the fifth string-第15章

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craft　belonging　there；　even　to　the　individual

ownership；　Sandy　noticed　at　once

that　one　of　the　boats　was　missing；　and

that　its　painter　had　only　recently　been　cut。



‘‘Why；　it's　Willie　Bagner's　boat　they've

got；''　he　said　to　himself　as　he　recognized

which　boat　was　missing；　‘‘an'　I'll　bet　my

life　the　scalawags　are　hidin'　somewhere

up　the　river。''



Hurrying　back；　he　rowed　to　the　landing

and　started　in　haste　for　his　home；　with

a　plan　of　rescue　fully　developed　in　his

mind。　He　sought　out　Leander；　Dink　and

Gilbert；　and　asked　them　to　call　at　his

house　without　delay。



While　Sandy's　investigation　had

convinced　him　that　Lillian　was　stolen；　Colonel

Franklin　had　been　made　to　realize　the

same　terrible　fact　in　another　and　more

brutal　way。　When　he　reached　his　office

on　the　same　afternoon；　he　found　on　his

desk　a　letter　that　read　as　follows：





dere　surif　U　meen　bizness　i　can　put

U　on　to　whar　your　dorter　is　but　its　goin

to　kost　U　sum　muney　if　U　evr　want　to

see　her　agin　　theres　a　big　gang　got　her　hid

where　U　woodnt　find　hur　in　a　100　yerze

but　if　U　will　plank　down　10000　dolers

sheze　yourze　　if　U　dont　you'll　nevr　see

hur　no　moar　if　sheze　wurth　thet　much

to　U　U　can　git　her　by　not　blabin　to

nobudy　that　yer　got　this　leter　an　plankin

down　the　rino　　taint　no　use　fer　U　to　try

an　git　the　police　on　our　trax　fer　one　uv

the　gang　is　alwayz　with　the　kid　an　we

have　sworn　to　kill　her　if　enny　of　us　is

jugged　　if　U　meen　bizness　an　will　leeve

a　noat　under　the　big　stone　in　front　of

the　ded　tree　by　oyster　shell　landin　up

the　river　we　will　git　it　an　rite　U　where　to

meet　us　to　bring　the　muney　and　git　the

child　　member　we　dont　stand　fer　no

trechery　an　if　U　squeel　we　ll　no　it　and　we　ll

take　it　out　on　the　kid　　mums　the　word

if　yer　want　ter　see　the　kid　again　c　o　d

and　fare　deelin　is　our　moto　　a　word　to

the　wize　is　sufishent



yourze　trooley　　　　　　a　frend





The　Colonel　was　completely　unnerved

by　the　horrible　knowledge　that　his　little

daughter　was　in　the　hands　of　desperate

criminals。　Without　delay　he　wrote　a　note

offering　to　pay　the　money　demanded；

agreeing　to　deliver　it　at　any　spot　they

might　name；　and　vowing　to　share　his

secret　with　no　one。



Sealing　the　missive；　he　placed　it

carefully　in　his　pocket；　and　drove　out　along

the　river　turnpike　to　a　point　about　a

quarter　of　a　mile　from　the　place

designated　by　the　anonymous　writer。　Tying

his　horse　to　a　tree；　he　walked　through

the　woods；　and　hid　the　note　under　the

stone　mentioned　in　the　letter。　It　was

after　nightfall　when　he　reached　home；

where　he　was　met　with　the　heartrending

and　oft…repeated　question；



‘‘Have　you　heard　anything　from　Lily？''



Fearing　to　betray　himself；　even　to　his

family；　and　thus　perhaps　endanger　the

life　of　his　child；　he　was　compelled　to

answer；　‘‘No；　not　a　thing。''　With　a

heavy　heart；　he　passed　into　his　study。

Supper　was　announced　shortly　after…

ward；　and　as　the　family　gathered　about

the　table；　the　father　noticed　that　his

son　was　not　present。



‘‘Where　is　Gilbert？''　he　inquired　nervously。



‘‘Sandy　was　here　and　asked　Gilbert

to　come　over　and　spend　the　night　with

him；''　answered　Mrs。　Franklin。　‘‘I　hadn't

the　heart　to　refuse　him；　for　I　don't　believe

any　one　has　worked　harder　to　find　our

lost　darling　than　Sandy；　and　he　seems　to

be　the　only　one　that　can　give　Gilbert

any　consolation。''



‘‘I　think　it's　better　that　the　boys　stop

searching；''　said　the　father。　‘‘They　might

get　themselves　into　trouble；　it's　too

dangerous。''



‘‘I　don't　believe　you　could　stop　those

boys　from　hunting　for　Lillian；　if　they

had　to　go　into　the　very　jaws　of　death；''

interposed　the　grandmother。



‘‘Oh；　well；''　spoke　the　father；　‘‘they

must　not　wear　themselves　out；　and　to…

morrow；　I　will　tell　Gilbert　and　Sandy

to　leave　the　investigation　to　the　police。''



‘‘They'll　never　do　it；''　objected　the

grandmother；　‘‘they　love　Lillian　too

much。　You　mark　my　words。''



At　this　very　moment；　Sandy；　Leander；

Gilbert　and　Dink　were　together；　in　Sandy's

little　garret　room。　Sandy　closed　the

door　carefully；　locked　it；　and　called　his

companions　about　him　in　the　middle

of　the　room。



‘‘Boys；''　he　whispered；　‘‘afore　I　sez

anythin'；　I　wants　yer　to　gimme　yer

word；　honor　bright；　an'　cross　yer　heart

three　times；　that　yer　won't　spout　a　syllable

of　what　I　tells　yer　to　a　soul。''



All　were　agreed；　and　the　boy　began：



‘‘Now；　it's　this　'ere　way。　My　boat

wuz　stolen　an'　left；　right　below　the　upper

bridge；　an'　I　foun'　footprints　an'　this

'ere　piece　of　ribbon；　which　Gil　knows

b'longed　to　his　sister；　for　she　wore　it

round　her　hair。　Willie　Bagner's　skiff's

bin　stolen；　an'　I　believe　the　party　that

took　it　hez　got　little　Lily；　because　I　foun'

the　hoop　I　give　her；　an'　this　envellup　in

the　same　place；　an'　it　seems　to　me　the

galoot　whose　name's　on　it　is　hid　somewhere

up　the　river；　an'　I'm　goin'　after

him　if　I　has　to　go　alone。''



‘‘But　you　won't　go　alone；　while　I'm　alive；''

insisted　Leander；　intensely　excited。



‘‘An'　I'm　goin'；　too；　even　if　I　never

come　back；''　added　Dink；　taking　it　for

granted　that　he　was　needed。



‘‘And　you　must　take　me；''　said　Gilbert

imploringly。



The　four　boys　grasped　one　another's

hands；　and　Sandy　declared　in　a　solemn

tone：



‘‘We'll　stick　together　to　the　bitter　end。''



‘‘What's　your　plan？''　asked　Leander；

with　great　interest。



‘‘Without　breathin'　a　word　to　a　soul；

to…night　about　nine　o'clock　we　wants

to　leave　the　boat…house；　you　an'　Dink

in　one　skiff；　an'　me　an'　Gil　in　t'other；

an'　sneak　up　the　river；　an'　try　so　nobody

won't　see　us。　When　we　gits　to　the　upper

bridge；　paddle　in　as　close　to　the　Causeway

on　the　right；　as　we　kin；　huggin'

the　marsh　all　the　way。　Jest　before　we

git　to　Beaver　Dam；　there's　a　deep　gut

that　runs　'longside　of　it　fer　a　hundred

yards　or　more。　Foller　me　in　there；

Leander；　an'　stay　hid　till　I　sez　move。

Don't　speak　a　word；　from　the　time　we

push　off　till　I　sez　so。　Beaver　Dam　is

the　lonesomest　creek　in　the　world；　an'

mebbe　Gil's　little　sister　is　kept　in　one　of

them　ol'　shacks　what　muskrat　hunters

live　in；　in　the　spring　an'　summer。　If

them　galoots　is　in　there；　they're　mighty

apt　ter　come　out　late　at　night；　when　they

don't　expec'　nobody's　roun'。　Of　course；

nacherelly　they　have　some　plan　about

gettin'　paid　fer　little　Lily；　an'　they　ain't

a…goin'　to　stay　in　hidin'　without　tryin'

to　find　out　the　lay　er　the　land；　an'　jest

how　hot　the　police　is　on　their　trail。　My

idee　is　to　go　an'　lay　in　ambush　fer　'em

all　night。　If　they　don't　come　out；　we'll

explore　in　the　mornin'；　an'　if　we　don't

find　'em　hidin'　roun'　Beaver　Dam；　then

we'll　lay　low　all　day；　an'　push　up　the　river

to…morrow　night。　But　somehow；　I　think

that's　the　place　they　would　pick　out　to

hide　in。　'Tain't　one　person　out　er　a

million　that　would　know　how　to　git

through　Beaver　Dam　without　gittin'　lost；

an'　I'm　a　recollectin'　I　took　Tom　Foley

through　there　onct　an'　that's　why　I'm

goin'　there　to…night。　I　knows　it　so　well；

I　could　go　through　with　my　eyes　shet。



‘‘Each　of　us　wants　his　pistol　loaded

fer　keeps；　a　knife；　an'　about　three　yards

er　rope　he　can　tie　round　his　waist。　Let's

have　a　bite　o'　supper　right　here　in　my

house；　an'　then　we'll　start　fer　the　river；

but　each　feller　goin'　alone；　an'　in　a　different

way。　Now；　remember；　no　talkin'

to　nobody；　an'　let's　all　say　honor　bright；

an'　cross　our　hearts　three　times　ag'in。''





Sandy　was　the　first　to　arrive　at　the

boat…house。　Securing　the　paddles；　he　put

them　into　the　skiffs　and　watched　for　his

companions。　He　had　not　long　to　wait。

Gilbert　came　in　a　few　moments；　then

Leander；　and　shortly　afterward；　Dink。

Not　a　word　was　spoken。　Sandy　motioned

Gilbert　to　sit　in　the　center　seat　of　the

Dolly；　while　he　took　his　accustomed

place　at　the　stern。　Noiselessly　they

pushed　into　the　stream；　followed　by

Leander　and　Dink。