CHAPTER XV.
THE CAPTURE OF THE TRAMPS.
ELMER saw at a glance that what his comrade had declared was reallytrue. And a loud shout from one of the searching men announced that hetoo had discovered the fire.
Tremendous excitement seized upon the whole party, for they couldreadily surmise that this new conflagration was not the result of asmoldering spark, but that it had a meaning all its own. The twodesperate hoboes must have started the second blaze with the same ideain view that had urged them to put the match to the farmhouse--to divertattention while they slipped away.
That was what Elmer thought. And when most of the men rushed toward theplace where the fire was already burning fiercely amidst the hay, hethought it good policy to turn his attention to another quarter.
It had flashed across his mind just then that as they passed around thebarn he had noticed a board off, with the hay sticking out of the hole.And now it came to him what a splendid way of escape that same holewould prove, did a tunnel under the hay lead to it.
The watchers outside had been summoned by the loud cries of thosewithin, and as they came rushing through the wide open doors with theintention of trying to put down the spreading fire, Elmer saw that thevery condition which those hunted hoboes must have wanted had beenbrought about.
Outside, the way to escape was clear, so far as brawny men went. IfLanky Jim and Shorty could only wriggle along under the hay until theyarrived at that place where the board was missing, they had an openfield before them, and flight meant a chance to reach the shelter of thewoods beyond the fields.
"Come with me, and be quick about it, fellows," said Elmer, in his mostthrilling tone; at which Landy's big eyes opened wider than customary,ditto his mouth.
The other three trailed along at his heels, wondering what he could havein his mind. When all the men were gathering in the barn, with the ideaof trying to fight the fire, it seemed strange that Elmer should leadthem outside, and away from the excitement.
But then by this time those fellows understood that the patrol leadernever did anything without having some good and substantial reason forit. And they were, as a rule, ready to follow blindly wherever he choseto lead, leaving the asking of questions until a better chance openedup.
Had Doubting George been present, possibly he might have tried to quizElmer ere he yielded full obedience; but then even George must learnthat one of the first duties of a true scout is to exhibit implicitsubjection to authority.
In this fashion then did Elmer lead his three chums around the outsideof the big barn. They could hear the shouts of those who were fightingthe flames within; but Elmer knew only too well that the chances of thenew fire being subdued were small indeed. Hay burns with frightfulrapidity; and no buckets were handy at the moment.
Turning, as he drew near the place where the board had been torn fromthe back of the barn, he made a motion with his finger that seemed tocall for silence. The other fellows almost held their breath withsuspense, still in doubt as to what Elmer meant to do; although theybegan to suspect that he must have conceived an idea looking to theconfusion of the incendiaries.
When he pointed straight at the place where some of the new hay wassticking out, Landy's blackened face lighted up with intelligence.
"He means they're expecting to crawl out right here," he whispered inthe ear of Ty, who was close beside him.
The other made a suggestive movement with the club he had picked up, andby which action he meant that it would please him very much if only hehad the opportunity to bring it down upon the head of Shorty, or hislong-legged mate.
Then they all turned their eyes again on Elmer, expecting him to telljust what he wanted them to do. They saw the patrol leader pick up apiece of rope that happened to be lying handy, and fashion a slip-noosewith it. During his life up in that big country of the CanadianNorthwest, Elmer had seen many things which he would never be apt toforget as long as he lived. And, among others, he had once watched themounted police capture a half-breed fugitive from justice, fastening hishands together behind his back in a clever way, which possibly he mightnow have a chance to imitate.
"Here, take this, Ty," he said, in a low tone, as he handed the noosedrope over to the one nearest to him. "When I whip the fellow's armsbehind his back, make sure that you get that loop around them, and pulltight! Understand?"
Ty nodded his head vigorously, not daring to trust himself to speech.Things were happening so fast and furious that really he hardly knewwhether he might be awake, or else asleep and dreaming them.
Of course both Landy and Ted had also caught the significance of themovement, and were ready to do whatever they were told. Elmer mademotions to give them to understand that he wanted them to range up onthe other side of the hole in the side of the barn, and awaitdevelopments, while he and Ty crouched as close to the boards across theway as possible.
Landy was heard to chuckle while this was going on. Perhaps somethingabout the situation reminded the fat boy of other occasions, when he andsome of his mates had endeavored to clutch some rabbit as it camedarting out of its burrow, after a ferret had alarmed it, or a littledog been let loose in the tunnel. But just now the game was of anentirely different order, and Elmer frowned at Landy's merriment.
Inside the barn the noise was redoubled. Evidently the fire-fighterswere having their hands full, with the rapid spread of the blaze. If inthe end they managed to control the conflagration, Elmer felt that hewould be surprised. According to his mind there was not one chance inten of such good luck coming to Mr. Brady. He had saved his house, buthis barn would very likely have to go.
Elmer had his eyes glued on the projecting wisps of hay now. He fanciedthat he had detected some little movement to them, though this might becaused by a passing breeze; or some action on the part of the energeticfire-fighters within.
No, as he looked, he distinctly saw the hay move! Then there must be areason for this. Elmer instantly placed his hand upon the hay, and thesense of feeling telegraphed the truth to his brain. Some object wasmaking a way through the mow, and evidently pushing along a tunnel thathad been previously prepared!
He turned and put his finger to his lips, seeing which every one of thewide-awake scouts understood what was meant.
Imagine the strain on their nerves while they waited for the appearanceof the first tramp. Would he come along head-first, or might they expectto see a pair of feet thrust out of the opening?
More violently did the hay move. Whatever made the stir, it wascertainly drawing closer and closer to the spot. All eyes were glued onthe agitated dried grass, and Ty got his loop in readiness for quickwork.
Then something was seen pushing out through the hay, which gave waybefore the energetic attack. Two extra large feet, encased in brogansthat looked as though they might have covered many weary miles in theirday, came into view; proving that the man must be making a crab-likeretreat, keeping his face toward the fire.
Perhaps fortune favored the boys, for had the man projected his headfirst he might have detected their presence in time to duck in again;though for that matter, with the fire burning briskly beyond, he wouldfind himself between two evils, and must sooner or later issue forth, orbe cremated in the hay barn.
Waiting until the main part of the long-legged tramp had wriggled intoview, Elmer made a sudden gesture. The others had been waiting for this,and instantly pounced upon the figure that lay upon the ground.
While Ted and Landy deposited their combined weight on the fellow'sback, Elmer on his part hastened to snatch hold of his arms, and whipthem behind him almost before the tramp understood what was happening.
Ty was waiting, and the way he slipped that loop over both hands, andtightened it, was worth seeing.
Having made all secure so far as things had gone, the patrol leader nowseized hold of the kicking legs, and began to pull. As the others cameto his assistance they were hardly two seconds in dragging the tramp outof the hay mow; and thus far at least not the slightest sound
had beenmade calculated to betray the facts to the other rascal.
It was not Elmer's intention to let the fellow see, just yet, at least,that he owed his capture to a parcel of scouts. He might burst out intoa tirade, which, while it could do him no particular good, might serveto warn the other fellow, and cause him to change his plans.
Accordingly he motioned to Landy to sit down on him again; and thenbending low himself he pressed the end of his pocketknife against theman's neck as he grunted into his ear:
"Keep still, now, unless you want me to press the trigger!"
Satisfied that Landy and Ted could manage the tied tramp, even if hestarted to kick up a row, which was hardly likely, Elmer once moreturned his attention to that opening under the mow. Once again theprojecting hay was being violently agitated, and he believed the shorterman must be following close upon his mate.
The programme would have to be repeated, and Elmer only hoped as goodsuccess might attend his second effort as had his first.
It would be a big feather in the caps of the scouts could they say thatthey had effected the capture of the two would-be train wreckers, aloneand unaided. But at the moment he was not thinking of such a thing asglory; when it was a stern duty that had been suddenly thrust upon them,and which they must not attempt to evade under any circumstances, ifthey wished to be true to the principles of the organization to whichthey belonged.
Shorty, however, must have managed to change his position in somemanner, if so be he had started along the tunnel in the same crab-likemethod of procedure which his comrade had employed. For the first thingthey knew a frowsy head had been thrust out of the hay, and a pair ofeyes were blinking up at them.
Elmer was afraid lest the fellow draw back upon seeing what awaited him,just as a tortoise will pull in its head at signs of danger.Accordingly, he was determined not to allow such a thing to happen.True, with the advancing fire Shorty would speedily have to decide whichfate he must choose; but that might mean he would yield himself aprisoner to the Fairfield police; and Elmer wanted the Boy Scouts to getall the credit possible.
On this account, then, he pounced on the man, and gripped him by theshoulders. Elmer was himself far from a weakling, and the man happenedto be taken very much by surprise; so that before he could collect hiswits sufficiently to make any show of defense, he found himself out onthe ground, with a couple of energetic young fellows hovering over him.
Ty, not having a second rope handy, had snatched up his club again. Whenhe saw that the shorter rascal was starting to make a move, as thoughintending to get to his feet, when trouble must have followed, Ty wavedthe wagon spoke threateningly over his head, as he yelled excitedly:
"Lie down, you, 'less you want me to let her fall! Stretch out and rollover on your face, d'ye hear? Quick, now, keep amovin'! 'Everybody'sdoin' it,' you know. Now, Elmer, if you only had another piece ofstring handy, there's a good chance to snug him up good and tight."
Elmer did not have the cord or the rope; but all the same he was equalto the demands of the occasion. He snatched his big red bandanahandkerchief from around his neck. He had seen such useful articlesserve strange purposes before; and why should this one not take theplace of a rope?
So he whipped it quickly around the thick wrists of the man, almostbefore the fellow could get it through his head what had happened.
"Now, let's pull them farther away from here, because the barn's goingto be a hot place pretty soon," Elmer remarked.
Seizing hold, two to each prisoner, the boys succeeded in dragging themsome little distance off. Meanwhile some one had noticed what they weredoing, and presently the Fairfield Police head came running out of thebarn, rubbing his smarting eyes, and, coming upon the little party,stopped to stare in astonishment.