CHAPTER XXI.
THE LAST STROKE.
The landlady was called, but she declared that the boy and girl had leftwithout her knowledge. She had not seen them go, and she had not theleast idea whither they had gone.
"Strange Brad left no word," said Dick. "He should have left a note, atleast."
But they found nothing to tell them what had become of the missing ones.
"This is awful!" exclaimed the professor, mopping his face with hishandkerchief. "I fear some fearful thing has happened to Bradley. And wecan do absolutely nothing with the authorities."
"Come!" cried Dick. "At least, we can report it."
They hastened to the steps and called to a gondolier who was slowlypropelling his boat past.
"In this city it is impossible to follow a trail," said Dick. "Thesewatery streets leave no scent. A bloodhound would be useless here."
They gave the gondolier his orders. He took them by several short cutson the way to their destination. They were passing through a narrowcanal when Dick's attention became drawn by some mysterious influence toa dark door set in a wall some distance above the water.
Suddenly that door flew open before his eyes. Cloaked and hooded menappeared within the doorway, their faces concealed from view.
"Goodness!" gasped the professor, in astonishment. "Who are theyRichard? What are they doing?"
Dick did not answer, for a strange thrill had shot over him at sight ofthose men, among whom a silent struggle seemed taking place.
All at once, before their startled eyes a human figure was hurledheadlong from that mysterious doorway, whirling over and over in theair!
It was Brad Buckhart!
Dick recognized his friend. He saw Brad strike the water and disappearwith a great splash. Then he called a sharp order to the gondolier.
The black door closed above them, and the mysterious men in cloaks andhoods were hidden from view.
It was not long before Brad rose to the surface, spouting water like awhale.
"Hello, pard!" he cheerfully called. "This ain't the first time I'vebeen in swimming with my clothes on."
In a moment he was at the side of the gondola and drawn, dripping wet,upon it.
"For the love of goodness, explain this, Brad!" urged Dick.
"Been back to our ranch?" questioned the Texan.
"Yes."
"Get my note?"
"No."
"That's right queer."
"Did you leave a note?"
"Sure thing. I left one telling you how I could do nothing with Teresaunless I held her by main strength. She became a whole lot unmanageableafter you left. Reason didn't cut any ice with her--none whatever. Shewas bound to go forth to some friends she knew. At last I opined I'd gowith her, if she did go. I called a gondolier, and we hiked merrily onour way. She did have some people she knew, all right, and they livesomewhere in this ranch. This is the back door. We entered from thefront. The minute she got with her friends she allowed it was up to meto amble and leave her.
"Say, it's no use trying to reason with a girl. Talk was wasted. Shejust got up and left me. I might have departed in peace, but I took anotion to explore the ranch. I prowled round through it. Don't know howmany rooms I roamed through, but finally I didn't know which way to getout. I wandered through a passage and opened a door. Next thing I knew Iwas in trouble. I had stumbled right into a mess of galoots all sittinground solemn as owls in a circle. They wore black cloaks and hoods thathid their faces. Before I could say Jack Robinson they had me. I put upthe best fight I knew how, for I judged they were going to do me forkeeps. I don't want to boast, but I certain soaked some of the bunch afew swats in the slats that they will remember. It wasn't any use. Theyjust hustled me along to that door up there and pitched me out into thedrink. That's the whole story, and here I am, a heap wet, but stilllively and chipper."
"Brad," questioned Dick eagerly, "how many of those cloaked men werethere?"
"Didn't have time to count 'em. I know what you're thinking, pard, and Icertain agree with you that it's some likely I ran slam into theTerrible Ten. I judge they were holding a council of war when I burst inon them."
"And Teresa is somewhere in that building. Brad, we must make an attemptto find her."
"Anything you say goes."
"Boys, boys, boys!" spluttered the professor, turning pale. "You'll cometo your death through such rashness. I must object. I must protect you.It is my duty. What will Frank say if I fail to do my duty?"
But the boys were both reckless and determined. It was not long beforethey were at the front of the house into which Buckhart averred he hadescorted Teresa. They landed on the steps, urging Zenas to wait for themin the boat.
Another gondola floated at the steps, the gondolier idly waiting forsome one.
"This wasn't here a short time ago," said Brad. "Somebody has visitorsin the house, I judge."
They obtained admittance, but to their surprise Professor Gunn clung tothem.
"I'm going to stick by you, even if it costs me my life," he said.
Barely were they inside when they were startled by a scream.
"The voice of Teresa!" exclaimed Dick. "She's up there somewhere!"
They rushed up the stairs. The door of a room stood open. In that roomTeresa Tortora was struggling in the arms of a man, and that man wasNicola Mullura.
"I have found you, my pretty bird!" cried Mullura, in satisfaction. "Itraced you here. Now you are mine, and you cannot escape!"
A door at the opposite end of the room, and directly behind the back ofthe desperado, suddenly and silently opened. Through the doorway steppeda man whose face was pale as death, and whose eyes shone with a fearfullight.
Dick and Brad were turned to stone, for the man was Reggio Tortora, whomthey had thought dead!
Tortora did not see them. His eyes were fastened on his sister andMullura. With swift and noiseless steps, he rushed upon the man,clutching him about the neck and twisting him backward over a bent leg.
Mullura, being thus flung backward and held helpless, could lookstraight up into the face of Tortora.
"You dog!" panted Reggio. "You left me for dead last night, but a womanfound me and bandaged my wounds. She kept me from bleeding to death, andnow I am here to kill you! Your time has come, and you die the death youdeserve!"
Then his hand, gripping a knife, rose and fell!
* * * * *
For a long time the Venetian police had been investigating the storiesof the Terrible Ten. Already they had found sufficient evidence, butthey were waiting for the proper moment to bag the whole Ten at a swoop.
On the very day that Reggio Tortora killed Nicola Mullura the policedescended on the rascals, who had begun to create such a reign of terrorin Venice, and captured them all. The evidence against them wasoverwhelming, and the whole ten were given the full punishment which thelaw provided for their crimes.
As for Reggio, he easily satisfied the law that he had killed Mullura indefense of his sister, after Mullura had failed in an effort toassassinate him, and therefore, he was formally acquitted.
His escape from death he had truthfully described to Mullura erestriking the fatal blow. A woman whom he had befriended in the housewhere he lived had bandaged his wounds and hidden him away, although inmortal terror of her life while doing so. Of course she had declared,when questioned, that she knew nothing of the desperate encounter on thestairs.
The gratitude of both Reggio and Teresa toward their American friendswas very great.
The joy of the girl who had thus found her brother may be imagined, butno words can describe it. It happened that Reggio had come to thosefriends for shelter, and thus he had been on hand when Mullura appeared.
"Well, partner," said Buckhart, after all these matters had beensettled, "we've certain had a warm time in Venice while it lasted. Itwas somewhat too warm, but this calm after the storm is altogether toocalm. I'm getting a bit restless. I think we'd better
float on."
"So do I," nodded Dick. "What do you say, professor?"
"All right, boys--all right," nodded Zenas. "We'll jog along into Greece,but it will be just like you to get into some sort of trouble there andkeep me nerved up all the time."
"Hurrah for Greece!" cried Dick.