Afloat

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And now stretching their necks a trifle more they made another
discovery. The man in the case was lying on his back, and so far as
they could tell, sound asleep. Apparently, the master could take
things easy and rest himself, but the slave must keep constantly
employed trying to take in something calculated to satisfy their hunger.

It made Lil Artha grind his teeth when he saw this; and Elmer had to
touch him on the arm, as well as shake his head sternly in order to
warn him that nothing desperate must be attempted. With victory almost
in their grasp they would, indeed, be foolish to ruin things by too
much haste.

As motions must from this time on take the place of speech, Elmer began
to make use of a beckoning finger to tell the others what their next
move should be. This, of course, was a further advance. They must
contrive in some way to push closer to the camp, so that when the
crisis came, they would be in a position to thwart any move the man
might make looking to carrying Hen off with him.

All this had been arranged beforehand, and each fellow knew exactly
what part he was to play in the round-up. Lil Artha and Chatz had,
indeed, been warned that it would be up to them to make sure Hen did
not run away, filled with a fear of the consequences should he be
taken, even by his friends.

Advancing in this careful fashion, the scouts had covered many yards,
and were now almost within striking distance of the camp. It was at
this particular moment that a sudden thing happened calculated to bring
matters to a climax.

After all that patient waiting, and rebaiting of his hook, the
persistence of the fisherman with the crooked rod was rewarded. He was
seen to give a quick jerk, and then with a mighty effort throw a fairly
large, shining fish over his head.

No sooner had it landed with a thump on the ground, and commenced to
flop furiously, than Hen gave vent to a cry of delight, such as any
hungry boy might utter when he found himself favored with a chance to
break his long fast.

The sleeping man jumped to his feet as though at first he thought the
police had found them out. Seeing the excited boy and the flopping
fish, he hurried over to the spot. His first act was to strike poor
Hen over the head, and tell him to get busy again if he wanted a bite
to eat for himself, because there was only enough in that fish to take
the edge off one person's appetite.

Lil Artha came very nearly upsetting all Elmer's plans when he saw this
brutal act of the man, for he started to gain his feet, and had to be
pulled down by violence, shivering with excitement.

Hen had gone back to his task again, looking thoroughly cowed and
disheartened. The man, taking the fish in his hand, held it up as if
to admire its looks; then he stepped down to the water as though
meaning to clean the prize without any loss of time, possibly spurred
on by hunger.

Elmer again began to advance a foot at a time, meanwhile keeping close
watch on all that was going on ahead. They had the situation well in
hand, their line covering the ground, with the water cutting off escape
in one quarter.

Even without those serviceable guns the seven boys might have proven
themselves master of the game, for clubs could serve in lieu of better
weapons. As it was, Elmer felt positive things must go their way.

Just then, Hen, in turning to reach his supply of bait, chanced to see
that line of creeping figures in khaki. The mingled expressions that
crossed his face told what a flutter the sight must have brought to his
heart.

Elmer instantly put a finger on his lips, and made a gesture warning
Hen not to betray them. Perhaps it was just as well, for the poor
fellow seemed on the point of crying out in his mixture of joy and
fear. He did succeed in making some sort of sound that attracted the
attention of the man, who raised his head to growl:

"What ails you now, you young fool? I'm almost sorry I went to the
bother of trying to save you from the clutch of the law. What are you
complaining about, I'd like to know? Get another fish, if you expect
to stave off your hunger; the first of the spoils always goes to the
boss."

"I caught my finger on the hook, that's all, Joe," stammered Hen,
perhaps telling the truth, too, for in his sudden shock of excitement
at seeing his chums he could very well have done such a thing.

"Well, suck it, and get busy doing your work, that's all, while I cook
this fish, and perhaps another you may take. Yes, and while you're
about it just pray that my appetite will be stayed with this one; for
if it isn't, you'll have a small chance for a bite unless they come in
faster than they've been doing."

Well, the crisis had passed, and there had been no discovery; but then
Elmer was really caring very little now. He only wanted to post his
backers a shade better so as to cut off all chance of escape, when he
intended opening up the game himself by springing a surprise on the man.

One thing he did mean to look out for, and this was a possible move on
the part of the escaped jail bird to lay hold of Hen. Such a man would
think first of all how he could use the boy for a shield, while he made
terms with the enemy. It was an old trick, which Elmer had known to be
used with more or less success when up on that Canadian cattle ranch,
where bad men were occasionally met with, who gave lots of trouble
before they were rounded up.

Two, three minutes passed.

Elmer did not believe it would be good policy for them to continue to
advance any further. He did not wish to get so close to the man that
the other could by a sudden rush reach them before they were able to do
anything.

By a low hiss he warned his comrades that the critical time had
arrived, when every scout would be expected to do his duty.

Then slowly he got up, first on his knees, and then on his feet. Every
fellow duplicated his move, so that the entire seven were now standing
there, forming a line slightly inclined to resemble the new crescent
moon.

And there was Hen Condit turning his head around to stare at them, his
face as white as the chalk they were accustomed to use upon the
blackboard in school. His eyes were as round as circles, while upon
his strained countenance hope, fear, expectation, almost a dozen
emotions struggled for the mastery.

"Hello! Joe!" called out Elmer, without the slightest warning.

Up rose the head of the man who was busy cleaning the fish. When he
saw those seven khaki-clad figures standing there, with two shotguns
bearing directly on his person, he was to all appearances struck dumb
for the moment. His eyes stared and his mouth fell open. Fish and
knife dropped from his nerveless hands.

"Caught, by thunder! and by a bunch of boys at that!"

These words burst from his lips, after which he started to use some
pretty strong language until Elmer put his foot down sternly.

"Stop that kind of talk, Joe!" he ordered. "We've got you rounded up,
and there's no use kicking. If you make a move to run, or jump this
way, we'll fill you full of bird-shot, do you hear?"

"Both barrels in the bargain, Joseph, mind you!" added Lil Artha, still
burning with indignation as he recollected how they had seen the beast
cuff poor Hen; and perhaps deep down in his boyish heart actually
hoping the other might take a notion to try and get away, when they
would be justified in peppering him, after he had run possibly thirty
or forty yards.

"Oh! I guess the jig's all up with me, boys," said the man, with a
look of sheer disgust on his face. "I've had a little run for my
money, but the stone jug seems to be yawning for me. I was a fool to
bother with the kid, it seems; but when the scheme came to me at first
I thought it too fine to drop. Here's where I get paid for being a
silly gump. What do you want me to do, boys? I'll obey with as much
cheerful alacrity as I can, seeing that I'm starving to death just now."

"First of all," said Elmer, who had it all mapped out, "lie down on
your face and put both hands behind you. We're going to tie you up,
and wait for the Chief with his posse to come along. Do you get that,
Joe?"

"Sure I do, and since it's Hobson's choice with me here goes. I
suppose you fellows must be Boy Scouts. I once organized a troop of
the same, but never dreamed I'd be arrested by the khaki crowd. It's
all in a day's work, though."

He, accordingly, stretched himself flat on the ground. When they could
see that he had his hands held behind his back, and conveniently
crossed at the wrists, four of the boys advanced.

"Keep your gun aimed at him, Lil Artha," commanded the scout-master,
"and if he tries any funny business let him have it in the legs. Here,
Landy, you and Chatz sit on him while I secure his hands."

The man attempted no resistance, for he realized the folly of it. He
did groan, however, when Landy squatted down on his legs, and the other
fellows could hardly blame him for grunting. It was like a thousand of
brick dropping from a second story building, as Lil Artha afterwards
described it.

The job was quickly and neatly dispatched, Elmer wrapping his cord many
times around the wrists of the prisoner. By this time Joe seemed to
have recovered his nerve, and made out to consider the whole thing more
in the light of a big joke than anything else.

Meanwhile, there was Hen standing near by, and hardly knowing whether
to look delighted at seeing his cruel boss thus being tied up, or show
the dreadful fear that was gripping his soul as he contemplated what
must follow.

"Cheer up, Hen, old fellow," said Toby, stepping over to grasp his
hand; but to his amazement Hen immediately broke down, and began to sob
as if his heart were broken.

"You don't know the worst, that's what," he said, plaintively. "That
stealing the money from my uncle was bad enough, but oh! will they
really hang me for the other? I sure didn't mean to do such a terrible
thing when I threw that stone and hit the tramp that day! I've had no
peace of mind ever since he told me his pal had really died. He said
he'd keep still about it if I'd go with him, and do everything he told
me to. And I've just had to, even when I felt sick enough to want to
lay me down and die."

"What's this yarn you've been giving the boy, Joe?" demanded Elmer,
sternly, as he faced the man, who with his hands tied behind his back
had been propped up against a convenient tree.

The man looked at Elmer and then burst into a derisive laugh.

"I knew he was a soft subject when I met him that day," he said, "and I
made up my mind I'd work him for fair. He did throw a stone and hit a
fellow I was with on the head. We chased after him but he was too
speedy for us. Later on when I was all alone I set up that slick game
on him, telling him my pal had actually died, and I'd buried him in the
woods. Oh! it was almost too easy. He did just whatever I wanted him
to. You'll find every cent of the money in my pocket, because I never
had a ghost of a chance to spend any of it. That's all, son. Now you
understand what ails the silly fool."

Hen Condit had listened to this, at first with that look of abject pain
on his face. Then as the substance of the man's confession dawned upon
his mind he began to exhibit fresh interest that caused another
expression, that of wild hope, to swiftly take the place of despair on
his countenance.

"Oh! do you mean then, Joe, that your pal didn't die after all?
Please, oh please, tell me that, and I'll forgive you for everything
mean you've done to me!" he begged.

"The last I saw of the tramp," the prisoner told him, "he was settled
in an empty freight car, and bound for the city. He was as frisky as
ever then. I'd have joined him only I didn't want to pull up broke in
the city; and I thought there ought to be some rich pickings for a
clever crook around these regions. That's where I made my one big
mistake. And now I'm going to take my medicine. That's all from me,
you hear. Only I say, kid, you're lucky to have such a fine lot of
chums to help you out of a bad scrape!"

CHAPTER XVI

CONCLUSION

"I can hardly believe it's true," muttered Hen Condit, helplessly, as
he looked around him at the beaming faces of his seven loyal chums;
"just seems to me as if I'd wake up and find it only a lovely dream."

"Well, it isn't, just the same, Hen," said Lil Artha, as he wrung the
other's cold hand as though it had been a pump handle, and he the
honest milkman; "the money's been recovered, every cent of it, and like
as not there's some sort of a reward out for the recapture of this gent
here, who broke jail with a pair of handcuffs on his wrists which he
filed off weeks ago up in this same swamp. And if there is, you share
with us in that, Hen, remember."

"But I didn't do a single thing to get him, and that wouldn't be fair!"
weakly protested the relieved boy, with his arm linked in that of
Elmer, upon whom he seemed to lean in this dreadful crisis of his young
life.

"Didn't hey?" snorted Toby; "I guess you _lured him along_; then again
and helped to blind his eyes while we crept noiselessly closer and
closer. Sure you deserve part of the reward, Hen, providing there is
any up."

At hearing that unique remark, the prisoner burst into a hearty laugh.
Evidently, "Joe," having made up his mind that he was going back to the
clutches of the law, could enjoy a good joke as well as the next one;
he was undoubtedly a reckless sort of fellow anyway.

"That's fine for you, son," he told Toby; "luring the rascal on is a
good one. That poor kid was almost too easy for me to work, for he
fell into my trap as soon as I pulled the string. Why, I felt ashamed
of myself sometimes, it was so much like taking candy from the baby.
But he isn't a half bad sort of a boy; and let's hope this'll be a
lesson to him never again to throw stones at poor tramps. They're
human as well as the rest of us, and have their feelings. That lump on
his head pained Weary Willie Larkins as much as it would have done Hen
here."

Having made sure that the desperate character whom they only knew as
Joe could not escape, the boys built a jolly fire, and proceeded to
cook something. Hen was so savagely hungry they had to lead him away
while the meal was in preparation, for he vowed he was dreadfully
tempted to jump in and devour his food raw.

And when a supply had been made ready, the scouts did not forget to
feed their prisoner, who certainly seemed to enjoy it very much, indeed.

"You boys are a great bunch," he told Lil Artha, who was looking after
his necessities in the line of food; "and after all, I'm not sorry you
were the ones to get me, if it had to be. I'd never forgive myself if
that fat Chief of Police down at Hickory Ridge managed to round me up,
and him as ignorant about following a trail as a greenhorn."

You see, before then the man had guessed that Elmer must have spent
some time Out West, from various things he heard mentioned. Indeed, he
had asked plainly if such were not the case, and afterwards told the
young scout-master a few interesting things connected with his own
checkered career.

His real name he declared would never be known, for he came of a good
family, which he would not wish to disgrace. He admitted that he had
had every chance in the world to make a mark in the line of law or the
ministry, and had even been a professor at one time in a college; but,
somehow, a love for dissipation dragged him down until finally he had
disappeared, assumed another name in a part of the country where he was
not known, and commenced his career of vice.

The man told the scouts to take a lesson from his blasted career,
though they hardly knew whether he really meant it or, as Lil Artha was
constrained to say, was "talking through his hat."

The fire was kept burning, and fed with more or less green wood in the
hope and expectation that the black smoke thus generated might draw the
tracking posse to the scene the more rapidly.

It was almost two hours before they arrived, which would indicate that
Johnny might not be quite as expert at following a "man trail" as some
of the scouts were.

Great was the astonishment of the Chief and his men when upon
approaching the fire by creeping up they discovered that those about it
were the eight scouts, and even recognized in the bedraggled figure of
the last member none other than the wretched culprit, Hen Condit.

And there, seated with his back against a tree and his hands and ankles
securely bound scout-fashion, was the man they wanted. He greeted
their coming, and the look of amazement on the Chief's red face with
roars of amusement.

"Better late than never, Chief," he called out. "While you were
sleeping over it, these smart scouts did the business, and took me in.
All the cold cash that was taken has been recovered to a last red cent;
and I've explained just how I forced this silly boy Hen to write that
letter, when it was really me who cribbed the money. So don't bother
blaming a kid like that. He's had his lesson, Chief."

Elmer thought that was pretty handsome of Joe, and he did not hesitate
to tell him so. He could see that the man was a strange mixture of
good and evil, though it seemed that the bad elements in his
composition were generally on top.

As there was no need of remaining any longer in the swamp, they started
to leave. Johnny said he would go back and take the two skiffs out,
towing one behind him. Later on he could come and mend the new boat by
fetching a plank to replace the one that had been staved in by striking
a log at full speed.

"Hope we see you again down at Hickory Ridge, Johnny!" called out Lil
Artha after the bound boy.

"Yes, and we won't forget that clever chicken trap of yours," added
Toby, "even if the man did cut his companion free before we reached the
spot. By the way, Hen, here's something of yours that we found."

"My knife with the buckhorn handle!" exclaimed the Condit boy, looking
pleased. "I missed that, and thought I'd never see it again. Where
did you pick it up, Toby?"

"Huh! you dropped it from your pocket once upon a time when your heels
were some higher than your head. That helped to give us a strong clue,
and we knew we were on the right track up here near old Sassafras
Swamp. Next time you're chicken hungry, Hen, button up your pockets;
you never know what's going to happen these days."

Hen turned fiery red, and then laughed in a confused fashion.

"Well," he said, boldly, "both of us were terribly hungry, and since
I'd jumped in up to my neck you know, an inch further didn't seem to
mind. I suppose that's the way with all boys who go to the bad; the
first step leads to another until they don't care much what becomes of
them. But oh! I'm hugging myself to know it's all going to be like an
ugly dream now. What don't I owe you fellows? All my life I'll
remember it."

Once out of the swamp and they were soon at Farmer Trotter's place.
Here it was found that the Chief and his posse had come in a big
touring car that just held the party comfortably, though there would
still be room for Joe, of course.

The boys were invited to pile in and hang on; but respectfully
declined. A ride of so many miles to the home town, going at a fast
pace over a bumpy road, and hanging on outside the car in the bargain,
did not seem to have any great attractions for them.

"We prefer to take our time, and use the big wagon, Chief," said Elmer
after consulting with his seven chums; "like as not half-way there
we'll make camp and have a jolly night of it, arriving home before
sundown again."

"Pleath tell our people we're on the way, and expect to turn up thooner
or later," added Ted Burgoyne.

"And Chief, you promised to let my uncle know the whole story,
remember," called out the contrite Hen Condit. "I'll be ashamed to
face him, but perhaps he won't be so _very_ angry when he hears how I
was deceived so terribly, and made to believe I had actually killed
that tramp when I threw the stone. And my aunt loves me, that I know.
Don't forget to tell them every cent has been recovered from the thief,
and that I'm bringing it back with me."

The scouts did camp that night in a wood alongside the road.
Fortunately, the weather proved very kind to them. Lil Artha said the
"wind was tempered to the shorn lamb," by which he undoubtedly meant
that since they had neither tents nor blankets it considerately did not
turn cold, nor were they caught out in a heavy rain storm.

Their last outing of the vacation season had proved to be a fine one.
They had passed through a novel experience when exploring the depths of
the mysterious Sassafras Swamp; and better still had managed to save
their poor, mistaken comrade from a fate, the very thought of which
would often make him shiver even when months and years had crept by.

They had a great night of it there in camp. Even Hen tried to forget
for a time what he must face on the morrow, and joined his chums in
their songs, as they sat cross-legged around the cheery blaze.

There was no longer any necessity for suppressing their boyish
exuberance, for the gloomy swamp had been left behind, nor was there
any hiding escaped criminal to take alarm. So they laughed and talked
and sang to their hearts' content; nor did the sleepiest of them,
meaning Landy, of course, get a chance to lay his head on his
make-believe pillow until nearly midnight.

"What's the use of wasting so much time in sleeping?" Lil Artha had
demanded, when the stout boy pleaded for them to desist, and give him a
chance to get some rest; "this is going to be our very last camp until
away off in Thanksgiving week, even if we have one then. So let's make
the most out of it. You c'n sleep any old time, and lie abed till ten
on Sunday, if you want to. Now for another song, fellows, and Landy,
we want your fine tenor to help out, remember."

The morning found them astir, and after breakfast the horses were once
more put to the pole so that a start could be made for home.

None of them were in a hurry, and it was really about the middle of
that afternoon when the expedition entered town. The news had, of
course, been widely circulated, and everybody was on tip-toe, filled
with excitement, and watching for their arrival.

A great crowd had collected to greet them, and there was the brass band
of which Hickory Ridge was getting to be quite proud, playing a
sonorous tune which some of the scouts believed must be "Lo! the
Conquering Hero Comes," though none of them felt quite sure of it.

Well, Hen Condit was forgiven by his uncle, after he heard all about
the terrible time the boy had, and in what way unscrupulous "Joe"
deceived the foolish boy. Elmer and his chums made it a point to see
that the story was widely circulated, and the balance of the scout
troop aided to the best of their ability, for Hen was well liked.

The consequence of all this was that most people decided the boy had
already been sufficiently punished, and that his lesson was apt to be
of lasting benefit to him during the balance of his natural life.
Besides, it gave shrewd fathers and mothers a fine moral lesson to hold
up before their own erring youngsters, and hence for a long time to
come the narrow escape which Hen Condit had had from going wholly to
the bad was used as a means of correction. In this way it doubtless
did much good, if that could be of any satisfaction to Hen.

No doubt there will be other stirring events come up, with mysteries to
be solved, as the Hickory Ridge Boy Scouts pursue their activities; and
should such interesting happenings take place, be sure they will not
escape our notice. Until then we must say good-bye to the faithful
readers who have accompanied us through the stirring adventures that
befel our young friends in Sassafras Swamp.

THE END

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