the fifth string-第16章

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Dolly；　while　he　took　his　accustomed

place　at　the　stern。　Noiselessly　they

pushed　into　the　stream；　followed　by

Leander　and　Dink。



The　tide　was　going　out；　and　had；

perhaps；　two　hours　to　ebb。　The　boys

hugged　the　channel　bank　on　the　right；

passed　under　the　bridge　unnoticed；　and

kept　on　their　silent　and　anxious　way；

mile　after　mile。　Finally；　Sandy　steered

into　a　creek　and　glided　softly　against　the

mud　bank；　holding　his　skiff　firmly　by　driving

a　paddle　into　the　soft　soil。　Leander

and　Dink　followed　suit。　That　they　might

be　screened　from　any　one　coming　out　of

Beaver　Dam；　which　was　separated　by

a　narrow　strip　of　marsh…land；　they　lay

flat　on　the　bottom　of　their　boats。



The　night　was　not　especially　dark；　for

the　moon　was　looking　through　a　mist

of　hazy　clouds。　It　was　bitingly　cold；

and　though　the　boys　became　numb　from

the　many　minutes　of　inactivity；　not

one　of　them　moved。　For　fully　an　hour

they　had　remained　motionless；　when

faintly　over　the　water　was　heard　the

splash；　splash；　splash；　of　paddles；　far　away。



The　searching　party　were　all　alert　in

an　instant；　and　with　raised　heads；　peered

cautiously　over　the　top　of　the　marsh

line　in　the　direction　of　the　sounds。　Hardly

a　minute　had　passed；　when　out　of　the

shadows　that　hid　the　entrance　to　Beaver

Dam；　there　came　slowly　a　skiff　into　the

clear　water。　It　approached　to　within

fifteen　feet　of　the　hidden　boys；　when　they

recognized　a　voice；　distinctly　saying：



‘‘I　hope　that　guy　Franklin's　ben　up

to　the　landin'　an'　left　the　note　where　I

tol'　him　to；　an'　don't　try　no　shenanigan。''



‘‘He　ain't　goin'　to　try　no　flapdoodles

with　us；''　was　the　quick　answer。



‘‘Well；　if　he　knows　when　he's　well　off；''

the　first　voice　resumed；　‘‘he'll　come

round　with　the　rhino　mighty　quick；　an'

give　us　no　more　trouble。''



‘‘I　kin　see　us　livin'　like　gent'men；　a'ready。''



‘‘Gent'men　born　an'''　the　other　began；

but　the　last　of　his　sentence　was　lost　as

the　boat　turned　up　the　river；　and　the

cadence　of　the　paddles　died　in　the　distance。



Sandy　waited　until　the　rascals　had

disappeared　around　the　bend；　then　shoving

his　skiff　quickly　alongside　Leander's；

he　whispered　into　the　latter's　ear：



‘‘Me　an'　Gil　is　goin'　in　to　Beaver　Dam。

Yer　knows　them　two　fellers；　an'　so　do　I。

One　of　'em　is　the　feller　what　whacked　me；

an'　the　t'other　is　that　bum　Hildey。　If

they　gits　here　afore　I　come　back；　you　an'

Dink'll　have　to　do　somethin'　desp'ret。''



‘‘All　right；''　said　Leander；　clutching

his　pistol；　‘‘you　can　trust　me。''



Sandy　rounded　the　point　that　divided

the　two　creeks；　and　in　a　short　time　had

paddled　past　the　trees　and　vines　that

hung　over　and　partly　covered　the　entrance

to　Beaver　Dam。　The　boat　was　managed

with　consummate　skill；　now　left；　now

right；　through　the　sinuous　waterway；

and　the　two　boys　had　gone　fully　half

a　mile；　when；　without　warning；　they

were　rudely　jolted　as　the　skiff　grated

harshly　on　a　bar。　Ordinarily；　such　an

incident　would　have　been　without　effect

upon　them；　but　now　their　nerves　were

so　highly　strung；　that　the　noise　of　the

boat　rubbing　against　the　gravel　seemed

as　loud　as　the　report　of　a　cannon。



Using　all　possible　force；　Sandy　and

Gilbert　succeeded　in　shoving　their　craft

back　into　the　water。　Then　they　pressed

forward　into　the　shadow　of　an　embankment

on　the　left；　and　not　a　moment　too

soon　did　they　reach　Gover；　for　the　door

of　a　hut　was　thrown　open；　and　the　voice

of　Tom　Foley　was　heard；　asking：



‘‘Is　that　you；　dad？''



An　instant　later　Foley　was　seen　standing

in　the　dim　light　of　the　doorway；　shading　his

eyes　and　peering　into　the　darkness。



‘‘I　say；　dad；　is　that　you？''　came　again。

‘‘I'll　be　doggoned　if　I　didn't　think　I　heerd

somebody　comin'。　I　guess　'tain't

nuthin'；''looking　anxiously　to　the　right

and　left。　‘‘I　cert'nly　does　git　scared　out

er　my　boots　aroun'　here；　though；　when

I'm　left　alone。　I'm　goin'　to　wake　up　the

brat　an'　make　her　keep　me　comp'ny；''

and　the　door　closed　with　a　bang。



He　had　hardly　gone　inside　when　the

piteous　cry　of　a　child　was　heard；　‘‘Please

don't　beat　me；　Tom。''



‘‘I　ain't　beatin'　yer；　go　ahead；　dance　fer　me。''



Sandy　and　Gilbert　were　fairly　crazed；

and　in　their　anger　rushed　up　toward　the　hut。



Again　came　the　cry；　‘‘Please　don't　hit　me；　Tom。''



‘‘Dance；　I　say；''and　the　sharp　swish

of　a　whip　was　heard。



It　took　but　a　second　for　Sandy　to

bound　into　the　room。　Surprised　and

terrified；　Foley　made　a　dart　for　the　door；

but　was　met　by　Gilbert；　who；　pistol　in

hand；　held　him　stock　still。　In　desperation

Foley　reached　for　a　club　and　ran

back　of　the　frightened　child　in　the　hope

that　she　might　serve　as　guard　against

his　assailant。　Like　a　flash；　Sandy　followed；

and　knocked　the　cowardly　brute

senseless　with　the　barrel　of　his　pistol。



Gilbert　ran　to　his　sister；　and；　taking　her

up；　showered　loving　kisses　upon　her。

With　her　arms　clasped　about　his　neck　and

her　head　nestling　on　his　shoulder；　she　cried：



‘‘Oh；　Gil；　I'm　so　glad　you've　come。　I've

been　waiting　all　this　time　for　you。　I　knew

Sandy　would　come；　because　he　ain't　afraid

of　robbers；　or　anybody　else；　even　if　he　had

his　hands　tied　behind　him。　I've　been

praying　for　you　every　minute；　and　here

you　are。''　Again　Gilbert　pressed　his　sister

to　his　heart；　and　kissed　her。



Young　Foley　was　still　lying　unconscious；

as　the　result　of　the　blow　he　had　received；

and　Sandy　was　clutching　him　tightly

by　the　throat。



‘‘Take　yer　sister；　little　codger；''　said

Sandy；　‘‘wrap　her　up；　git　in　the　skiff；

an'　I'll　be　with　yer　as　soon　as　I　tie

this　chuckle…headed　idiot　fast　and　tight。''



Gilbert　left　the　hut　with　Lillian；　while

the　other　boy　remained　long　enough　to

loosen　the　rope　around　his　waist；　and

bind　the　young　ruffian　securely。　Then

he　placed　him　in　a　corner　of　the　room。

Locking　the　door　behind　him；　Sandy

joined　Gilbert　in　the　skiff；　and　together

they　paddled　furiously　out　of　the　creek

into　the　river。



The　moon　was　up　in　all　her　splendor；

and　objects　on　the　water　were　plainly

visible　for　some　distance。　Lillian　was

seated　in　the　bow；　facing　the　two　boys

at　the　paddles。　Leander　and　Dink　fell

in　the　wake　of　Sandy's　skiff；　about　ten

yards　in　the　rear。



As　the　party　reached　the　middle　of

the　channel；　a　skiff　came　into　view　from

the　bend；　a　short　way　above；　and　steered

directly　toward　them。　With　a　cry；

Lillian　stood　up：



‘‘Oh；　Gil；　here　come　those　two　bad

men　that　took　me　away。''



The　boys　turned；　and　they；　too；

recognized　Dennis　Foley　and　Hildey　as　the

occupants　of　the　approaching　boat。



‘‘Lie　flat；　little　one；''　whispered　Sandy；

‘‘an'　don't　move　till　I　tells　yer。''



The　child　obeyed；　but　already　Foley

and　his　partner　had　espied　her；　and　it

was　evident　they　were　using　all　their

efforts　to　catch　up。　Leander　now　called：



‘‘It's　the　same　gang；　Sandy；　that　came

out　of　the　creek。　What　shall　we　do？''



‘‘Paddle　fer　all　ye're　worth；''　was

shouted　back。



‘‘Hold　up；　or　we'll　shoot；''　yelled　Dennis　Foley。



With　that　a　pistol…shot　was　heard

coming　from　the　direction　of　the

pursuers；　but　the　bullet　went　wide　of　its

mark；　and　the　boys　sped　on。



‘‘Don't　waste　yer　load　unless　yer　haveto；''

cautioned　Sandy；　‘‘　'cause　yer　won't　have

time　to　put　in　'nother；　an'　I　don't　want　er

draw　their　fire；　fer　fear　they　might　hit　Lily。''



The　race　had　become　one　of　life　and

death。　The　boys　strained　to　the　utmost

their　strong　young　muscles；　and；　with

paddles　bent　almost　double；　drove　their

little　craft　like　the　wind　before　them。

Down　past　Turtle　Creek　they　flew；　Licking

Banks　were　soon　left　behind；　and

shortly；　they　were　alongside　the

Sycamores。　Dink　looked　back　over　his

shoulder；　and　whispered：



‘‘We　ain't　gained　on　'em　a　bit；　an'

they　seem　to　be　goin'　strong。''



When　the　Meadows　were　reached；　Dink

said　again：



‘‘They're　comin'　like　ever