderful plan for you girls to win a lot of money--but in a manner that is ninety-nine chances against one to its success.”
”Oh, Verny! Do tell us what it is!” exclaimed Julie.
”Is that what he whispered to you that made you change your mind?” asked Ruth.
”Yes, I was foolish enough to believe that it was possible, but now that I am here I see that it is not! I wish to goodness we were back safe at Freedom!”
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
THE CAPTURE
A pleased signal from the detective now caused the happy scouts to race down the trail as if a wild grizzly was after them. Joan and Julie reached him first, and there they saw the nice little cache of food-stock that every man in Freedom had pa.s.sed by while thras.h.i.+ng the bushes for the fugitives.
”Of all things! How did they get the time to do it so neatly?” asked Mrs. Vernon, seeing the logs and leaves and stones scattered over the boxes and tins of camp-food.
”They are experienced wanderers, I suppose, and most likely often had to hide their firearms and food from the secret police in Europe,” returned the detective, beginning to drag out the packages and boxes.
”I can't understand how those men from Freedom, beating over this very ground, should pa.s.s by such a clue to the rascals. You see they can't live very long without food, so here we have them, while they may still be at large on the mountains,” continued the policeman.
The girls were only too glad to carry their campstock back to the small hut and there left it in the custody of Mr. Gilroy, while they sought still further for blankets or bedding.
<script>