Part 28 (2/2)

”You never can tell, Moran,” was the retort.

”There you go!” exclaimed Bruce, fretfully, and the girls knew it must have been the one called Kelly who spoke that time.

There was a movement on the other side of the bush, and Cora, with a sudden motion, crouched down, signalling the others to do the same. It was only just in time, too. Fortunately for the girls they were in a sort of depression, and by crouching down they got out of sight, as one of the men came forward to peer through the underbrush. He saw nothing, as was evidenced by his report a moment later.

”There's not a soul here,” he said. ”There's been some picnic party around, but they've gone. It's as deserted as a graveyard.”

”I'm glad we came away from our luncheon,” whispered Cora, as the men resumed their talk. The wind sprang up, for a moment, and carried their tones away from the girls, so that only an indistinct murmur could be heard. Then there came clear talk again.

”Well, what's the program, then?” asked one whom the girls could tell was Moran. He was the same man they had seen before in the drug store.

”Get at Shane first of all,” decided Kelly. ”I'm willing to let Bruce do it, even if I am Irish.”

”We'll all have to call on him,” said Bruce, grimly, ”but only one need actually do the business. We've got to deal with him in two ways.

We've got to make him tell what we want brought out in court, and we've got to scare him so that he won't tell what we don't want known.

And there are two ways of doing that.”

”How?” asked Kelly.

”First we can offer him a reward. It will be worth it, even if we have to pay something to have him testify as we wish. The committee allowed us a certain sum for--well, let us say for witness fees. I'd rather pay him a hundred dollars and have it all over with. It's better to have a friend than an enemy, and you never can tell which way a thing like this is going to swing.”

”Sposin' he won't take the cash?” asked Moran.

”Then I have another plan,” and Bruce laughed bitterly. ”I guess I don't need to say what it is.”

”I'm wise,” remarked Kelly. ”Only--not too rough, you understand. He's a feeble old man.”

”No rougher than's necessary,” agreed Bruce.

Cora clasped her hands, and looked with fear in her eyes at her chums.

”We----we mustn't let them harm dear old Denny!” whispered Belle, s.h.i.+vering with nervousness.

”Hus.h.!.+” cautioned Cora. ”Don't talk--think!”

There was a movement on the other side of the screen of bushes, as indicating that the men were about to leave.

”Well, we'll let it go until to-night then,” said Kelly.

”Until to-night,” agreed Bruce. ”And we know, in case of a slip-up, that there's no motor boat around here that can catch us when we make our get-away.”

”There's the _Dixie_,” suggested Moran.

”She's out of commission, I heard,” responded Bruce. ”And she won't be in shape for a day or so. The _Chelton_--well, I gave her a try-out a while ago, and I know what she can do.”

<script>