Chapter 10

ONE PRISONER.

The brute guardian of the house was at his post, as was soon learned when the new-comers drew nearer.

The deep baying of the dog was heard before the party had gained the edge of the woods where an unobstructed view of the house could be had, and Jet whispered to Harvey in a tone of satisfaction:

"It's a good thing I killed the other, for now there can't be much of a fight with only one to be taken care of."

"Does that wood-pile run all around the house?" the detective asked.

"It does, so far as I could see, except at the gate."

"Where is that?"

"To the right."

"How high is it?"

"About the same as the wood-pile, and made of planks."

It was evident the place had been built with especial reference to sustaining an attack, and there seemed little chance but that it would be stoutly defended.

"Three men inside could snap their fingers at a hundred," Harvey said, half to himself; "but at the same time four on the outside could keep a dozen of them prisoners."

"You are bound to have a fight," Jet whispered.

"There's little doubt about that, my boy. You are to stay under cover of the barricade near the gate while we rush in."

"Why don't I go with you?"

"Because there's too much danger. It will be enough if you prevent any of the crowd from giving us the slip."

"But I want to do my share; it was through me that you found out where they were, and it isn't fair to make me stay behind?"

"You're a brick, my boy," Harvey exclaimed as he grasped Jet's hand warmly. "If we finish this work all right I'll show you a chance to earn a living, for you shall be my partner."

"Do you mean it?" Jet cried, speaking incautiously loud in his excitement.

"Every word; but we'll drop the matter now and attend to business. I've got a general idea of the lay of the land, and there must be no more time wasted. Keep close behind me."

Harvey then held a whispered conversation with his companions, during which it was decided that the barricade should be scaled near the gate, and the dog silenced, if possible, in the manner Jet settled the other one.

"Don't shoot unless it is absolutely necessary," Harvey said in conclusion, "for we must take those fellows by surprise."

"It isn't likely they've been obliging enough to leave the door open so we can walk in," one of the party suggested.

"By attacking that with the heaviest sticks of cordwood after the brute is killed, we should be able to pound our way through in a very few seconds. Now come on, and work lively after we are in the yard."

Harvey led the way, and on arriving at the gate it was found to be an extremely difficult point at which to effect an entrance, because of its height, therefore the plan was so far changed as to move farther toward the rear of the building, where the party began clambering the wood.

During all this time the dog had kept up a furious barking, and when Harvey stood on the top of the barricade ready to leap down, the animal was directly beneath him ready for a spring.

It would have been an easy matter to shoot him then and there; but the detective was not willing to discharge his weapon, and, armed with a heavy stick, he leaped upon him.

Unfortunately, just as he jumped some of the wood rolled from beneath his feet, and he was turned in such a manner that he fell prostrate before the enraged brute.

In another instant, and before he could have scrambled to his feet, the dog would have had him by the throat but for Jet, who was on the alert for just such an accident.

In a twinkling he was inside the enclosure, and the remainder of the party hardly had time to understand what had happened before his club descended on the animal's head.

One such blow was sufficient to put an end to this portion of the battle, and when Harvey stood erect once more the dog was still in death, save for the muscular twitching of his body.

Again Harvey clasped the boy by the hand, for the latter's timely action had saved the man from severe wounds, if nothing more serious, and then all advanced cautiously toward the house.

Listening at the door an instant, not a sound could be heard.

From the silence all believed the men had made their escape, but yet it would not be wise to take that for granted.

Harvey raised his weapon, looked around to make certain his companions were ready to join in the assault, and then whispered:

"Now! Strike together, and keep it up till something gives way."

The words had hardly been spoken when the heavy sticks of wood were launched against the door, and before a second blow could be given the report of a revolver rang out sharp and angry on the night air.

"We have got them!" the detective shouted triumphantly, for there was no reason why they should remain silent. "Work quickly, boys!"

Again and again were the blows delivered, causing the barrier to splinter and creak on its hinges, and the fusillade of shots was kept up during this portion of the task.

The assaulting party were so near within the shadow of the building that those inside, who appeared to be in the upper story, could not take good aim without exposing themselves, and the bullets fled wide of their mark.

Crash! Crash!

With each blow portions of the door were splintered off, until, before one hardly had time to count twelve from the beginning of the assault, the besiegers had free access to the building.

"Let one stay here and the others follow me!" Harvey cried, as he drew his revolver and rushed at full speed up the ladder.

Jet was close at his heels. He intended to take a man's part in the capture, and for the time being all thought of danger was forgotten.

The firing had come from the front room, and there Harvey ran after gaining the upper floor.

"Stand back, Jet, they're bound to shoot when the door is opened," he said as he halted before the second barrier.

"I'll take my share of it," the boy replied, and he pressed forward for the honor of entering first, but Harvey pushed him back quickly as he laid his hand on the wooden latch.

To the surprise of both the door yielded readily to the hand, instead of being locked, as was supposed.

Harvey sprang in and Jet stepped so close behind as almost to tread on his leader's heels.

One man stood in the center of the apartment brandishing a revolver, which he discharged full at the detective.

The latter had stooped suddenly on entering, and the bullet buried itself in the woodwork above his head.

Quick as thought Harvey threw himself forward, overturning the defender of the house and causing him to lose his weapon.

"Stand guard over this fellow, and shoot him as you would a dog if he so much as makes the least motion to get up," the detective shouted to Jet. Then he sprang back to the ladder. "They have given us the slip. Get into the yard while I search the other rooms."

The Albany detectives had not yet had time to ascend, and they obeyed at once, while Harvey ran quickly through the other rooms.

A search of five minutes was sufficient to show that the building had no other occupant than the prisoner whom Jet was guarding, and Harvey returned to the front room.

"When did your pals leave?" he asked as he slipped a pair of handcuffs on the fellow's wrists.

"They went away this morning. What right have you to break into innocent men's houses?"

"We will explain that matter later. Tell me where the others went."

"Don't you wish you may find out?"

"It will be better for you to give all the information possible if you want to save your own skin."

"I've heard roosters like you before, so there's no use in crowing to me."

"Can you find a light, Jet? I want to see what the scoundrel looks like."

"You'll see enough of me before this thing is ended," the man said with a growl, and Harvey looked around suspiciously, so confident was the fellow's tone.

Jet soon found a candle on the rude affair which answered as a table, but its light revealed nothing of importance.

The room had no other furniture than a cot bed on which were a pile of coarse blankets, two stools and a sort of shelf that served as a table.

By this time the detectives had come in from the yard with the report that nothing could be found to show when the others left.

The stable was empty, and had evidently been so for several hours.

"One of you stand guard over this fellow, and we will search the house. Come on, Jet, and show me where you were imprisoned," Harvey said as he took up the candle and left the room.

The boy obeyed and a thorough search was made of the premises.

To the surprise of all nothing of importance was found.

If the men had had machinery for making counterfeit money, everything had been taken away.

The building contained nothing more than might have been found in any honest dwelling, and Harvey said in a tone of disappointment:

"They must have worked like beavers from the time it was learned the boy had made his escape, and that fellow in the other room was pretty near right when he made his threats, for we have broken into a building without legal right to do anything of the kind."

"If they had presses here we should be able to find them in the morning, for the whole plant must be buried near by; it couldn't have been carried away in this short time," the men from Albany suggested.

This seemed reasonable, and Harvey decided to make a thorough search before returning.

The prisoner was secured to the heavy table in the back room on the lower floor, and until daylight the party discussed the matter in all its bearings.

Then Harvey said as he went toward the door:

"Now, let's get to work, and finish this job by night-fall if possible."

At that instant he stepped outside, and at the same moment the reports of two weapons were heard from the direction of the woods, the bullets striking within an inch of the detective's head.

He leaped back under cover, saying bitterly as he did so:

"The villains are sharper than I gave them credit for, and have got us like rats in a trap. We were allowed to come in, and now they propose to shoot us down at their leisure, for the gang can't afford to let us leave here alive!"