Part 13 (1/2)
”Well, Farley Munson, so it's you, is it?” asked Mr. Jenks, as he surveyed the prisoner.
”Do you know him?” asked Tom, in some surprise.
”He was in with the diamond makers,” said Mr. Jenks. ”He was one of those who took me to the secret cave. But it will be the last time he ever goes there. How high up are we, Tom?”
”About two miles. Why?”
”I guess that will be far enough to let him fall,” went on the diamond seeker. ”Come on, Mr. Damon, help me throw him overboard!”
”You--you're not going to throw me over--with the airs.h.i.+p two miles high; are you?” gasped the man.
”Will you tell us what we want to know, if we don't?” asked Mr. Jenks.
”What do you want to know?”
”How you got aboard, and what your object was in coming.”
”That's easy enough. I had been hanging around the shed for several days, watching a chance to get in. Finally I saw it, when that colored man went to feed his mule, and I slipped in, and hid in the airs.h.i.+p. The stores were all in then, and I stowed myself away among the boxes. I had food and water, so I didn't touch any of yours,” and he looked at Mr.
Damon, who seemed much relieved.
”And what was your object?” demanded Mr. Jenks.
”I wanted to prevent you from going to Phantom Mountain.”
”How?”
”By destroying the airs.h.i.+p if need be. But I hoped to accomplish it by other means. I would have stopped at nothing, though, to prevent you.
You must keep away from there!”
”And if we refuse?” asked Tom.
”Then you'll have to take what comes!”
”But not from you!” exclaimed Mr. Jenks. ”We're going to get rid of you.”
The man's face showed the alarm he felt.
”Oh, don't worry,” said Mr. Jenks, quickly, ”we're not going to toss you overboard. We're not as desperate as your crowd. But we're going to get rid of you, and then go on before you can send any word to your confederates. We'll put you off in the most lonesome spot we can find, and I guess you'll be some time getting back to civilization. By that time we'll have the secret of the diamonds.”
”You never will!” declared the man, firmly. And he would say nothing more, though by threats and promises Mr. Jenks tried to get from him something about the men in with him, and where the cave of the diamonds was located.
Heavily bound with ropes the man was locked in a small closet, to be kept there until a favorable spot was reached for letting him go. Mr.
Jenks' plan, of dropping him down in some place where he would have difficulty in sending on word to his confederates was considered a good one.
Three days later, in crossing over a lonely region, near the Nebraska National Forest, Farley Munson, which was one of the names the spy went by, was dropped off the airs.h.i.+p, when it was sent down to within a few feet of the earth.
”It will take you some time to get to a telegraph office,” said Mr.
Jenks, as a package of food, and a flask of water was tossed down to the stowaway. He shook his fist at those in the airs.h.i.+p, and shouted after them: