Motor Boat Boys' River Chase Part 25

"Yes, but for all that they hated to lose the plunder after the trouble they'd been put to," continued Josh, not wholly convinced; "and if the chance came along to make another try for that bag, believe me, they'd grab on to it. But just as Jack says, it goes; and I reckon the little Tramp can show 'em a clean pair of heels if it comes to a run?"

"Why, man alive, they wouldn't have any boat, because you remember they abandoned the one they had, and we've fetched it along with us, to discover who owns the same, because we believe it must have been stolen," Herb ventured to say.

There were few preparations to look after, for Jack always made it a point to have his boat in good running order, so that none of the boys could really remember when it had ever gone back on its owner.

Of course he first of all made sure that there was plenty of "juice" in his tank; each of the boats carried an additional supply of gasoline aboard, in case of necessity, for they had figured out the trip systematically, and knew to a fraction of a gallon what quant.i.ty they would need, so that it had been easy to prepare for extra occasions by making a very generous allowance.

"Goodbye, and good luck!" called Buster, as he waved his hand after the starting Tramp.

"Somebody look out for supper, because you just can't depend on me always!" Josh sent back.

"Oh! that's all right, Josh," replied the fat chum, contentedly; "there are three other fellers in this crowd, and I reckon I've done my part of the cooking stunt for one day."

The gallant little motor boat was soon moving along with the current of the river, and keeping rather in toward the west sh.o.r.e; because it had been in that quarter Jack remembered seeing the lights of some sort of town while chasing after the bank thieves on the preceding night.

"How long ought it to take us to get there, d'ye think?" asked Josh, as he made himself quite comfortable.

"It might be an hour and a half, and again we may be all of two hours making port," answered the skipper of the Tramp, as he busied himself with the reliable little motor that as yet had never failed him in an emergency.

"If the river was straight we might even now glimpse the town with our gla.s.ses," suggested Josh.

As the minutes flew past the two chums enjoyed themselves as boys naturally would under similar circ.u.mstances; especially after having pa.s.sed through such a series of exciting happenings as Jack and his comrades had.

They reviewed the entire programme, and Josh declared that he would never forget the sight of that ramshackle cabin on the raft of logs, burning so furiously, while he and the rest were almost holding their breath with impatience, as they waited for the two yeggmen to dash out after the heat inside had become unbearable.

"There's the place we're making for!" cried out Josh, suddenly, as they began to pa.s.s a point of land that jutted far out into the river.

"Just about where I reckoned it was," returned Jack; "and we'll make a landing in about half an hour at most."

He proved to be a true prophet, for in less time than that the bustling little motor boat drew in toward the sh.o.r.e, because they were now opposite the town.

A heavy freight train was rumbling along in plain sight, headed north, Jack happened to notice; and slowing up while pa.s.sing through the small river town.

"I'm glad that the railroad runs past here," he told Josh, as they headed for a little landing belonging to what seemed to be a boat-builder's establishment, for some such place is to be found at nearly every town bordering the big rivers of the West.

"What for?" asked the other, preparing to fend off, so that they would not strike too hard.

"Why, don't you know, we want to make use of the express company and the telegraph line the worst kind just now; and the railroad tells us we're going to find both here waiting for us."

"That's a fact," muttered Josh, wondering how it was Jack always thought of everything.

The owner of the river boatyard now approached, and Jack soon made arrangements with him to leave the Tramp in his charge while they were gone.

Buster had found out that the provisions were already running low in several particulars, perhaps on account of the savage appet.i.tes several members of the party had shown, who in times past had not been heavy eaters.

And to please the fat voyager the Commodore had promised to pick up a few tasty things. As their little Easter cruise had turned out to be such a "howling success" as George called it, they could afford to celebrate with a feast or two. Buster was great on suggesting reasons for indulging in some unusual spread; but in this instance everybody had agreed with him that they really had a good reason for doing the same.

Picking up the little bag, which the river man glanced at casually, never dreaming that it held thousands and thousands of dollars in bills and specie, Jack started up the bank.

He had already asked a few questions of the man, and had his bearings all right. There was an express and telegraph office all in one, and once they reached this, at the railroad station, their troubles would be over.

Jack expected to take ample precautions so as to make sure that the bag would get to its destination without being tampered with. He had figured all this out in that active mind of his, and even explained the particulars to his companion, who p.r.o.nounced the scheme first-cla.s.s.

Josh was plodding along ahead of his mate when all of a sudden he felt Jack pluck him by the sleeve.

"Wait up a minute, Josh, can't you?" declared the other; "I'm carrying something of a load, you must remember, and this is a pretty steep grade up to the railroad tracks."

"Oh! excuse me, Jack," said Josh, falling in step with the other.

"Listen!" he heard Jack say in a low, tense tone; "perhaps we're going to have some more trouble about this bag after all!"

"Oh! thunder! what do you mean now?" demanded Josh, astounded.

"Here, none of that!" said Jack. "Don't look so startled, but laugh, just as if I might be telling you a good joke. There, that's more like it, though I reckon your laugh was half frozen before it got out. Now, pay attention to me!"

"Sure I am, Jack; go right along and tell me what's up."

"There are two men watching us come up this bank right now," Jack went on to say. "We've made a turn so it wouldn't be easy for us to chase back to the boat again. I've got a notion, Josh, they're the very rascals we made give up this bag of boodle last night!"

"What's that, Jack? However could they get up here; because it was far down the river we left that pair swimming like ducks?"

"Well, I half remember seeing somebody drop off that same slow freight as it ran through; and yeggs like to travel like tramps, you know," and Jack pointed out upon the river, as though he might be explaining something to his friend.

"Oh! mebbe they were just stealing a ride on the b.u.mpers, and happened to see us acomin' in to the sh.o.r.e," suggested Josh. "Yes, of course they'd be apt to guess what fetched us here, and when they glimpsed that precious bag in your hand they knew. But Jack, what can we do? Oh! why didn't you let me carry our Marlin with us? You see what a valuable thing it'd be right here and now?"

"Yes, it would have been better," admitted the other; "but no use crying over spilt milk, Josh. We must figure out how we can give them the slip; and I think I see a good chance right now."

"Then tell me, because I want to know," pleaded the other, eagerly.

"They're hiding behind that pile of old ties," said Jack; "and if we kept straight on as we expected to do we'd strike the railroad track just about there."

"But now you won't, will you, Jack?"

"We'll walk on a few steps, as though we hadn't changed our minds a bit," Jack told him. "But as soon as we strike where the bank hides us from their eyes we'll turn sharply to the right, and scuttle along as fast as we can make it. By the time we have to show up again we'll have put some little distance between the men and ourselves; and then we'll make a push for it as fast as our legs will carry us."

"Bully idea, Jack; and it's just bound to work too; only I do wish you'd gone and let me lug that gun along. Oh! what wouldn't I give right now for a chance to fill the legs of the slick yeggs full of bird shot!"

Josh was hurrying after his chum while talking in this strain. Upon arriving at the spot where, as Jack had said, they would no longer have the friendly shelter of the bank, the two lads suddenly started off on a full run, heading direct for the town close at hand; indeed, already they were among the scattering outlying houses of the same.

A loud series of hoa.r.s.e shouts from down the track told that the pair of yeggmen had caught sight of them.

Josh, casting one fearful glance over his shoulder, discovered them in full pursuit.

He even bent down and s.n.a.t.c.hed up an occasional piece of rock or sc.r.a.p iron, as though determined to fight to the last in case of being overtaken.

But Josh was a fast runner, and Jack himself had few equals in his home school. They certainly had plenty of reasons for doing their level best when they found themselves pursued so hotly by that pair of lawless tramp burglars.

As usual Jack had his eyes about him, and was noting the lay of the land. When any one makes good use of all his faculties, as this boy generally did, he is apt to take advantage of openings that would never occur to most fellows.