Part 12 (1/2)
”Does that mean that you would have hung him?” asked Rodney, with a shudder.
”That's generally the way we do with horse-thieves up here,” replied Mr.
Westall. ”How do you serve them in your part of the country?”
”We put them in jail when they have been proved guilty,” answered Rodney. ”But you have said, in so many words, that this boy didn't steal the horse-that he was stolen by a man who ran away with him.”
Before replying the Emergency man paused to relight his pipe which he had allowed to go out.
CHAPTER VIII.
RODNEY PROVES HIS FRIENDs.h.i.+P.
It seemed to take Mr. Westall a long time to get his pipe going to his satisfaction, and when at last he spoke, it was easy to see that he was angry at Rodney for inquiring so particularly into matters that did not in any way concern him.
”It is very strange that you fail to understand me after I have taken such_ pains to go into details,” said he, impatiently. ”The fact that young Percival didn't steal the horse doesn't matter. We were bound to get rid of him before he could have time to raise and drill a company of Home Guards in our settlement, and the only way we could do it was to charge him with some crime that would make everybody, Union and Confederate, mad at him. See? But somehow he got wind of our plans (that shows how impossible it is to trust anybody these times), and dug out.”
”On his own horse?” asked Rodney.
”Of course. We put after him, taking care to cut him off from the old post-road which he would have to follow to reach Springfield, and making him stay in the river counties among people who would do all in their power to help us catch him. He's a sharp one, and there aint no better critter than the one that has kept him ahead of us for nearly ten days. He has ridden that one horse all the time, while we have had to change now and then. He spent one night with Jeff in this cabin-”
”And the way he did pull the wool over our eyes was a caution,” Nels interposed. ”Why, if you could a heard him talk you would a thought, as we did, that he had been gunning for Union men and living on 'em ever since the furse began. He let on that he was in a great hurry to get over the river to see about getting some guns for Price's men, and we swallered every word he said.”
”Tom always could tell a slick story,” was Rodney's mental comment.
”He had a watch chain that was adzactly like your'n, and the minute I seen it I said to myself that you was him,” said Nels in conclusion.
”We were close upon his heels,” continued Mr. Westall. ”We arrived here the next morning, about four hours after he left, and when we told Jeff and his friends what a neat trick had been played upon them, they became not only angry but very suspicious.”
”Unreasonably suspicious,” added Rodney, in a tone of disgust. ”Does Jeff or anybody else suppose for a moment that I would have come back to this camp if I had been in Percival's place?”
”That was what beat my time and I said so,” answered Nels. ”I never would have suspicioned you if it hadn't been for that watch chain of your'n, and the story you told about not knowing the country around Springfield. The captain of the Mollie Able said you was one of Price's men, and we took it for granted that you had been riding with him. But I am satisfied now.”
”I am glad to hear it,” answered Rodney ”But, Mr. Westall, it can't be possible that you will stand by and see this young fellow punished, when you know him to be innocent of the crime with which you have charged him?”
”No; I don't reckon I'll stand by and see it because I have sorter taken a s.h.i.+ne to him, even if he is a traitor,” answered the Emergency man. ”There'll be enough to attend to the business without any of my help.”
”And he will be hung, I suppose?”
”He'll never stick his meddlesome Union nose into our settlement again, I'll bet you on that,” replied Mr. Westall, knocking the ashes from his pipe and showing quite plainly by his manner that he did not care to answer any more questions. ”I can't understand why the folks living down Springfield way didn't attend to his case long ago, and save us the trouble.”
So saying the Emergency man arose to his feet and went after his blanket, which had been left outside the door with his saddle, and the movement was taken by the others as a signal that it was time to go to bed. Rodney's blankets were in his trunk, but he was not ready to take them out just then. He followed Mr. Westall out of the door, believing that the latter would be sure to visit Tom's prison before retiring for the night.
”I must find out where that corn-crib is, for I shall want to go to it before morning,” said Rodney to himself. ”And then there are the dogs, which I should like to have see and scent me before I go prowling around among them. Tom's got to have help this very night or he is just as good as a dead cadet.”
Mr. Westall undid the blanket which was strapped behind his saddle, tossed it into the cabin and then stretched his arms and yawned as if he were very tired and sleepy.
”I am used to the saddle,” said he, as Rodney came out of the cabin and approached the place where he was standing, ”but I must say that that young fellow has given me a hard pull. He must be made of iron, for he doesn't seem to mind it at all. Let's go and see how he is getting on. I want to make sure that he is safe before I go to sleep.”
”Don't you think this is a cold-blooded, heartless way to treat a boy who has never done you any harm?” inquired Rodney, stooping down to caress first one and then another of the large pack of dogs which came trooping up the minute the cabin door was opened. ”Have you a son about the same age?”