Part 48 (2/2)

Bob was made fast to a tree at the farther end of the encampment, where he could not see his former companion, and then Jet went to the first prisoner as he said:

”If you will promise not to speak, I'll take the gag out of your mouth for a while, because we shall likely be here a long time.”

There was an expression of deepest thankfulness in the fellow's eyes, and the amateur detective felt reasonably certain that he would not attempt to make any disturbance.

”Now, if I hear you so much as whisper, back it goes,” he said, as he removed the uncomfortable preventive of speech.

”You needn't be afraid,” was the meek reply. ”I'll do anything rather than have that thing put in my mouth agin. How did you get hold of Bob?”

”Took him unawares, as we did you.”

”Well, all I can say is, you fellers are corkers!”

This in a tone of admiration. ”If any one had told me that a couple of boys could get the best of him, I'd said it was a lie, an' here you sneak off an' bring him in when you get ready.”

”We shouldn't have done it if you'd found them.”

”That's a fact; but you can't expect that a feller wouldn't help his pals.”

”That's all right, since no harm has been done,” Jet replied, feeling very magnanimous now he had been so successful.

The boy had every reason to feel proud of what had been accomplished.

He had acted as Harvey wished, and, in addition, arrested the man so particularly wanted, with one of his companions.

Now if he could transfer them to the charge of an officer his triumph would be complete, and the detective have good reason to keep his promise relative to employing him as an a.s.sistant.

It was the fact of his having been successful, more than anything else, that caused Jet to fear the third attempt at capturing a man would be attended with signal failure, and several times during the day was he tempted to bundle the two into the boat, instead of waiting to make prisoners of all three.

He even went so far as to suggest this to Jim, saying:

”We could get up to the village with these fellows before morning, and I'm not sure it wouldn't be the best plan, for if Sam downs us these will be set free. Then all this work counts for nothing.”

”Let's go the whole hog or nothing,” the small guide replied, bravely, for he was rapidly beginning to think that he and Jet could accomplish anything they might attempt.

Then Jim set about cooking an elaborate dinner as a sort of thanksgiving.

The fire was built inside the thicket between the two prisoners, so that the boys might keep watch of both at the same time, and when the food had been prepared Detective Harvey's a.s.sistants set themselves down to enjoy it to the utmost.

Then it was necessary to feed the prisoners, a task which required considerable time.

Jim attended to the stranger, while Jet fed Bob, and the latter said, when his gag was removed:

”I reckon you're countin' on turnin' us over to the Albany officers.”

”Yes, unless some one comes from New York.”

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