Chapter 26

SUCCESS

The man was sitting in front of a small fire, over which he had evidently been cooking, for the frying-pan was close at hand, and the odor of bacon could be distinguished in the air.

Most likely he had just finished his morning meal, and was now solacing himself with a pipe.

The stolen gun had been leaned against a tree close by the hut, and about a half a dozen yards from its new possessor, but on the opposite side from where the boys were crouching.

"What are you goin' to do?" Jim whispered.

"We've got to get hold of him somehow, and by that means prevent Bob and Sam from knowing what we are about."

Jim nodded to show that he agreed fully in this assertion.

"I don't s'pose you'd dare to shoot him."

"Of course not; that would be murder."

"Then how is it to be fixed?"

Jet studied the situation for several minutes, and whispered:

"We must manage to creep around on the other side, and get hold of the gun first. Then I'll cover him with my revolver, and you must do the same with the other weapon. When he sees that both of us have got the drop on him, I reckon there won't be much trouble in keeping him quiet."

Jim did not stop to argue the matter.

According to his opinion the sooner the job was finished, the better, and he started off at right angles with the camp, Jet following him.

The boys moved so slowly and cautiously that not so much as a leaf was disturbed, and the man by the fire heard nothing to arouse his suspicions.

Jim made a needlessly long detour.

Many times before it was ended Jet felt convinced that the guide had made a mistake, and once he stopped the boy to say so; but the latter replied, in the tone of a fellow who knows perfectly well where he is:

"We're all right. The camp is just over there, and I want to come in sight of the lake once more before turning toward it."

Twenty minutes later Jim pointed ahead with a gesture of triumph.

Jet could see dimly through the foliage the outlines of the hut; but the trees hid the man from view.

Now the progress was even more slow and cautious. It seemed at times as if Jim hardly moved, so afraid was he of making a noise; but the advance was certain, and finally he stopped, motioning for Jet to come beside him.

The two were hardly more than a dozen feet from the weapon, and about the same distance farther away was the man they hoped to make prisoner.

His pipe had gone out, his head was sunk on his breast, and there was every indication of his having fallen asleep.

"Can you get the gun?" Jet whispered.

Jim nodded his head.

"Then creep up to it. I'll have the revolver ready, and jump in if he awakens. In case he's still asleep we'll go toward him until he opens his eyes. Start now," and Jet drew his weapon.

The boys advanced side by side until Jim grasped the gun, and then Jet motioned for him to rise to his feet, he setting the example.

They stepped forward softly, each with his weapon leveled at the half-reclining man, who did not so much as move until the boys were close upon him.

Then he lazily opened his eyes, and turned his head ever so slightly.

"Throw up your hands; but don't make the slightest noise, or I'll shoot you as I would a dog!" Jet said, sternly.

The fellow obeyed the first order with alacrity as he saw the muzzles of the weapons within a few inches of his head, and said in a careless tone:

"I reckon you didn't care about lendin' me your outfit."

"That's just the size of it, and there is other business to be settled."

By this time the prisoner had caught a glimpse of Jim's face, and he added with a smile:

"Come to collect that two dollars, eh?"

"We mustn't stand here chinning," Jet said, as he pressed the muzzle of the revolver to the back of the man's head. "Look around for something to tie him with, Jim, and be quick about it."

"What are you up to now?" the fellow growled.

"It won't take long to find out, and I shall be forced to waste this cartridge if you make any row."

"I thought I was behavin' myself in proper shape."

"So you are just at present; but I am ready for any change of plans, and want you to understand fully how little it would take to induce me to send a bullet into your worthless head."

This was sufficient to silence the prisoner.

"I can't find anything but the boat's painter," Jim cried. "Shall we use that?"

"Yes, and be quick about it."

The rope was soon detached from the craft, and, as Jim approached with it, Jet said to the man:

"Now put your hands behind you."

This order was obeyed without a murmur, and the small guide began to tie them securely.

The painter was of sufficient length to serve as bonds for the fellow's legs also, and when he was thus trussed up Jet began fashioning a gag from a piece of pine wood.

Having had this instrument of torture applied to himself on two occasions, he was well prepared to put it on in a proper fashion, although the prisoner begged abjectly to be spared the indignity.

"We have got to take care of ourselves, and I wouldn't trust to your oath if you should swear from now till Christmas."

When it was impossible for the fellow to move or speak, Jet made a thorough search of his clothing, and succeeded in finding, among several unimportant things, the telegram Jim had supposed was sent many hours ago.

"It hasn't been a bad forenoon's work," the amateur detective said, as he wiped the perspiration from his face, for the mental anxiety of the past few hours had caused the big drops to flow down his cheeks as the heat of the sun never could have done.

"What are we going to do with him?"

"Take him back to the camp, of course. It won't pay to let him out of our sight until the officers take charge of affairs."

Before making preparations for the return, Jet scanned closely the shores of the islands, which were situated nearer the opposite side of the lake, hoping to discover some signs of Bob and Sam; but in this he was disappointed.

Nothing in the shape of a boat could be seen, and he said to the small guide:

"I'm afraid they have gone into the other lake."

"It doesn't seem reasonable, and I shan't believe it until we have searched over all those islands."

"How can we do that now we've got this fellow to look out for."

"That's what you must figger out; I'm willin' to carry out whatever you say."

"Of course the first thing is to get back to the camp. Do you suppose we can load that fellow into the boat so in case the men are where our movements may be seen they won't suspect it is a human being."

"Cover him over with a lot of pine boughs."

"That's the idea. Come on; we have no time to lose, for we must do something toward finding the others before night."

Jim hastily gathered an armful of branches and threw them over the prisoner, completely concealing his form, and then the boys carried him to the boat much as if he had been nothing more than a log of wood.

The fellow was laid in the bottom of the craft, and around him were packed the goods he had stolen from the camp.

"It will load the old boat down pretty heavy; but there's no wind blowing, an' we shan't have a very hard pull back," Jim said, as he took his place at the oars, leaving Jet to push off.

It was not much past noon when the start was effected, and the boys had the supreme satisfaction of knowing that the most important of their human game had not been warned of what was being done.

"Say, how would it do to move our camp down opposite Dollar Island after dark?" Jim asked, when they were some distance from the shore. "We could then take the chances of running over to search the place, and wouldn't have so far to go."

"We'll try it," Jet replied, as he steered the boat away from the islands.

When the two arrived at the camp the prisoner was carried into the shanty, and there so covered with boughs and blankets that any one passing would not have had any suspicion a human being was concealed in the vicinity.

A hearty dinner was next on the programme, and then arrangements were made for moving camp.

Jim thought they would not be warranted in building a shanty at the proposed halting-place, unless loose brush could be found, since the noise of an axe might betray their whereabouts, and he also decided against a fire.

"I'll cook up a lot of stuff this afternoon," he said, "and then we must get along with cold grub. Can't you catch some fish while I'm working over there?"

Jet rowed the boat a short distance out into the lake, and soon had all he could do to attend to his line, so rapidly did the finny denizens of the water attack the bait.

He brought ashore as many as would serve them for food during the next three days, and the small guide cooked every one.

All this work was not completed until after nightfall, and Jim was eager to be off.

"It is so dark that they can't see us now," he said, "and after the moon rises things will be different."

"We'll feed the prisoner, for I reckon he needs something by this time."

Jet removed the gag, while Jim stood over the fellow with a cocked revolver, and a plentiful supply of fish, bacon, and water was put in his mouth, after which he was "bottled up" again, as the guide expressed it.

The craft was loaded as before; but this time Jet took the oars, because Jim was so well acquainted with the lake that he was needed at the helm.

"Be careful not to run too near the islands," the amateur detective said, as he made ready for work, "and after we start not a word must be spoken, for sound travels farther on the water than the land."

"Don't pull too hard, and be careful about splashing with the oars."

"Shove off, I'm ready."

During the next hour nothing was said. The little boat moved silently through the waters, and at the end of this time Jet could see the loom of the islands on the right.

They were near the proposed camping-place, and every precaution should be observed.

Suddenly Jim leaned forward, touched his companion on the arm, and pointed to the right.

A light as from a camp-fire could be seen among the trees, and the small guide whispered triumphantly:

"I told you they were there."

"Then we must contrive to get hold of one or both in the morning. It won't pay to wait for the officers."