The Rover Boys on Treasure Isle Part 5

About midnight came a loud shouting from the barn, followed by the report of a shotgun. This was followed by a shriek from Sarah, the cook, who was afraid that burglars had come to murder her.

"What's that?" questioned d.i.c.k, as he hopped out of bed.

"That's Jack Ness' gun," answered Tom. "Something must be wrong at the barn."

"Chicken thieves again--I'll bet a new hat," said Sam.

By this time Randolph Rover and his wife were up and were lighting a lamp. Without waiting for them, the boys slipped on some clothing and their shoes and ran downstairs. d.i.c.k took with him a pistol and each of the others a baseball bat.

"Boys! boys! be careful!" shouted their uncle after them.

"All right," returned d.i.c.k, readily.

He was the first outside, but Sam and Tom were close upon his heels. He heard Jack Ness running to the edge of a cornfield, shouting l.u.s.tily.

Then came another report of the shotgun.

"What is it, Jack?" shouted d.i.c.k. "Who are you shooting at?"

"I'm after two men," was the hired man's reply. "They jest run into the cornfield."

"Chicken thieves?" queried Tom.

"I guess so--anyway they was prowlin' around the hen house an' the barn. I called an' asked 'em what they wanted and they ran for dear life--so I knew they was up to no good."

"They certainly must have been chicken thieves, or worse," was Sam's comment. "Really, this is getting to be too much," he added. "We ought to catch them and have them locked up."

"I'm willing to go after them," answered Tom, readily.

"Did you get a good look at the rascals?" asked d.i.c.k.

"Not very good," answered Jack Ness.

"They weren't boys, were they?"

"No--they were men--both tall and heavy fellows."

"Did you ever see them before?" asked Tom.

"Not that I can remember."

While they were talking the party of four had run down to the edge of the cornfield. This spot was really a peach orchard, but the trees were still so small that the ground was being utilized that season for corn, planted in rows between the trees. The corn was not yet full grown, but it was high enough to conceal a man lying flat or crouching down.

The sky was filled with stars and the old moon was beginning to show over the hills beyond the valley, so it was fairly light across the field. The boys kept their eyes on the corn and the peach trees, but failed to discover any persons moving among them.

"My shotgun is empty--maybe I had better go back and load up," said the hired man.

"Yes, do it, but hurry up," answered d.i.c.k. "I'll stay here on guard with the pistol."

The hired man ran off toward the barn. Hardly had he disappeared when Sam gave a short cry and pointed into the field with his hand.

"I saw somebody raise up just now and look around," he said. "He is out of sight now."

"Where?" came from d.i.c.k and Tom quickly.

"Over yonder--by the twisted peach tree."

"I'll investigate," said d.i.c.k. "You can come along if you want to. Keep your eyes open for both men. We don't want either to get away if we can help it."

The three lads spread out in something of a semi-circle and advanced slowly into the field, keeping their eyes and ears on the alert for anything out of the ordinary. Thus they covered fifty yards, when Tom found himself near one of the largest of the peach trees. As he pa.s.sed this a form arose quickly from under a bough, caught him by the waist and threw him forcibly to the ground.

"Hi!" yelled Tom. "Let up!" And then he made a clutch for his a.s.sailant, catching him by the foot. But the man broke away and went cras.h.i.+ng through the corn, calling on "Sh.e.l.ley" to follow him.

The yell from Tom attracted the attention of d.i.c.k and Sam, and they turned to learn what had happened to their brother. As they did this a second man leaped up from the corn in front of them and started to run in the direction of the river.

"Stop!" called out d.i.c.k. "Stop, or I'll fire on you!" And then he discharged his pistol into the air as a warning. The man promptly dodged behind a row of peach trees, but kept on running as hard as ever.

The Rover boys were now thoroughly aroused, and all three started in pursuit of the two men. They saw the fellows leave the field and hurry down a lane leading to Swift River.

"I believe they are going to the river. Maybe they have a boat," said Tom.

"I shouldn't wonder," answered d.i.c.k.

"I wish they would take to a boat," said Sam. "We could follow them easily--in Dan Bailey's boat."

"Hi, where are you?" came a shout from behind, and they saw Jack Ness returning. "Your uncle and aunt want you to be careful--they are afraid those villains will shoot you."

"We'll be careful," answered Tom. "But we are going to capture them if it can be done," he added, st.u.r.dily.

The hired man had reloaded the shotgun and also brought some additional ammunition with him. He was nervous and the boys could readily see that he did not relish continuing the pursuit.

"We can't do nothin' in the dark," he grumbled. "Let us wait till morning."

"No, I am going after them now," answered d.i.c.k, decidedly.

"So am I," added Sam and Tom.

They were going forward as rapidly as the semi-darkness would permit.

The ground was more or less uncertain, and once the youngest Rover went into a mud hole, splas.h.i.+ng the mud up into Jack Ness' face.

"Hi, stop that!" spluttered the hired man. "Want to put my eye out?"

"Excuse me, Jack, I didn't see the hole," answered Sam.

"It ain't safe to walk here in the dark--somebody might break a leg."

"If you want to go back you can do so," put in d.i.c.k. "Give Tom the shotgun."

"Oh--er--I'm goin' if you be," answered Jack Ness. He was ashamed to let them know how much of a coward he really was.