Part 5 (1/2)
”This is the time we get the best of Dave Porter!” whispered Link Merwell to his cronies. ”I guess we have spoiled their picnic.”
”I--I--don't think th--they'll fight,” faltered Nat, as Dave leaped to the ground, followed by his chums.
”Better arm yourselves with clubs,” suggested Nick Jasniff. ”Remember, we are only three to five.”
”Maybe we had better--er--go away,” returned the money-lender's son, hesitatingly.
”No, I am going to see the thing out,” answered Jasniff.
”So am I,” added Merwell. ”Don't go, Nat--they won't dare to fight--with the girls looking on.”
”Whoa, there! Whoa!” came a cry from behind the two touring cars, and looking back the boys and girls saw a man drive up on a buckboard drawn by a spirited horse.
”Why, if it isn't Jed Sully!” cried Ben.
”Who is he?” questioned Sam.
”Sort of a roadmaster in these parts. I suppose he is going around, inspecting the roads and bridges.”
”Then he ought to be able to tell us about this road!” put in Phil, quickly.
”h.e.l.lo! What's the meaning of this?” demanded Jed Sully, after alighting. And he strode forward and confronted the boys.
”How are you, Mr. Sully?” said Dave, for he had met the roadmaster before.
”Oh, so it's you, Dave! Blocked up, eh?” And the roadmaster looked first at Dave and his chums and then at those standing on the other side of the barrier. ”Who did this?”
”They did,” answered Roger, and pointed to the other crowd.
”What for?” And the roadmaster's voice grew a bit hard.
”Nat Poole, there, claims that his father has a right to close this road,” explained Dave. ”He put up a barrier some distance back, but we pa.s.sed it. Now he and his friends have put up this.”
”And we want to know if they have a right to do it,” added Ben. ”I had an idea the new paper company bought only one side of the road.”
”So it did,” answered Jed Sully. ”And even if it bought both sides it couldn't close off this road, which is a public highway.” He turned to Nat. ”Are you Aaron Poole's son?”
”Ye-as,” faltered the youth addressed, and he commenced to look worried.
”Did your father give you orders to close off this road?”
”Why--er--he--that is,” stammered Nat. ”What business is it of yours, anyway?” he cried.
”It is a good deal of my business,” responded Jed Sully, warmly. ”I am the roadmaster for this district, and I won't allow you or anybody else to close off this road, or any other, without special permission. You had no right to put those logs across the road away back, and put up that sign, and I want you to take 'em away as soon as you can.”
”Well, my father bought this land, and----”
”No, he didn't buy it; the paper company bought it,” corrected Jed Sully. ”But that gave 'em no right to close the road. You take that stuff out of the way, and at once, or I'll have you locked up.” And walking around the barrier he caught Nat by the arm.
”Let go--don't you touch me!” screamed the money-lender's son, trying to jerk away.