"Well, I hardly know what to say," replied Mr. Golden. "We'll wait till Mr. Sharp returns, and see if he has any news." But, although they waited till nearly one o'clock, the detective did not come.
They had all gone to bed but father and son. "Come, dad, say I may go," pleaded Jack.
"Well, I'm not at all sure it's the wise thing, but something seems to tell me that I had better let you have your way."
"Hurrah!" shouted Jack. "I'll be off on the five o'clock train."
"No," said his father, "you had better wait till a later train, and perhaps I'll go with you, but I don't want to go till Sharp returns, and now let's go to bed."
Sharp did not return the next morning, and at breakfast, Mr. Golden said, "Jack, I guess you had better take the noon train. If Sharp doesn't come with some news by that time, I'll wait and come later, if I think best."
The thought that at last he was going to do something toward finding Bob filled Jack with joy, and by ten o'clock he was ready to start. He and Mr. Golden went across in the Sprite, after assuring his mother that he would be very careful and not get into trouble.
"Now, my dear boy, be very careful and look out for yourself," said Mr. Golden, as he bade him goodby. "Go to Uncle Ben's tonight, and tomorrow, you had better go to the agency and have them detail a man to help you in your search," and then he added sadly, "It's like looking for a needle in a haystack, but if you don't get into trouble, it won't do any harm."
"Don't worry about me," assured Jack, "I'll look out for myself and," he added, "I'll find Bob if I have to go through Boston with a fine tooth comb."
The Boston train pulled into the North station at eight o'clock, and as he was pretty hungry, Jack thought he would go into a restaurant just across the street, for supper, before going to his uncle's, as he lived in Winthrop, a town about five miles from the city, across the harbor. As he left the station, he caught sight of a man elbowing his way through the crowd, that made his heart thump.
"On my soul, I believe that's Reed," he said half aloud, starting towards him. As he pushed forward he saw the man turn, and for an instant their eyes met, but the next moment the man had turned, and before Jack could get to him, he was lost in the crowd. He rushed about here and there, but to his dismay, he could not find him.
"That was he, sure as guns," he thought, "and I believe he recognized me."
He realized that his chances of finding him were virtually nil, and with a heavy heart, he entered the restaurant, and after a hasty supper, took a car for the ferry.
It was a very dark night, and a drizzling rain was falling as he stepped on the ferryboat. There were not many people on board, and what few there were, at once went into the cabin to escape the rain. Jack, however, had on a raincoat and stood by the rail, watching the lights of the passing boats, and thinking what hard luck it was to find Reed so soon only to lose him again. The boat was about half-way across the harbor, which is about a mile and a half wide, when Jack felt himself seized from behind, and before he knew what had happened, he was hurling through the air into the dark water below.
It seemed to Jack that he plunged down to a great depth, and when he finally rose to the surface, he was gasping for breath. His first thought was to free himself from his raincoat, and as soon as this was done, he struck out for the east side, as he thought he was a little more than half way across. Although a powerful swimmer, the choppy sea, caused by a brisk wind, and his clothing, which seemed to drag him down, made his progress difficult. He weakened rapidly, and before he was half way to the shore, fear struck him that he might not be able to reach it. Raising himself as far out of the water as possible, he looked about him, but it was very dark, and he could see but a few feet. No help was at hand, and summoning all his strength, he started to swim once more toward the lights, which now seemed farther away than at first. But his strokes were now very weak and his progress slow; still he kept doggedly on, for he was not a boy to give up so long as a particle of strength remained.
After what seemed to him hours of struggle, he felt that he could keep up but a few moments more, and a dread fear seized his heart as he gave up hope. He thought not so much of himself, but of the father and mother, who might never know what had happened to him, and the thought nerved him to one more last effort.
"It's no use," he thought, after taking a few feeble strokes, "I can't hold out any longer, I'm so tired."
He tried, but his arms seemed numb and utterly refused to obey his will, and he was about to go under, when he felt himself seized by the collar and in another moment, found himself lying on his back on the bottom of a skiff, gasping for breath.
As he slowly began to recover his strength, he looked up and saw that the boat contained two men, but he was unable to see their faces in the darkness.
"Well, here's a rum go," he heard one of them say.
"Right you are," replied the other. "That chap was about all in, I reckon. Lucky for him we came along when we did."
"He'd sure gone down in another minute," declared the first speaker, "I'd never have seen him, it's so tarnational dark, if I hadn't happened to hit him wid the oar."
"What'll we do with him?" asked the other.
"Dunno, guess we might's well take him to the hole; might have something on him worth while," was the answer.
They evidently thought that the boy was unconscious, and, in fact, so nearly played out was he, that he was unable to speak. The man at the oars, began to row again and soon the light boat was going at a lively pace, as they were rowing with the wind. Shortly, Jack became conscious that they were passing under a wharf, as the pace became slow, and occasionally the boat hit against the piling. The continued in this way for perhaps ten minutes, and then he felt the bottom of the boat grate on the shore.
"See if he's come to, Jake," whispered the man who had been rowing.
His companion reached over and shook him roughly by the arm.
"I'm very much obliged to you for pulling me out," said Jack, weakly. "I sure thought it was all up with me."
"That's all right," said the man in a low voice. "Think ye can stand up?"
"I don't know, but I guess so. I'll try."
Helped by the man, he succeeded in getting to his feet and crawled over the side of the boat to the ground.
"I'm pretty wobbly," he gasped, "but I guess I'll be all right in a few minutes."
"Here, Pete, you take hold of one arm and I'll take the other, and I guess we'll get him along all right."
Jack stumbled along between the two men, for what seemed a long ways, but which was in reality only a few rods. He was too tired to take much notice of his surroundings, but soon saw, by the light of a dark lantern, which one of the men carried, that they were passing between heavy piles. Soon they came to a stone wall and it seemed to Jack that they must be at the end of their journey, but as they came closer, the light of the lantern showed a small hole, just large enough for a man to creep through.
"I'll go first," said the man with the lantern, "then let the kid follow."
He reached through and set the lantern down on the other side, and by dint of much squeezing and grunting, managed to push himself through.
"Now you go, kid," ordered the other man.
Jack was much smaller than the man who had gone first and crawled through without much difficulty, followed a moment later by the second man.
"Now follow me, and mind you, keep close to the wall," whispered the man who carried the lantern, "and don't ye make any noise."
Jack began to fear that he had fallen into evil hands, but there was nothing for him to do but to obey and follow where they led.
The light was turned off, and they crept along in the darkness, Jack keeping one hand against the wall for some distance, when the man who led whispered, "Now, ye wait here a minute." Jack stopped, and in a minute heard the man give four raps on what sounded like a door. Almost instantly he heard a bolt shot back, and the next instant a door was flung open, letting out a flood of light. By its rays he could see that they were in a narrow passageway between two stone abutments.
"What ye got there, Jake?" asked a woman's voice.
"Dunno," was the somewhat surly reply. "Some kid we pulled out the harbor. Was about all in when we fished him out."
"Well, seems to me yer taking a mighty big risk fetching him in here," said the woman somewhat sharply.
"Now don't ye go to butting in, old woman," snapped the man. "I guess me and Pete knows what we're about."
They had entered the room, and Jack tumbled into a chair, too tired to stand up. He looked about him and saw that he was in a small room with a low ceiling and dirty with what seemed the accumulation of years. The woman who had admitted them might have been anywhere between thirty and sixty years old, but so dirty and slack looking was she, that it was impossible to guess her age any nearer. He now got a good look, for the first time, at the men who had saved him, and saw that their appearance was wholly in keeping with their surroundings. The older of the two might have been sixty, while the younger was ten or fifteen years his junior. Both had hard rough faces, and his heart sank as he realized how completely he was in their power.
"Well, boy, have ye got yer wind back yet?" asked the older man.
"I guess so," replied Jack, "but I still feel pretty weak.
"S'pose so," grunted the man. "Now how'd ye get into the wet?"
"I was crossing on a ferryboat and some one came up behind me and pushed me over."
"Pshaw, ye don't say so!" exclaimed the younger man. "Now what de ye suppose he did that for?"
"I'm sure I don't know," replied Jack, and then as nothing more was said for a moment, he continued, "I feel stronger now, and if you will kindly show me to the street, I think I'll go, and," he added, taking a pocketbook from his inside coat pocket, "if you'll take this ten-dollar bill for your trouble, I'll still feel very thankful to you for saving my life." From the look on the faces of the two men, as they saw the pocketbook, he realized that he had made a grave mistake, but it was too late now.
"Not so fast, sonny," said the older man, "don't ye think yer life is worth more than ten dollars? Anyhow, Pete," he said, turning to the other man, "I reckon we can make mor'n that out of him, eh?"
"Well, I'd hope so," was the reply.
"How much money ye got there, kid?" asked the man called Jake.
"About one hundred dollars," answered Jack, for he saw that they intended to have it, "and I'll give it all to you if you'll let me go now."
"What yer say, Pete?" asked Jake, but it was the woman who answered.
"Don't yer let him get away, Jake. Mebby his father'll think his life's worth a lot mor'n one hundred dollars."
"Good for ye, old woman, mebby we can work that gag." Then, turning to Jack, he asked, "Who's yer old man, boy?"
Jack hesitated a moment, and the man grabbed him roughly by the arm and said, "Speak up now, and no funny business, we're not to be fooled with."
Seeing that it would be useless to resist, he answered, "My father's name is Golden, and he lives in Maine."
"Got any rocks?" eagerly asked the woman.
"A little, I suppose."
"Huh," she grunted, "I guess when a kid like you runs round with one hundred dollars, and carrying a gold watch like this," she added, taking it from his vest pocket, "his old man's got plenty more."
"Well, what do you intend to do with me?" asked Jack more boldly, for he was not easily scared, and, realizing that he was in the hands of a gang of harbor thieves, he had made up his mind to put on a bold front, trusting to his luck to get away. But no one answered him.
"Where's Jim and Joe?" suddenly asked Jake, turning to the woman.
"Gone over to the city."
"When'll they be back?"
"Not much 'fore morning, likely. The boss sent for 'em; said that he had a job on hand that might take all night."
He then turned to Jack, "Hungry?"
"No," replied Jack, "I had supper, but I'd like to get these wet clothes off and lie down if you aren't going to let me go."
"Well, I s'pose they do feel kinder oneasy. Say, Mag, take him upstairs and lock him in the middle room. He can take his duds off, and they'll dry out by morning. I'm hungry's a bear and want supper, quick."
"Seem's if you're always hungry," she growled, as she motioned Jack to follow her. "I'll be back in a jiff, and supper'll be ready's soon I can git it."
She led him up a flight of dark rickety stairs and, passing along a narrow hallway, pushed him into a room, saying, "There's a cot there, and ye can strip and wring out yer duds and they'll dry by morning. But say, kid, don't yer try to get away, for take it from me, if Jake catches ye trying anything, he'll do ye up for keeps."
She left him a small lamp with which she had lighted the way up, and going out, closed and locked the door.
"Guess they forgot all about that one hundred dollars," thought Jack, as he held up the light and looked about him. The room contained no window, but there was a small opening in the ceiling, which seemed to open into a room above. The only thing in the room was an old broken cot.
"Well," he thought, as he set the light on the floor, "I wasn't long in getting into trouble after I landed in Boston, that's sure; still I don't see how I could have avoided it. It must have been that man Reed who threw me over. He probably followed me, but I don't see why he tried to kill me. Perhaps he thought I had a clue as to where Bob is," he mused.
While these thoughts were running through his mind, he had been taking off his wet clothes. Stripping to the skin, he wrung out what water he could, and then spread them out on the floor. "Good thing it's so hot," he muttered, "or I'd get a fine cold, but I guess there's no danger in here, as it's hot enough to fry eggs. Well, guess I might as well take things as easy as possible."
The cot was covered with an old sheet, which, strangely enough, seemed to be fairly clean, and wrapping it around him, he threw himself on the cot, too tired even to think any more, and in spite of the heat, was soon fast asleep.
He dreamed that he was in a baker's shop, where many workmen were busily engaged baking bread. In some unaccountable manner, he was changed into an immense loaf of bread, and although he tried his best to tell the baker that he was a boy and not a loaf of bread, he was thrown into the oven. The heat grew more and more intense, until finally, when it seemed that he must be about done, he suddenly awoke.
"Well," was his first thought, "that was a funny dream." Then he sat up, trying to think where he was. Soon remembrance returned, and with a groan he sank back.
"Whew, but it's hot in here," he said to himself. "Don't believe I can get to sleep again; guess I'll turn up the light and see if my clothes are drying." As he stepped to the floor, the boards seemed almost hot to his feet.
"Wonder what makes it so awful hot," he thought, as he turned up the light. Just then, he thought he heard a faint snapping sound from below, and an instant later, the odor of burning wood came to his nostrils, while he saw thin puffs of smoke curling up through the cracks of the floor.
"My goodness," he thought as he realized his position, "the house is on fire and I'm locked in here!"
About noon, the hunchback brought Bob's dinner to him, and two hours later, King opened the door, saying, "Well, son, I guess I've got all you'll need, and now I want you to get to work at once."
"All right, I suppose I might as well begin now as any time."
"Now, let me tell you something," continued King, as they started down the stairs. "I know all about electricity and storage batteries and I'm going to watch you every minute, and if you try to fool me and don't make that cell right, I give you fair warning that it'll be the worse for you."
Bob made no reply, but thought to himself, "If you can catch me before the thing is done and tested, you're a good deal smarter than I think you are." He fully realized that he was taking a desperate chance, for he knew that the cell, as he was going to make it, would not work, for he had tried one like it while he and Jack were experimenting. But he had made up his mind not to give the secret away, trusting that an opportunity to escape would present itself before he had finished. He had also resolved to work as slowly and to take as long a time about it as he dared.
King led the way down to the laboratory and showed him the things he had bought. It would be tiresome to relate Bob's work in detail, and we shall tell about only those parts that are necessary to the story.
He managed to use up that afternoon and the greater part of the next day making one cap, but about four o'clock he had to declare that part of the work done.
"Now, what's next?" asked King.
"We'll have to make another cap to go with this one."
"Are they both alike?"
"No, this one is positive and the other will have to be negative. We'll begin on that one in the morning."
"Not much we won't," almost shouted King. "We'll start it right now, and we ought to have it done by twelve o'clock tonight. I believe you're loafing on the work anyway."
"Believe what you please," said Bob, mad clear through, "but I'll tell you right now that I'm not going to work any more today, and what's more you can't make me either."
"Can't, eh, we'll see about that," snapped King, coming toward Bob with clenched fist.
Now, when Bob was real good and mad, he could be as stubborn as a mule, and he was in exactly that condition now, regardless of consequences. So, when King raised his fist as if to hit him, he stepped back, saying in a firm tone, "You hit me just once, and I won't do another bit of work on that thing if you kill me for it."
King dropped his fist, and the two looked each other in the eyes for a full minute without speaking. "You'll work tonight or you'll get no supper," he finally threatened.
"Get no supper, eh?" snapped Bob. "If I get no supper tonight, there'll be no cell made tomorrow, just remember that," and then, as King did not at once reply, he continued, "Now see here, no one yet, except my parents, ever made me do a thing I'd made up my mind not to do, and I've made it up good and hard, right now, and you can't make me back down. You've got me in your power, and I suppose you can put me out of the way if you want to, but that won't get you the cell, so what are you going to do about it?"
King realized that he was licked, and gave in, with as good grace as he could muster. "All right," he growled, "have your own way."
Bob was much relieved when he realized that he had won, for although he had put up a bold front, he had by no means felt as confident as his looks indicated. He spent the next forenoon getting the copper cylinder and the tank ready for the electrolysis, telling King that he had decided not to make the other cap till the cylinder was done, although he could easily have done the work in an hour. After dinner he dissolved the lead nitrate in water, poured the solution into the tank, and adjusted the cap.
"Have you a piece of platinum foil?" he asked King.
"What do you want that for?"
"Why, you see I make this cylinder the positive pole of the circuit and have to have the platinum for the negative."
"All right, I guess I can find a piece," he replied.
Bob hoped that he couldn't, and, as a matter of fact, he could have used a piece of copper just as well, but, he thought, "if he will only go out after some and leave me here, I might find a way to escape." But, to his disappointment, it was soon forthcoming, and putting it in place he was soon obliged to acknowledge that he was ready to turn on the current.
"How much do you want?" asked King.
"One and four-tenths volts and six tenths of an ampere," replied Bob.
As the current was turned on, King watched the cylinder closely, and soon he could see that a dark brown powder was collecting on the outside.
"Hold on a minute," said Bob, "I forgot to insulate the outside of that cylinder. Have you a piece of rubber tubing, large enough to slip on over it?"
"I guess so, but it seems to me that you are all the time forgetting something or other."
The correction was soon made, and the cylinder returned to the bath. After the current had been running about half an hour, King purposed that they take the cylinder out and see if they were getting any results, as they could not see the inside of it while it was in the tank. Glad of any delay, Bob readily assented, and as soon as it was removed, it was seen that a very small amount of the powder had coated the inside.
"Humph," growled King. "It's mighty slow. Won't it go faster if we use more juice?"
"Yes," replied Bob, "but it will be too loose and spongy." This was the truth, as he had found by experiment, and he was very glad that this part of the work would have to go slowly, whether or no. When supper time came, King proposed that they leave the current running all night, but Bob wouldn't hear to it.
"No," he said, "I must be here to watch it, for I know what to expect if it don't pan out, and much depends on how that peroxide of lead is deposited. Either you turn off the current or I quit."
King knew from past experience that it would be useless to threaten and grudgingly yielded the point. "Shall we take the cylinder out?" he asked.
"Of course," replied Bob, "I thought you knew something about this kind of work."
King muttered something about wanting to make sure, and leaving the laboratory they went up to supper.
That night about ten o'clock, as Bob was lying on his bed trying, as usual, to think of some way to escape, he heard the key turn in the lock and the hunchback entered.
"Mr. King sent me up to tell you to go to sleep good and early for he's going to call you at five o'clock."
"Oh, he did, did he?" returned Bob. "Well, you just tell him that I'll go to sleep when I get good and ready and not a minute before. Do you get that?"
While speaking, he had got off the bed and gradually approached the hunchback. As he finished, he suddenly grabbed him round the neck, and before the dwarf had time to defend himself, he was hurled to the far side of the room. Bob made a quick dash for the door and in an instant had it closed and locked behind him. Quickly, he turned and darted down the stairs, but before he reached the next floor, he heard the man shouting and pounding on the door. "I must hurry," he thought, taking the next flight three steps at a time. He had reached the lower floor and was unlocking the front door, when a door at his left flew open and both King and Reed rushed out.
"What's all this?" demanded King; then as he saw who it was, he sprang forward and grabbed Bob by the shoulders and roughly yanked him back. "So you thought you'd give us the slip, did you? How'd you get out of that room?"
Poor Bob's heart sank as he realized that his attempt was a failure, and he made no reply.
"We'll soon find out," said King. "Come on now," and he made Bob precede him up the stairs.
"You miserable runt," he shouted, as he unlocked the door and saw the dwarf. "What does this mean?"
"Gee," replied the latter, "he jumped me so quick, I didn't know what was up before he was out of the room and I was locked in."
"Don't blame him," broke in Bob, "it wasn't his fault."
"Well, the next time I send you up here, just deliver your message through the door, do you understand?"
"I certainly do. I won't give him a chance to get hold of me again," declared the dwarf, rubbing his arm.
Bob was much cast down as they went out. "But I won't give up," he thought as he was undressing. "But, confound it, I've got to do something pretty soon for I'm not going to make that job pan out nearly as long as I thought I could."
Before he slept that night, he had resolved upon a bold stroke for liberty, which he was resolved to put into execution at the very first opportunity.
About eight o'clock the next morning, Bob realized that his chance had come. King was watching the cell while he was standing about three feet to one side. Suddenly, Bob drew back his right arm and before King could defend himself, he struck. The blow was a jim dandy, as Bob afterward expressed it. It caught King fairly on the jaw and he went down like a log, knocking over the tank as he fell. Bob quickly leaned over him and took the key of the laboratory from his pocket, where he had seen him put it several times.
"Now, if I can only get out," he thought as he unlocked the door and stole softly up the stairs.
Bob's heart beat wildly as he crept up the stairs, for he had resolved to let no one stop him if he could help it, knowing that it would go hard with him if he again fell into King's hands. He reached the top of the flight without hearing any one and quickly passed through the dining room to the front hall, and for the second time since his imprisonment, he was at the front door. The hall had a vestibule and just as he succeeded in getting the inner door open he heard a key turn in the outer door, and before he had time to dodge back, it swung open and Reed entered.
Coming thus suddenly face to face, it would be hard to say which was more at a loss what to do, but as soon as he could speak, Reed gasped, "You?"
"Yes, me," answered Bob, "and if you don't step aside and let me pass, some one is going to get hurt and don't you forget it."
"Where's Jim?" Reed demanded, shutting the door.
"What's left of him is down stairs, and I rather guess he'll stay there a while."
As Bob had taken the precaution to lock the door of the laboratory after he came out and had the key in his pocket, he felt that he had little to fear from that quarter for a time at least, even if King had come to.
"Your little game is up," he continued, "and you might as well step aside and save trouble and perhaps your head as well."
"Think so?" sneered Reed, and Bob saw him reach his hand back toward his hip pocket and before he was able to spring forward, he was looking into the barrel of a .32.
"Now, my young friend, I rather guess you will reconsider your conclusion. I don't want to hurt you, but I'd much prefer putting a bullet through you to letting you get away. Now, about face and march down to the laboratory again, and no monkey shines, or this here gun will be apt to go off, for when I get excited, my finger gets twitchy, and remember, if it does go off, the bullet will come out of the end that's pointing at you."
All this had probably not taken over a minute, but during that time, Bob had been doing some quick thinking and had resolved that, gun or no gun, he was not going to lose this chance. They passed out into the dining room, Reed following Bob at a distance of perhaps six feet. Reaching the door, at the head of the stairs, Bob pretended that he was trying to open it.
"It seems to be locked," he said, "Guess the wind must have blown it shut."
"Well, hold on a minute, I've got a key in my pocket."
Bob turned and saw that Reed had lowered the revolver a little as he searched his pocket for the key. It was the chance he wanted. Like a flash he leaped, and before the startled man could raise his arm, his wrist was seized and given a powerful twist, which sent the revolver spinning to the other side of the room. Reed, maddened to the point of frenzy, struggled with all his strength, and he was no mean antagonist, but Bob knew that he was fighting for his liberty, if not for his life, and fought as he had never fought before. Round the room they struggled, knocking over the chairs as they fought. Once the man got the boy down on his back, and with his hand on his throat, began to choke him, but Bob managed to squirm over, and, getting to his knees, flung one arm round Reed's neck, and giving a powerful twist made him lose his hold. Both quickly rose to their feet and stood facing each other, panting for breath. Suddenly, catching sight of the revolver on the floor near his feet, Reed made a move toward it. But the movement gave Bob the chance he wanted, and, springing forward, he swung his right arm with all the strength he could muster. His fist landed squarely on the man's right eye, and he went down in a heap. He was not knocked out, but the blow gave Bob time to grab up the revolver, and by the time Reed was on his feet again, he took his turn at looking down the barrel.
"Now, my old friend, I guess I'll have to ask you to recognize that conclusion you spoke of a few moments ago. This thing don't look quite so good at that end, does it? Give my regards to your friend below, if you can get enough life in him to accept them."
So saying, he backed out of the room into the hall, still pointing the revolver at the man, who stood looking daggers at him, but not daring to move, and this time reached the street without mishap.
"Whew!" he thought, as he slipped the revolver into his pocket, "that was some exciting time while it lasted. Well, I'm free at last and I'll take mighty good care that they don't get me again. Wonder which way I'd better go?"
Although well acquainted with a good part of Boston, as he looked about him he had no idea in what part of the city he was, except that it was one of the poorer districts.
Coming to the harbor front, he turned toward the south, judging that the ferry was in that direction. He had gone but a few squares, when he heard the cry of fire, and glancing down a side street which led to the water's edge, he saw a number of men and boys running toward an old house near the water and about a square from where he was standing.
"Guess I'll see what's doing," he thought as he turned and started to run down the street.
Coming opposite the house, which stood somewhat apart by itself, he saw that it was a three-story frame structure, and the flames were already visible through the windows of the first floor, while smoke was pouring from those of the first and second stories.
"It won't last ten minutes," said a man standing next to him, "the walls will fall in before the fire engine gets here."
"Are the people all out?" asked Bob.
"Dunno, guess so. Don't see any one, do you?"
But, at that moment, a figure appeared at a front third-story window and shouted for help. At the sound of the voice, Bob's heart almost stopped beating, and shading his eyes with his hand, he gazed eagerly upward. "It can't be possible," he thought, "but that was Jack's voice sure as guns, and what's more, it looks like him." Just then, the boy gave another wild cry for help.
"My soul, that's Jack," he groaned, "sure as fate. Quick," he shouted, "where's a ladder?"
The cry was taken up by the crowd, and in a minute, a man pushed his way through the crowd, carrying a fairly long ladder. Eager hands seized it and raised it toward the boy, but alas for their hopes, it reached only to the middle of the second story window, too short by nearly eight feet. Bob gave a groan, but just then he saw a store on the opposite side of the street, and rushing across, he darted in. "A coil of rope," he shouted, but there was no one there. Just at that moment, however, a man rushed in, and hearing Bob's cry, darted to the back part of the store, to return almost instantly, dragging about twenty feet of rope after him. Snatching the end of the rope from his hand, Bob rushed back across the street rapidly coiling it as he ran. By the time he reached the foot of the ladder the smoke and flames were pouring from the windows in great clouds and the entire front of the house was tottering.
"Can't do it," shouted a man, "it'll fall before you can get up."
"I'm going to do it anyway," muttered the boy as he started to ascend.
The heat was terrific, and the smoke nearly choked him, but he fought his way upward rung by rung. It seemed that he would never reach the top, as the rungs of the ladder were so hot they fairly blistered his hands and the walls threatened to fall at any moment, but he did it, and bracing himself by putting one foot through the ladder, he grasped one end of the rope in his right hand, holding the coil in his left.
"Now, Jack, catch it," he shouted.
"Great guns, Bob, how'd you get here?"
"Never mind now, catch this rope," and he threw it up toward the window with all the strength he had left, which was not very much. By rare good fortune Jack caught it.
"Quick, now, fasten it to something, this wall won't last much longer."
Jack disappeared for what seemed to Bob a long time, but at last he saw him at the window again.
"I've got it," he shouted.
"All right, now, come down while I hold this end."
Jack swung himself from the window and came down the rope hand over hand and soon had his feet on the top rung of the ladder.
"Now, quick, we haven't a second to lose," cried Bob, as he started to descend. "Are you all right?"
"Sure thing, look out, I'm coming," shouted Jack.
By this time several of the rungs were on fire, and two or three broke as Bob stepped on them, but he managed to keep his hold, and, reaching the ground, looked up to see Jack half way down. But, now the ladder was so weakened that, as the boy stepped on to the next rung, it swayed and broke fairly in two, and at that instant, the entire front of the building fell in with a tremendous crash.
Jack, however, was safe. He had felt the ladder, as well as the wall, going and had managed to throw himself backward away from the burning building. He fell only about eight feet and landed on his feet unhurt. Running quickly back, away from the intense heat, the two boys hugged each other in a frenzy of joy, while the crowd set up a great shout of gladness.
"You saved my life, old man, but for mercy sakes, how did you get here?"
"It's too long a story to tell now," replied Bob, "let's try to get out of this crowd."
Although many tried to detain them, the two boys managed to slip away just as a fire engine, with a great ringing of bells, dashed on to the scene.
The two boys were pretty well tired out from the strain through which they had just passed and they both had several bad burns on their hands, which, now that the excitement was over, began to assert themselves. They had not walked far when they saw a small park, where were some benches, and Jack proposed that they sit down and rest up a bit. As he knew that Bob had been taken to Boston, naturally the latter was the more surprised of the two on seeing his brother there, and as soon as they were seated on a bench Bob said:
"Now, Jack, tell me all about it, quick, and then I'll give you an account of my racket."
So Jack, starting from the time Bob disappeared, told him all that had happened. When he reached the point where we left him, he said:
"I tell you what, Bob, when I found that those rascals had varmoused and left me locked in that burning house, I was scared. I pounded on the door and yelled till I was hoarse and when no one came I was about ready to give up. By this time the room was pretty full of smoke, and my eyes smarted so that I could hardly keep them open and the floor was so hot, that I had to fairly dance, and it was getting hotter every minute. I had managed to get my clothes on by this time and started to see if I could kick a hole in the door, but it was too strong and I could make no impression on it."
"Couldn't you cut a hole in it with your knife?" asked Bob.
"I thought of that, but I had lost my knife somewhere. Well, just as I thought that all hope was gone, I remembered that there was a hole about two feet square in the ceiling at one end of the room. It was fully eight feet from the floor, but I took the cot and leaned it against the wall and managed, by climbing up on it, to reach the edge of the opening and climb up through. I found myself in an empty room running the entire length of the house. There was a stairway at the other end and I ran to it, but the smoke was pouring up in clouds and I could see that the stairs were ablaze and the room below full of fire, so I didn't dare to risk it. I thought then it was all up with me, but it was a little cooler up there and I managed to get one of the front windows open, and you know the rest. I tell you, Bob, old man, you never looked so good to me as you did coming up that ladder with the rope in your hand. I think I should have jumped in another two minutes. But, now tell me all about yourself. Where have you been and how did you get away?"
Then Bob gave him a full account of his adventures and when he told how he had hit Reed on the nose, Jack said, "Good enough for him, wish I'd been there." Then, when Bob had finished, he asked, "But why do you suppose Reed pushed me overboard? It must have been he."
"Of course it was," answered Bob, "there's no one else who would do it except King and it couldn't have been he, for he was with me at the time. I suppose he saw you, and thinking you might make trouble for them, he probably thought he would dispose of you."
"I guess that's about the way of it, leastwise, that's the way I figured it out. Hello, there's a cop; suppose we ask him where we are."
They soon learned that they were only about a half mile from the station, and as they were well rested, they decided that they would go there and take the train for their Uncle Ben's in Winthrop.
Reaching the station, they found a train about to leave, and in less than a half hour, they were getting off at Winthrop Beach. Uncle Ben's house was but a few minutes' walk from the station and soon they were ringing the bell, and their Aunt Lucy answered it.
"Why, it's Bob and Jack," she cried as she saw them. "Where did you come from? My, but I'm glad to see you," and without giving them time to speak, she grabbed one in each arm and gave them a good hug and kiss.
"Where's Uncle Ben?" asked Bob as soon as he could get the question in.
"He had to go to the bank, but I expect him out on the next train, as he said he was only going to stay a little while. But there, I'll bet you haven't had any lunch and are as hungry as two young bears. Come right in and we'll have something to eat in less than no time."
"How are all the folks?" asked Aunt Lucy, as they sat down.
"Fine and dandy," replied Jack, "but my goodness, Bob, we must call them up right off. Can I use the 'phone, auntie?"
The 'phone was in the front hall and Jack was gone some little time, but at last he returned. Just as they began to eat, the door opened and Uncle Ben entered the room. He was no less delighted to see the boys than Aunt Lucy had been, and the meal was a merry one. The boys said nothing regarding their adventures till the lunch was over, then Bob said:
"Uncle Ben, we've got quite a long story to tell you."
"Is that so? Well, fire away."
So Bob began and told them all about their adventures. He was interrupted many times by expressions of horror and indignation from Uncle Ben and Aunt Lucy.
"Well, of all the happenings," declared Uncle Ben, when he had finished. "Say, Bob, do you think you can find that house where they had you?"
"Yes, I think so. It was in East Boston, 54 Uhl street. I noticed the number of the house and the street as I ran out."
"That's in one of the worst sections of the city," declared Uncle Ben. "Now, boys, if you are not too tired we must take the next train to the city and report this to the police, and we may be in time to catch them. The scoundrels, they must be caught and punished if possible; it's not safe to have them at large."
Both boys declared that they were not tired, and, as the next train left in about fifteen minutes, they started at once.
In a short time they reached East Boston and took the ferry across.
"It must have been here that I went overboard," said Jack as they were about half way across, and he shuddered as he looked down at the water. "I wouldn't want to go through that again."
"I should say not," said Uncle Ben. "Oh, by the way, Jack, you didn't see either of those fellows round the house after the fire, did you?"
"No, I never thought a thing about them."
"Well, they ought to be found and locked up, for they undoubtedly intended to rob you, and were probably going to make your father pay a big sum of money."
"Yes, I guess that's so," agreed Jack, "but then they saved my life and I'd rather call it square."
"Well, if that's the way you feel about it," said Uncle Ben, "we won't say anything to the captain about them."
Reaching the other side of the harbor, they lost no time in getting a car, which took them to State street, where was the police station of which Uncle Ben's friend was captain.
"Is Captain Long in?" he asked a sergeant, who was sitting at the desk as they entered.
"I think so, sir, please wait a moment and I'll see." Touching a bell on his desk, he ordered the attendant to see if the captain was in his office.
"Right, sir," said the man going out.
He was back in a minute, and telling them that Captain Long would see them at once, conducted them through several rooms into his private office.
"Why, hello Ben," greeted a large broad-shouldered man, wearing the uniform of a police captain, as they were ushered into the room. "Come to give yourself up?"
"Not just yet, Harry. These are my two nephews from Maine," he said, introducing the boys, "I think likely you've seen them around my house, but I guess you've never met them."
The captain expressed himself as pleased to know them, and then motioning them to sit down, asked:
"Now, what can I do for you?"
"Well, Harry," answered Uncle Ben, "these two youngsters have been through enough to turn your hair gray." Then turning to Bob, he said: "Tell him your story as quickly as you can, for every minute may count."
So, for the third time that day Bob gave an account of his kidnapping, only this time he made it as brief as possible. The captain said nothing till he had finished, but they could see that he was not losing a word.
"Give me as careful a description of those two men as you can," he ordered, and Bob obeyed.
"This is indeed serious," said the captain, turning to Mr. Golden when Bob had finished. "I'll bet you my cap that the smaller of the two men is Jim the Penman, and if that's right, he is one of the most wanted men in the country today. Why, there's a reward of $10,000 for him, and that other fellow may be Oily Joe; they have worked together a good bit and are two of the most expert counterfeiters in the world. The two of them have given us a lot of trouble. I'm mighty glad you came to me, although I'm afraid it's too late, as they've probably skipped, but we'll make a try for them and it's possible we may be on time."
He touched a button on his desk, and an officer entered.
"Have the patrol out at once with six of the best men available," he ordered, "Report to me here. Let's see," he said, as the man saluted and retired, "you said 54 Uhl street. That's over across the ferry."
In less than two minutes a knock sounded and at the captain's "come in," six uniformed policemen entered. Quickly, he explained the situation to them and gave his orders.
"The driver will let you out about two squares this side of the house, and I'll be there by the time you are, and tell you how to arrange things."
He gave them the address and saluting, they left the room.
"Don't lose a minute," he shouted as the last man went out.
"Now," said Captain Long, turning to Mr. Golden and the boys, "don't you want to come along with me in my car?"
"We sure do," cried both boys together, and even Uncle Ben seemed no less anxious.
"All right then, this way," and he led them out to the street.
His car, a powerful two-seated machine, stood in front of the station house, the chauffeur dozing on the front seat, but he sprang to activity as he heard the captain's voice.
Quickly, they entered the machine, Captain Long giving the direction to the driver, and just as they started, the patrol whizzed by, the horses at full gallop.
They passed the patrol just as they reached the ferry and all crossed together. Reaching the other side, the machine soon distanced the patrol, and, after running for about ten minutes, the captain told the driver to stop and the car drew up at the curb.
"The place is only two squares away," he explained, "and we'll wait here for the patrol."
It came dashing up in a few moments and the men got out.
"Now, two of you go round by Clear street, and come up by the back way," ordered the captain, "and two more go up Clover a couple of blocks and then turn down Front, which will bring you to the front of the house. The rest of you wait here a few moments, and then go straight there and we'll follow about a square behind. Now, don't make any noise till we are all there, but if you see any one leave the house, arrest him at once."
Four of the men saluted and started off in the directions ordered, and, after waiting five minutes, the other two left, followed a moment later by the captain and the Goldens. Arriving at the house, they found the four officers there.
"Are the others round back?" asked the captain.
"Yes, sir," answered one of the men.
"See any one?"
"No, sir."
"All right then, you wait here and I'll ring the bell." This he did, but no one answered the summons.
"Guess they've skipped," said one of the men.
After ringing several times, Captain Long said:
"Two of you stay here and the rest of us will go round to the rear, and see if we can get in without smashing a door, and," he added, "keep an eye on those side windows."
They found the two officers waiting at the rear.
"Seen anything?" asked Captain Long.
"Not a thing," was the reply.
They found the back door locked with the key on the inside, and, remarking that he guessed they would have to break a window, the captain took a small diamond glass cutter from his pocket and scratched a circle about six inches in diameter on the window pane, just above the catch. A quick push shoved it in, and reaching his hand through, he soon had the window open.
"Now, Bill," he said, turning to one of the men, "you jump in and unlock the door."
"In a minute they were in the house, and passing through to the front door, admitted the others. Leaving one man on guard at the front door, another at the rear, while a third was stationed in the middle room, the rest made a thorough search of the upper part of the house. But, to their disappointment, they found no one. They returned to the first floor and the captain said:
"Now we'll go down to the basement."
Bob found the room looking about as he had left it earlier in the day, except that King was no longer there. He showed them the cylinder, on which he had been at work, and which he found lying on the floor. They made a careful search of the room, but found nothing of an incriminating nature and were about to return upstairs, when Jack, had been looking over a desk in one corner of the room shouted:
"Come over here a minute, I believe I've found something."
He had noticed a piece of paper lying partly concealed, under one corner of the desk and had moved it slightly to get the paper without tearing it, when he noticed a break in the flooring, and on moving the desk a little farther, he saw a small ring in the floor.
"I believe there's a trap door here," he declared as they came over to where he was.
It was but a moment's work to shove the desk out of the way, and sure enough, there was a trap door about two feet square. One of the officers took hold of the ring, and a second later they were gazing down into a pitch-black hole. Captain Long kneeled down and flashed the light from an electric torch into the space below.
"Jove," he shouted, "here's a find sure enough; I'm going down and the rest of you follow."
It was a large room about twenty feet long by twelve feet wide. The walls were of brick, and so far as they could see, there was no break in them. The room was lighted by several incandescent electric lights, which one of the men had turned on. Looking around, they found that the room contained an electric furnace, such as is used for melting bullion, a small printing press, and several other pieces of machinery, which the captain recognized as pertaining to the making of counterfeit money. They also found several dies for stamping quarters and half dollars, as well as a number of plates for printing bills of ten and twenty dollar denominations. Several pounds of lead and copper, together with a smaller amount of silver and gold was also found.
"I'm mighty sorry that we didn't get the rascals," declared Captain Long, "but this find is well worth our while."
He started to mount the ladder, telling the others to follow him, when a very astonishing thing happened. Suddenly the trap door banged down and at the same time the lights went out, while a mocking laugh sounded from above. Quickly, the captain sprang up the ladder, and bracing himself, pushed with all his strength against the door, but it did not so much as budge.
"We're trapped, sure as fate," he said, as he gave it up and came down the ladder. "Where do you suppose those fellows were hid all the time?"
"They probably had some secret hiding place which we didn't find," declared Mr. Golden.
"I guess that's about the size of it. Here, Bill, I guess you and Fred are the strongest, you two get up on that ladder and see if you can make any impression on that door. I wonder how, in the name of all that's funny, they have fastened it, for I didn't see any lock on it."
The two officers did as ordered, but in spite of their most strenuous efforts, they could make no impression on it. They did, however, make a most decided impression on the ladder, for suddenly it broke near the middle, and the two came tumbling down in a heap. Fortunately, they were not hurt by the fall and laughed as they picked themselves up.
"Well, we're in a pretty fix, sure enough," declared Captain Long. "I should have left one of you on guard, but I never thought of those fellows being in hiding there after the way we searched the place. It's a good thing I left word at the station where we were going, but the rest of the force will sure have the laugh on us."
"Say, do you smell anything?" suddenly asked Bob.
"Seem's though I do," replied two of the officers sniffing.
No one spoke for a moment and then Captain Long said:
"My God, men, that's coal gas and it's getting stronger every minute. Those devils have turned it in here somehow. Quick," he almost shouted, "we've got to get out of here at once or we'll all be dead men in less than ten minutes."
By this time the odor of the gas was very strong and was rapidly getting stronger. Several of the officers were equipped with electric torches, and using them, they made a hurried search of the walls to see if by chance there was any opening which they had overlooked before, but nothing of the kind could they find.
"Gee, but I'm getting sleepy," said one of the men.
"We'll all be worse than sleepy in about a minute," groaned another.
"Well," spoke up Mr. Golden, "It's hard to die penned up like this, but if it's God's will, let us meet it like men."
"Oh, what'll my poor wife and babies do?" groaned the man who had spoken before.
But little more was said. Bob got hold of Jack's hand and whispered:
"It'll be an easy death, old man."
"I know," replied Jack. "I'm not afraid, but I do wish we could see the folks."
The deadly gas was rapidly getting in it's work, and three of the officers were already stretched on the floor, while the others were breathing heavily. Bob's head was swimming and he knew that he would be unconscious in another moment. He stretched himself out on the floor, putting one arm around the neck of Jack, who was already lying down. The other arm he stretched out along the floor, and as he did so, suddenly his fingers felt an iron ring. Hardly knowing what he did, he began to pull on it. To his surprise, he felt it give, and summoning all his remaining strength, he rose to his knees and gave a quick yank to it. A trap door opened, letting in a rush of cool fresh air. It partially revived him and he shouted.