Part 28 (2/2)

”Then I'll back out with this bunch of junk. Here's a pair of bra.s.s knuckles in the bunch. I'll use 'em on any of these fellows who try to run. We'll keep 'em hived up here till the police come. One fellow can hold 'em. Unless they try to climb up that hollow beech tree.”

”No fear,” said Copley. ”Get the girls out first.”

Tom had already loaded both Ruth and Helen down with the loot from the malefactors' pockets. He motioned to the girls to leave the cavern.

”Hold on! Hold on!” Bilby cried. ”I beg of you, don't leave me with these men. I only happen to be here by chance--”

”A bad chance for you, then,” said Chess Copley. ”Don't listen to him, Captain Cameron.”

”No, don't listen to him,” said Ruth severely. ”I know he is worse than the others. Why, Tom! he is the man who has made us all that trouble about Wonota and my picture.”

”Sure,” agreed Tom. ”I know the snake. Go ahead, girls. Chess and I will follow you. And one of us will be right in this pa.s.sage all the time,” he added, addressing the two white men. ”Don't make any mistake. We'll shoot if you try to come out until you are told to.”

The girls were already feeling their way through the darkness of the tunnel. At the turn Ruth kicked something, and, stooping, secured Chess'

electric torch. She pressed the switch and the illumination allowed the two young men to overtake them with more certainty, Chess backing out with his pistol trained on the opening into the cavern.

When once the four friends were around the turn and out of hearing of the prisoners, Tom Cameron began to chuckle.

”This is no laughing matter!” exclaimed his sister. ”I am so excited I don't know what to do.”

”Keep right on,” said Ruth. ”I want to get home just as soon as I can. I don't believe I shall care hereafter to leave the island until we are through with the picture and can go back to the Red Mill. What are you laughing about, Tom Cameron?”

”I don't know how 'La.s.ses is fixed,” said the amused Tom. ”But my pistol isn't loaded. It is my old service automatic and needs repairing, anyway.”

”Don't fret, Cameron. Mine is loaded all right,” said Chess grimly.

”Then you stay and guard the cave,” said Tom.

”You bet you! You couldn't get me away from here until you have sent for the sheriff and he comes for the gang. I believe we have done a good night's work.”

”Oh, you were wonderful!” Helen burst out. ”And Ruth says they knocked you down and hurt you.”

”I shall get over that all right,” returned Chess quietly.

But when they were out of the pa.s.sage and on the open sh.o.r.e Helen insisted upon fussing around Chessleigh, bathing the lump on his head, and otherwise ”mothering” him in a way that secretly delighted Ruth. Tom looked at his sister in some amazement.

”What do you know about that?” he whispered to Ruth. ”She was as sore at him as she could be an hour ago.”

”You don't know your own sister very well, Tom,” retorted Ruth.

”Humph!” e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed Tom Cameron. ”Perhaps we fellows don't understand any girl very well.”

But Ruth was not to be led into any discussion of that topic then. It was agreed that she and Helen and Tom should hurry back to the motion picture camp at once.

”The King of the Pipes won't bite you,” Tom said to Chess. ”Only don't let him go back into the cave. Those fellows might do him some harm. And the sheriff will want him for a witness against the gang. He is not so crazy as he makes out to be.”

The night's adventures were by no means completed, for Ruth and Helen could not go to bed after they reached the bungalow until they knew how it all turned out. Mr. Hammond had returned before them, and Willie and Tom started at once for Chippewa Bay in the _Gem_.

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