Part 44 (1/2)
”Where did they pick her up?” asked d.i.c.k.
”Down at Fremville. She was waiting with one of the young men, a chap they called Koswell.”
”Are they all up at that old mansion now?”
”I suppose so. They were there when I left.”
”Who lives at the place?”
”I don't know,--I didn't see anybody.”
CHAPTER XXVIII
AT THE OLD MANSION
After that the chauffeur became more communicative, and in a few words told how he had been engaged by Koswell and Larkspur to do a certain job that they said might take the best part of the afternoon and night. They had told him that a certain college professor at Brill had a wayward stepdaughter and that the daughter and her school chum had grossly insulted a lady teacher and were in danger of being arrested. The old professor wanted to get the two girls away and place them under the care of an old lady, a distant relative, who would know how to manage them.
He had been promised fifty dollars if he would do the work and say nothing about it to anybody, he being informed that the old professor wanted to avoid all publicity and also wished to s.h.i.+eld his stepdaughter.
”They told me first there were three girls,” went on the man. ”And so there were, but one got away somehow, so then we took only the two.”
”But you heard what the girls said, didn't you?” asked d.i.c.k, sharply.
”I was paying attention to running my car,” mumbled the chauffeur.
”How about when I and my brother came after you on horseback? Why didn't you stop and find out what we wanted?”
”The young fellow, Sobber, said you were from the school where the young ladies attended and that maybe you wanted to arrest them. They made me go on.”
”That sounds pretty fishy to me,” returned d.i.c.k. ”Still, I won't condemn you until this whole thing is cleared up. Just now we've got to find those young ladies.”
”Going to leave me tied up?” cried the chauffeur.
”Yes, until we get back.”
”That aint fair nohow!”
”Well, fair or not, that's the way it is going to be,” put in Tom. ”My own opinion is, you are almost as guilty as anybody. You didn't plan this thing, but you were perfectly willing to do your share in carrying it out.”
The chauffeur begged and pleaded, but the three boys would not listen to him. All were eager to go on, to ascertain what had become of Dora and Nellie. They felt that the girls must be suffering intensely even though Mrs. Sobber was with them.
”No use of taking the lantern, we can easily find the way,” said d.i.c.k.
”I'd rather have the stick handy, and my pistol.”
Leaving the chauffeur grumbling roundly, the three Rover boys hurried along the woodland trail. It made half a dozen turns, the last around a spring of pure cold water, which the tired-out lads could not resist.
Each got a good drink and felt much refreshed. All were too excited to notice their hunger, even though they had not tasted a mouthful of food since the noon lunch.
”I see the house!” whispered Sam, presently, and pointed ahead, and his brothers nodded.