Part 34 (1/2)
”It's Link Merwell,” answered her brother ”Call Mr Wadsworth; will you?”
”Oh, Dave! so you've caught him; have you?” cried Jessie, while Laura ran off on her errand ”Did you have a fight?”
”Not h a fall”
”What a very foolish boy he has been!” was Belle's comment ”But I think his father is partly to blame He always allowed Link to do as he pleased on the ranch, and when Link went to the city he always gave hiood for him, at least, so my father said”
”It was up to Link to do the square thing on his own account,” broke in Roger ”He had all the chance in the world to make a man of himself But he preferred the company of fellows like Jasniff And this is the result”
Mr Wadsworth was in his bungaloriting a letter He was surprised and gratified at the news brought by Laura, and quickly followed her outside A little later Mrs Wadsworth and Mrs Basswood joined the group The boys had unbound Link, and now they placed hie hammock with a comfortable pillow under his head As the jewelry manufacturer approached, the sufferer opened his eyes and then struggled to sit up
”hello! I guess he isn't hurt as ht,” re 'possum,” was Luke's comment
”No, he was hurt, that's sure; the cut on his forehead shows it,”
answered Dave
”Well, Merwell, so they have caught you; have they?” began Mr
Wadsworth, as he stepped up in front of the youth ”I thought ould get you sooner or later”
”I--I can't talk to you no-now,” faltered the prisoner
”I don't think it will be necessary to do , Merwell,” went on the jewelrylater--possibly in the police court”
”All right, have your oay about it,” growled the prisoner ”You've got me and I'm down and out, so you can do your worst” And with this he rolled over on the haain closed his eyes
”Talk about nerve!” whispered Ben ”Doesn't that take the cake!”
”I'd like to knohether he is really hurt so ,”
added Phil ”He alas a sly one”
”Tell me how you came to capture him,” said Mr Wadsworth
Thereupon Dave and Phil related how they had gone up the brook to the vicinity of the cliff, and there heard the words between Link and the so-called wild ain?” cried Jessie
”Yes,” answered Dave ”And I wish he would keep away”
Then Dave and Phil related how Link Merwell had plunged over the cliff and had been made a prisoner, and then how, later on, he had tried to escape, struck his head on the tree root, and how all of the boys had brought hiet away froht to be in prison to keep Jasniff coet him to jail?” questioned Phil