Part 45 (1/2)

At this command the man in the tree seemed much disturbed. He tried to speak, but because of his natural stutter and his terror of the situation through which he was pa.s.sing, his effort was a failure.

”If you don't come down, we'll haul you down,” ordered d.i.c.k, finally, and then, after a little more urging, the fellow finally consented to come out of the tree, and dropped into the rowboat.

”Blackie Crowden, as sure as fate!” murmured Sam, as soon as he got a good look at the fellow's features. ”Well, if this isn't luck!”

”Evidently you know this fellow,” came from Chester Waltham, curiously.

”We sure do!” declared Sam. ”He's the man who knocked our college chum, John Powell, down on the road near Ashton and robbed him of four thousand dollars.”

”I di-didn't r-r-rob any bo-body,” stuttered Blackie Crowden. ”It's all a mi-mis-mis-mista-ta-take!” and he ended with his usual queer whistle.

”We'll see about that later, Crowden,” put in d.i.c.k, sternly. ”Now you sit perfectly still or else maybe you'll go overboard and be drowned.”

It would be difficult to describe the joy with which Ada Waltham greeted her brother on his safe return. She flew into his arms and, as wet as he was, hugged him over and over again.

”Oh! I was so afraid you'd be drowned, Chester!” and then she added quickly: ”How grand it was for the Rovers to go to your a.s.sistance!”

”It certainly was very fine of them to do it,” returned the young millionaire. And now it must be admitted that he seemed very much disturbed in mind. ”I'm going to pay them back, you see if I don't,” he added, after a thoughtful pause.

Blackie Crowden had done his best to make them believe that he was not guilty of the attack upon Songbird, but the Rovers would not listen to this, and put him through such a grilling that finally he broke down and confessed all.

”I wouldn't have done the deed at all if it hadn't been that I was worried over another matter,” he said amid much stuttering and whistling. ”I ain't a bad man naturally, even though I do drink and gamble a little. If it hadn't been for a lawyer named Belright Fogg I would never have robbed the young man.”

”Belright Fogg!” came from the Rovers.

”What has that shyster lawyer to do with it?” added Sam.

”Do you know he is a shyster lawyer?”

”We sure do!” added Tom, promptly.

”Then you will understand me when I tell you how it was. Some time ago I was mixed up in a land transaction. It is a long story, and all I need to tell you is that Belright Fogg was in it, too. I did some things that I oughtn't to, and that gave Fogg a hold on me. Finally he claimed that I owed him three hundred dollars, and he said if I didn't pay up he would make it hot for me and maybe land me in jail. That got me scared and I said I'd get the money somehow.

”Then by accident I saw Powell get the money from the bank, and I followed him on horseback, pa.s.sed him, and took the cash, as you know.

As soon as the deed was done I was sorry for it, but then it was too late,” stuttered Blackie Crowden, and hung his head.

”And did you go to Belright Fogg and give him the three hundred dollars?” queried Sam.

”Yes. I met him in Leadenfield, at a road house kept by a Frenchman named Bissette.”

”Then I was right after all!” cried Sam. ”I accused Fogg of meeting you, but he denied it.”

”Well, he got the three hundred all right enough,” stuttered Crowden.

”And how was it you tried to keep out of our sight in that flood?” asked Sam curiously. ”Did you know us?”

”I knew you--saw you follow me to the depot at Dentonville. You thought I got on that train. But I didn't--I took a night freight.”