CHAPTER XIV
A PARLEY WITH THE ENEMY
Even Tom Binns, sleepy as he was, and hard as it usually was to arousehim, was wide awake as soon as he heard what his companions had seen.
"Broom!" he cried. "What's he doing here?"
"I don't know," said Jack, as he dressed hurriedly. "But I guess we'llsoon find out, unless he's changed his ways. Whenever he appears it's afirst-rate sign that there's trouble in the air. He's as good as a stormwarning. Whenever you see him, look out for squalls, and you're notlikely to be disappointed."
"He won't try to make any mischief here, with a whole army ready to dropon him if he starts anything," said Pete. "I believe he's all sorts of ascoundrel, and he's got plenty of nerve--but not enough for that."
"That's what we thought at the seashore, too, Pete, didn't we?" saidJack. "But he made trouble, all right, and it was only by good luck,really, that we got on to what he had in his dirty mind and stoppedhim."
"Yes, that's so, too, Jack. Gee, I wish I was a little bigger--I'd jumphim myself and do all I could to lick him within an inch of his life!"
"What do you think we'd better do, Jack?" asked Tom.
"We've got to find out first what orders there are from Captain Durland.Then we can tell better. If Broom leaves me alone, I won't do anythingabout him. We're on active duty now, and we're not supposed to let anyof our private affairs interfere with our duty. We're just as much boundto obey orders as if the country were really at war."
"I'm not worrying about interfering with him, Jack," said Pete, with agrin. "I'm perfectly willing to let him alone--in this State. His pullis in good working order here, you know. It wouldn't do any good, evenif we did have him arrested. I don't believe he'd ever be taken back toWellbourne for trial, because he and his gang know that there's a goodchance that he might be sent to prison if he were ever taken there. Butsuppose he interferes with us? That's just what he's here to do, Ithink, if the way he always has acted is any guide to what he's likelyto do now."
"Well," said Jack, "all we can do is to mind our own business and pay noattention to him at all, Pete, unless he bothers us. If he lets usalone, why, we'll do the same by him."
Then they went downstairs, and Jack found a note left for him byDurland.
"I have left orders that you are not to be awakened, unless you wake upyourselves, before three o'clock," the Scout-Master had written; "youthree have had plenty of work, and you are entitled to a good rest. TheTroop will be on scout duty near Tryon Creek, but your orders are to usethe car, and reconnoiter in the direction of Mardean. The fighting willswing the Blue center over in that direction, unless we are badlybeaten, and your orders are to keep a close watch on the roads leadingto Fessenden Junction. It is possible that General Bliss may make a raidin that direction, probably with his cavalry brigade. Timely warning ofany such plan is important, as it is not desirable to detach anyconsiderable number of troops to guard the Junction."
"What would they want to make a raid toward the Junction for?" askedPete, after Jack had shown him the note.
"Why not, Pete?"
"A cavalry brigade couldn't hold it a day, Jack. We would drive them outin no time at all. Don't you think so?"
"Well, even so, a day would be enough to do an awful lot of damage. Theycould destroy the station,--theoretically, of course,--tear up miles oftrack, burn all the cars there, and destroy or capture and carry offwith them a great many of our reserve stores. That was why our captureof Hardport was such a blow to them. We didn't hold it very long, ofcourse, but it wasn't much use to them when they got it back."
"I see, Jack. Yes, they could do a lot of mischief."
"You see, Pete, as it is now, even if we're beaten, we can fall back onthe Junction, hold it with a relatively small force, and retreat on thecapital and the inner line of defenses. But if our supplies and therailroad cars, and everything of that sort that are massed there wererendered useless by being marked destroyed, we couldn't do anything butmake our way back toward the capital as best we could, with a victoriousenemy harrying us all the way, which is a bad situation in warfare."
"Shall we cook breakfast for ourselves, Jack?"
"No! On account of Broom. Captain Durland will understand. We'll get ourbreakfast here. I think that's better. If he's waiting for us, we'llgive him a good long wait, anyhow."
"Fine, Jack! I think that's a good idea, too. Gee, but I hate that man!"
"I can't say I exactly love him, myself, Pete. I wish I was big enoughto have it out with him with my fists. That's certainly one fight that Iwouldn't have any regrets for after it was over."
They had an excellent breakfast, and then they went out in the streettogether. Broom was still waiting, and save for one or two of the idlerscommonly to be seen in a little country town, he was about the onlyperson in sight. He came over toward them at once.
"Don't shoot, Colonel," he said to Jack, smiling amiably. "I ain'tlooking for no more trouble. I've been up against you and your palsoften enough now to know that it don't pay to tackle you. You're toomuch class for me, and I'll give you best."
"We don't want to have anything to do with you," said Jack. "We know thesort of a man you are, and you'll get your deserts some time. But rightnow, if you'll let us alone, we'll do the same for you. We've got otherthings to do beside talk to you. Good-day!"
Jack really was rather relieved at Broom's pacific advances. He had notknown what to expect from his enemy's appearance, and he knew that ifBroom had any considerable number of his allies on hand, he and hiscompanions would not be able to make a very effective resistance, try asthey would. After all, they were only boys, though in some respects theyhad proved that they could do as well as men, and Broom and his fellowswere grown men, without scruples, who had no idea, apparently, of whatfair fighting meant. But though he was secretly pleased, he did notintend to let Broom see it, and moreover he felt that he must beconstantly on the lookout for treachery.
"No use bearing malice and hard feelings," said Broom. "We never meantto hurt you, my boy. You'd have been safe enough with us, and, as youwouldn't come willing, we tried to get you to come the other way. Wedidn't do it, so you've got no call to be sore."
"I've had plenty of samples of your good intentions," said Jack, his lipcurling in a sneer. "I'm not afraid of you, but you can't fool me withyour soft, friendly talk, either. I know you, and all about you, andI'll thank you to keep away from us. We aren't going to stay here,anyhow, and we haven't got time to talk to you, even if we wanted to."
"Yes, you have!" said Broom, suddenly, coming close to Jack and droppinghis voice. "Suppose I told you that I knew all about you, and could tellyou who you were and everything else you want to know? You'd have had abetter time at Woodleigh if you'd had a name of your own, like all theother fellows, wouldn't you? You know you would! Well, that's what I cando for you, if I want to. Now will you talk to me?"
"If you know all that about me, why don't you tell me?" asked Jack.
Despite himself, he was curious, and he was forced to admit that Broominterested him. The secret of his birth, which seemed resolved to eludehim, was one that he would never tire of pursuing, and he was ready tomake use of Broom, villain though he knew him to be, or anyone else whocould shed some light on the mysterious beginnings of his life.
"I can't tell you now and here," said Broom. "But I tell you what I'lldo. Meet me here to-night at eleven o'clock, if you're off duty, andI'll tell you the whole story. It's worth your while to hear it, too,I'll promise you."
"I'm likely to do that," said Jack, with a laugh. "Do you know thatsounds like 'Will you walk into my parlor? said the spider to the fly.'You must certainly think I'm an easy mark if you think I'll go into atrap you set as openly as that! Not if I know myself!"
"You think you're mighty smart, don't you?" asked Broom, his faceworking with disappointment and anger. "I'm not setting any trap foryou. If I'd wanted to do that, I couldn't have had a better chance thanthere was here this morning, when your S
couts and all the rest of yourpeople went off and left you behind. If you're scared to come alone,bring anyone you like--Durland, Crawford, or anyone. Bring them all--thewhole Troop! I don't care! But come yourself, or you'll always besorry!"
Jack was impressed, despite himself, by the man's earnestness. He knewthat Broom had been crooked in many ways, and he knew, also, thatCaptain Haskin, the railroad detective, had given him the reputation ofbeing a clever criminal, whose scruples were as rare as his mistakes.But there was some truth in what the fellow said. Had he meant to makeany attempt on Jack's liberty, he had already let the best chance he waslikely to have for a long time, slip by.
"I'll think it over, and talk to Captain Durland about it," he said. "Iwon't promise to be here, but I may decide to come, after all."
"That's better," said Broom. "You think it over, and you'll see I'mright. If I wanted to hurt you, I'd have done it before this."
"One thing more, Broom. If I do come, I shall certainly not be alone.And if you try any tricks, it won't be healthy for you. I know you'renot afraid of the law in this State, but I've got friends that won't beas easy on you as the police. And I'll have them along with me, too, ifI come, to see that you don't forget yourself, and go back to some ofyour old tricks. If you're ready to take the chance, knowing that, I maycome."
"You surely won't think of meeting him, will you, Jack?" asked Pete, indeep anxiety, after this conversation was ended and Broom had takenhimself off. "I didn't offer to butt in, because I thought you couldhandle him better by yourself. But you won't let him take you in by justpretending that he's got something to tell you?"
"I shan't meet him alone, anyhow, Pete. But I don't know whether he'sjust pretending or not, you see. The trouble is this mystery about me isso hard to untangle that I hate to let even the slightest chance ofdoing so pass."
"I know, Jack, but please don't take any chances. You know what he'stried to do to you before, and I'm certain this is only some new trick.He's probably tickled to death to think that you didn't turn him downabsolutely."
"I'll promise you one thing, anyhow, Pete. I won't make a move towardmeeting him, nor have anything to do with him, without telling DickCrawford and Mr. Durland about it first. And I won't do anything thatthey don't thoroughly approve of. Will that satisfy you?"
"Sure it will, Jack! Thanks! I hate to seem like a coward, but I'm a lotmore afraid for you when you're in some danger than I would be if itwere myself. That's why I'm so leery of this fellow Broom. I'm sure hemeans some sort of mischief, and I surely do hope that Mr. Durland andDick Crawford will make you feel the same way about it that Tom Binnsand I do."
"What, are you in on this, too?" asked Jack, with a smile, turning tolittle Tom Binns.
"I certainly am, Jack!" answered Tom. "I think Pete's quite right."
Then they got the car, and took the road for Mardean, prepared to turnback when they reached the right cross roads, and scout along towardFessenden Junction.
Before them, on the other branch of the Mardean road, toward TryonCreek, there had been heavy firing. That had gradually died away,however, and presently, as they sped on, they met a single soldier onhorseback. It proved to be their friend, Jim Burroughs.
"Hello, Lieutenant!" called Jack, cheerily, as he stopped his car andsaluted. "How is the battle going?"
"Fine and dandy," returned Jim Burroughs, reigning up his horse. "We gotto Tryon Creek, and we licked them there. They didn't come along formore than two hours after we were in position. The umpires stopped thefighting after a while, and gave us the decision. I don't see howthey're going to get through to Fessenden Junction, and, if we hold themon this line, they'll never get near enough to the capital even tothreaten it, that's one sure thing!"
"I'm certainly glad we got the true news," said Jack, after JimBurroughs had ridden on. "It would have been fierce if that freshlieutenant had been wrong himself, and we had given our own army falseinformation that would have enabled them to beat us. But it's all right,as it turns out, and I guess that they haven't got any chance at all ofbeating us now."
"I'm glad of that, too," said Pete. "We certainly took enough trouble toget the right dope, didn't we?"