CHAPTER VI
AN UNEXPECTED MEETING
"Well," remarked Fenn, after a somewhat long pause, "I don't know howyou fellows feel about it, but I think they've rather put it all overus; eh Bart?"
"Somewhat," admitted the leader of the Darewell Chums. "But it isn't sobad as I expected. I wonder where we are, anyhow?"
"Might be ten miles away," observed Frank.
"I'll wager we're not more than half a mile from home," came from Ned."They drove roundabout to fool us."
"That's what I think," remarked Bart. "Anyhow we've got to stay here anhour, and I don't much fancy it, either. But since we've gone this farwe might as well go the whole distance, I suppose. It's a good thingit's comparatively warm, or it wouldn't be any fun staying here. Whereare we, anyhow."
"I'm going to find out!" declared Fenn suddenly.
"How, Stumpy?" asked Frank.
"I've almost got one hand loose. I'll soon have it out, and then I'mgoing to take off this bandage. There's no use of us staying here like alot of chickens tied up, when we can just as well get away."
"That's the trouble--we can't get away," came from Frank. "I've beentrying for the last ten minutes to loosen these cords, but I can't slipa single knot. They knew how to tie 'em all right."
"You just watch me," called Fenn, who was squirming about on a bed ofleaves.
"Watch you--yes, with our eyes bandaged," said Ned, sarcastically."That's a hot one."
"Patience, noble knight," mocked the stout lad, "and I'll soon releaseye."
"Stumpy is so fat that they didn't have rope enough to tie him,"remarked Bart. "That's the reason he thinks he can get loose."
"I don't think it, I know it!" cried Fenn in triumph a few secondsafterward. "I've got both hands out, and now here comes off my bandage."
A moment later Fenn uttered a cry.
"What's the matter?" asked Bart, making an unsuccessful attempt to getrid of the ropes binding his arms and legs.
"Why we're in Oak Swamp, or, right on the edge of it," replied Fenn."They brought us farther than I thought they did. But we'll fool 'em allright. We'll get loose, skip out, and when they come back they won'tfind us. Wait until I get these ropes off my legs, and I'll help youfellows."
Fenn was as good as his word. A few seconds later he was free from hisbonds, and, in turn, he released Bart, Frank and Ned. They all lookedaround in some surprise, for they had no idea that they had been broughtso far from home. The wagon had traveled faster than they had suspected.
"Oak Swamp," mused Bart. "It's a good thing it's coming on winterinstead of summer, or we'd be eaten up with mosquitoes. Well, let's getout of here. I don't like the place."
Indeed it was gloomy and dismal enough at any time, but now, on a latefall evening, with darkness fast approaching, it was anything but aninviting place. The swamp derived its name from a number of scrub oaktrees that grew in it. During the summer it was a treacherous place tovisit, for there were deep muck holes scattered through it, and morethan one cow, and several horses, had broken out of the pastures, andwandered into the wet place, only to sink down to their deaths. It wassaid that several years before a man had endeavored to cross the swamp,had been caught in a bog hole, and sucked down into its depths, his bodynever having been recovered.
So it was with a feeling of no little satisfaction that Bart and hischums found themselves able to leave the gloomy place sooner than theyhad expected.
"It'll be a good joke on the others," remarked Ned, as he gathered intoa heap, the rope fetters that had bound him. "We'll sneak away, and whenthose fellows come back for us they'll think we've rolled into theswamp, and sunk, and they may make a search for us. Let's hide the cordsand bandages."
"Sure," agreed Frank. "We'll turn the tables on them."
"Well, whatever we do, let's get away from here," suggested Fenn. "It'stoo gloomy for my notion. Look, there's the ledge they lowered us from.It isn't two feet high, but it seemed like a hundred," and he pointed toa small ledge of rock, where Sandy Merton and his mates had stood asthey lowered from the wagon the lads who were being initiated. Had itnot been that Sandy stood on the end of the vehicle, he would not havebeen high enough to bring about the delusion of the boys going down intosome bottomless pit.
The four chums had gathered up the severed ropes, and, folding thebandages up in them, hid them all under a big stone. Then they startedfor home.
Oak Swamp was several miles from the town of Darewell, but there was afairly good road between the places, since the swamp was but slightlyoff to one side of the main thoroughfare. As the four started off, withFenn in the lead, they chuckled to think of the blank looks of theinitiating team, when the members should return for the candidates, tofind them missing.
"I almost wish we could stay, and hide, and hear what they'll say,"observed Ned, laughing at the prospect.
"I don't. I want to get home," came from Frank. "Ugh! This is a gloomyplace after dark."
Suddenly Fenn, who was some distance in the lead, jumped to one side.
"What's the matter; see a snake?" called Bart.
"A snake, this time of year? Not much, but it's a whopping big mudturtle," cried the fleshy lad. "I'm going to catch it, fellows. Maybeit's the one that got away from Professor Long's collection. That's theonly way I can account for a turtle being out of doors at this season ofthe year."
"And while you're at it look and see if it hasn't got a diamond braceleton its neck, and a wedding ring on its toes, Stumpy," advised Bart,mockingly. "If it has, it'll be all to the mustard, and we'll be clearedof suspicion. Look and see if it has its teeth filled with gold, whileyou're about it, but, above all, don't forget the diamond bracelet."
"Aw, let up, can't you?" begged Stumpy. "What's the use of poking fun ata fellow all the while, just because I made one break. Besides a turtle_might_ get its neck through the bracelet."
"Oh rats!" was Bart's reply. "But catch the turtle, if you're going to."
Fenn made a grab for the slow moving reptile, and caught it. He examinedit carefully in the fast-fading light.
"Well, pick off the diamond bracelet; why don't you?" asked Bart,chuckling at his joke.
"Dry up!" advised Fenn, still looking at the turtle.
"Chuck it away, and come on," suggested Ned.
"Chuck it away? I will not!" retorted Fenn indignantly. "This is a rarekind of turtle, it must have been dug up out of its winter hole by someone. I'm going to keep it for my collection."
"What? Haven't you given that up by this time?" asked Bart. "I supposedthat you'd be gathering specimens of snowflakes, or samples of dogbiscuit by this time," for he knew Fenn's failing, and a month, at most,was the period devoted to any new fad. But this time Fenn seemed more inearnest.
"No, I'm going to keep this," went on the amateur collector. "It's agood one. I shouldn't be surprised but what Professor Long would be gladto get it for his collection," and Fenn gazed admiringly at the turtle.
"Here's another," announced Frank suddenly. "And there is a third one,"and he pointed to two more of the reptiles crawling sluggishly along.
Fenn ran over and examined them, but he took care not to lose his firstspecimen.
"They're a common variety," he declared. "I don't want 'em for mycollection, and Professor Long has several like them."
"And neither one wears a diamond bracelet--how sad," chimed in Bart,laughingly.
"That's all right--make fun if you want to," said Fenn, a bit sharply,"but it's no joke to be under the disgrace of the implied accusationthat we stole the bracelet."
"I know it," agreed Bart soberly, "but looking for mud turtles thatmight possibly have it on their necks isn't going to help matters any.We might much better look for the man who was in the school just beforewe were. If any one took it, he did--not some turtle."
"Oh, it's possible that a turtle did poke its head and neck through thebracelet when it was in the cabinet," said Ned, "but, of course, it'sout of the question to think that we can find that turtl
e, or, for thatmatter, that the bracelet would remain on the turtle's neck."
"Guess you're right," admitted Stumpy. "Well, I've got a good turtle formy collection, anyhow."
"Isn't it funny so many of 'em are out to-day?" asked Ned, as the fourwalked on, Fenn carefully carrying his prize. "It's so near winter Ishould think they'd be going to sleep, like a bear, in a hollow log, ifthey do sleep in logs."
"Oh, they curl up and go to sleep in some warm place for the winter,"declared Fenn, who considered himself a sort of authority on thereptiles. "But the reason so many are out to-day is because it hassuddenly turned warmer. They'll soon be going into permanent winterquarters though. But come on, it's getting dark. Let's get a move on."
"I shouldn't wonder but what we'd have snow," observed Bart, casting alook at the clouds. "It's about time."
"I wish it would," said Ned, "or else that we'd have skating. But whatabout going camping, Bart? Have you thought any more about it?"
"Yes, and I think I can arrange so we can go. I feel just like going offin the woods with our guns."
"To hunt mud turtles with diamond bracelets," put in Frank, with alaugh.
"Yes, mud turtles or anything else that comes our way," went on Bart."Yes, I think we'll have a winter camp this season, and if we do--" Hestopped suddenly, and appeared to be looking at some object just aheadin the woods, for the boys were now out of the swamp proper. Bart'schums followed his gaze.
"There's a man," observed Fenn, in a low voice.
"Yes, and he seems to be looking for something," remarked Bart,guardedly. "He's poking away the leaves with a stick. Look at him."
The man was, as yet, not aware of the presence of the boys. He waswalking slowly along, with his head bent over, as if eagerly scanningthe ground. Now and then he poked away the dead leaves with his stick. Amoment later, as the four chums could see in the little light thatlingered after an early sunset, the man stooped over, and picked upsomething.
"A turtle! He's looking for mud turtles!" gasped Fenn, for it could beseen that the man had picked up one of the reptiles that seemed to beunusually numerous that day. Unconsciously Fenn had spoken louder thanhe intended, and the man heard him. He turned quickly, gave one startledlook at the boys, appearing ill at ease at the unexpected meeting, andthen, wheeling around, he made off through the woods, soon being lost tosight amid the trees.
"He took the turtle with him!" exclaimed Fenn. "He must be collectingthem, too!"
"Yes, and did you notice who he was?" asked Bart, who appeared to belaboring under some excitement.
"No. Who?" gasped Ned.
"The mysterious stranger who entered the school just before we did--theman who shot against me at the gallery! Fellows, it's the same man--wemust catch him!" and, as he had done that night in the shooting gallery,Bart darted after the stranger, followed by his chums, Fenn stillcarrying the turtle.