Part 43 (1/2)
CHAPTER XXIII
”THIS TIME IS AS GOOD AS ANY OTHER”
”There he is!” breathed Greg, who ran with the foremost rank of pursuing boys, as they turned into Abbott Street.
A policeman saw the commotion and ran fast after the crowd of youngsters. As the officer caught up with Ross he found out that they were ”chasing Fits.”
Though the man ahead ran rapidly, the foremost boys gradually overtook him. The policeman, too, was well in the front of the running.
Then the fugitive stumbled and fell to the ground. He sat up, but made no further move to get away.
”I may as well give meself up,” remarked the recent fugitive resignedly.
”The law is always sure to git a feller.”
”Why, this isn't Mr. Fits!” e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed d.i.c.k and Greg in the same accent of disgust.
”Who's going to gimme fits?” demanded the man, looking stupidly about him, while the crowd circled him and the policeman peered down into his face. ”Who's going to gimme fits, I ask? Will it be Jack Ryan?”
”This fellow is Dock Breslin, a teamster,” muttered the policeman disgustedly. ”Who said it was the thief that the chief wants so badly?”
”I--I thought it was, when I saw him,” stammered Greg Holmes, rather abashed now. ”He's the same build as Fits, and looked like him at a distance. And this man, Breslin, was peering around the corner and acting suspiciously. He ran away, too, when we started after him.”
”I'll go with ye, peaceable like,” promised Dock Breslin, getting upon his feet and addressing the blue coated one. ”'Twas Jack himself swore out the warrant, I suppose.”
”What warrant?” demanded the policeman.
”Didn't he swear out one?” insisted Breslin.
”Who?”
”Jack Ryan. 'Twas meself that gave Ryan a big wallopin' this afternoon, all on account of a bit of a dispute we had. Jack swore he'd be even with me, and I heard he'd sworn out a warrant against me,” explained Breslin, who had the air of one stupidly rejoicing that his suspense was ended.
”I heard of no warrant for you, Dock, when the night watch had the orders read before we came out to-night,” replied the policeman.
”Then Jack didn't do it?” demanded Breslin.
”If he did, he didn't let the police know about it,” laughed the policeman. ”If there'd been a warrant against you, Dock, the orders would have been read to the night watch at the station house. Did you run from the boys because you thought there was a warrant against you?”
”I did,” the teamster admitted.
”Then Jack Ryan will be laughing at you to-morrow,” grinned the officer.
”Go home, Breslin, and behave yourself. Boys, you'd better scatter.”
It was not long after that that Gridley Grammar School boys were at home and in bed. By morning they were on the street again, as there was still some of the holiday vacation left.
There was news, too, this morning. The Dodge house had been entered late in the night, but the Dodge coachman, returning late, had caught sight of a burglar near an open dining room window. In investigating more closely the coachman had scared the burglar, who leaped from the window, struck the coachman over the head, and then vanished. But the coachman's description of his a.s.sailant tallied with the personal appearance of Mr.
Fits.
”Then the bold scoundrel is still operating in Gridley?” pa.s.sed from mouth to mouth. ”What nerve!”