Part 17 (2/2)

”But suppose, when the police make their raid, these Malatestas get desperate and mad enough to kill Tony? They're a bad lot. I've a notion we ought to get Tony out of there before----”

”The iron gets too hot, eh? I guess you are right, Gus.”

”Look, Bill, here's a scheme. What if we work it this way?” Gus proceeded to outline a plan with every detail of which Bill agreed; and it called for action.

Taking the revolver and some extra cartridges, Bill hobbled along by Gus, who gave him a lift, now and then, piggy-back. The boys made their way south for more than a mile along the thoroughfare swamp edge. Then they turned sharply on a path across the wooded peninsula to the beach, and went another half mile among the dunes. A very tall pine tree against the sky-line gave Gus his bearings. A little below that they stopped, and Bill found a comfortable hiding-place among scrub pines, with the boom of the breakers in his ears and the sea breeze keeping off the mosquitoes.

Gus cast about silently for the path that led in to the kidnapers'

cabin. Finding it with some difficulty in the darkness, he noted certain landmarks and went back to Bill. Agreeing on signals in whispers, Gus went back to the path and struck a match, whereupon Bill fired a shot, and immediately afterward, another. Then Gus swiftly made his way directly toward the cabin, and when near it, called softly:

”h.e.l.lo, h.e.l.lo, you fellers! It's me, Sam.”

There was a very profound silence for a few minutes. Gus called again:

”h.e.l.lo! It's me, Sam. Don't shoot!”

And very much with his heart in his mouth, but still determined, he advanced, crouching low so that a bullet would most likely pa.s.s high over him. Suddenly a figure appeared directly in front of him and a flashlight was thrown in his face for an instant. Gus knew that he had been identified.

”Lay low,” he whispered, not forgetting to keep up the dialect. ”They're out there, somebody--sneakin' along in the open. I seen 'em an' let fly at 'em an' they shot back, but I run on down the woodses. Git yer gang an' come along so's we kin head 'em off if they start in here.”

”How we do that? We stay here an' fight 'em, eh?”

”An' that'll give 'em the lay o' this place. We want t' draw 'em up the beach. Chase along up through the woodses an' come out 'bout a mile above and shoot oncet er twicet. Two of us kin do that an' two kin lay out yan at the end o' the path an' watch fer any of 'em startin' in this away, an' then you kin lead 'em off. See? That's the way the smugglin'

fellers do it.”

The plan must have looked good to the fellow still in the darkness; Gus did not know to whom he was talking, but he heard the man walk away rapidly. He waited, as though on pins, and in a moment three figures loomed before him, one voice questioning him again. The boy tactfully repeated his suggestions--then turned back with them as they started forward, evidently agreeing.

One fellow, Gus could see, was rubbing his eyes. All carried guns.

Two men kept to the path that led toward the beach edge of the woods.

Another and Gus went straight on. Presently Gus suggested that they stop and rest awhile; then move on farther up, stop, scatter a little, and listen. He would sneak out into the open, he said, and look around.

There was no danger of his being seen. It would be best to remain thus for an hour or more--perhaps till morning, mosquitoes or no mosquitoes.

A grunt signified agreement.

The boy crept out toward the dunes and on, until he felt sure he could not be heard. Then, with the smooth, hard sand for a track he ran, softly on tiptoe, until once again he came below the tall pine. A low hiss thrice repeated was answered, and he found Bill in the same spot.

”They're all stuck along in the woods yonder,” Gus whispered. ”If you hear them moving off toward the cabin again, shoot. If they go on, shoot twice. If they come your way, lie low. Here goes for Tony, old scout!”

Gus had some difficulty getting to the cabin from the south side. He missed it once, got too far into the woods, turned, regained the dunes, struck in again and this time started to pa.s.s within a few yards of it, but by merest chance saw the gable end against the sky.

CHAPTER XXVI

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