CHAPTER X.
BRADY RETURNS--WITH HOT NEWS.
"That's right! Blamed if it ain't Brady!"
This from Graydon, who had also been aroused by Ferral's alarm.Crowding close to the two boys, the officer stood gazing with themtoward the train.
It was a freight train and was coming from Chicago. Just opposite theold quarry there was a stiff up-grade, and the freight had slackenedspeed.
Hanging to an iron ladder on the side of one of the box cars, stillwearing his stolen uniform, was Hector Brady. He was looking toward thethree by the tree, and when he saw he had caught their eye he waved hishand.
"Give me that revolver!" cried Graydon. "I'll guarantee to pick him offthat ladder with a single shot."
The policeman reached to take the weapon from Ferral's hand, but Mattcaught it away before Graydon could get his hands on it.
"Wait," said Matt coolly. "You don't want to kill Brady, Graydon. He'sliable to be useful to us."
"Useful?" scoffed the officer excitedly. "Why, the scoundrel is defyingus. He's planning to ride past and----"
"You're wrong," interrupted Matt. "Brady is a good ways from being afool. If he had wanted to get past us he wouldn't have shown himselflike he's doing. Ah! What did I tell you?"
While Matt was talking, Brady had suddenly thrown himself from thetrain at a point where the ground was almost on a level with the rails.He kept his footing like a cat, faced around and started coolly in thedirection of Matt, Carl and Graydon.
"Talk about surprises," mumbled Graydon, "why, that fellow is full of'em. What's he up to now, I wonder? It don't make any difference whathis game is, right here is where he gets into a pair of darbies. Keepthat revolver handy, King."
Graydon drew a pair of handcuffs from his pocket. Brady gave them acontemptuous glance as he halted within a few feet of Matt.
"You don't need to put those things on me," said he. "I could have gotaway if I had wanted to--but I didn't want to. I made a bargain withKing, and there's too much at stake for me to break it. That's why I'mhere."
"Now that you're here," returned Graydon brusquely, "you'll consideryourself my prisoner."
"Not your prisoner, officer, but King's. He's the one who captured me."
"You got away from King and----"
"No, I didn't. I was on parole." A cool smile wreathed itself aboutBrady's lips. "That's all it amounted to, King," he added to Matt."When I slipped away from the air ship, last night, I was intending allthe time to come back to you. I've found out something, and if you makethe most of my information it must be acted upon at once."
"What have you found out?" asked Matt.
"I've discovered where Pete and Whipple went with Helen."
"Well, strike me lucky!" muttered Ferral. "You're a queer combinationof crook and honest man, Brady, douse me if you're not! You come backand give yourself up, when you know it means the 'pen' for you."
"When the warden finds out what I've done," said Brady, "it will meanfavorable mention, and several months of good time. They'll forget, atthe prison, the way I knocked over the guard and borrowed his uniform.But to come back to our mutton, as the English say, when I heard thatautomobile in front of Hooligan's, last night, I got the notion thatthose two members of my old gang had made a getaway. I was about assure of it as I was that I was lying on the bottom of the air-shipcar, with my ropes so loose that all I'd have to do to get clear wasto pull out my hands. After you started for the house, King, I watchedmy chance, freed my hands and then took the rope from my ankles. Icouldn't explain where I was going, because you wouldn't believe me,and I knew that Dutch pard of yours, or the sailor, either, wouldn'tbelieve me. So I just hiked out. I had an idea where Pete and Whipplehad gone, but I wanted to make sure of it. That's what I've done."
"Where are they?" inquired Matt.
"River Forest."
Then it began to dawn on Matt that the schemers had fallen back onHooligan.
"They've gone----"
"You're quick at a guess, now I've dropped the hint," interruptedBrady. "Yes, they've gone to the house where Hooligan is acting ascaretaker. The family's away for the summer, and Hooligan is able to doabout as he pleases there. It's a mansion, and a fine one, but it's asafe bet that the Hooligans won't be taking care of the place anotheryear. The family's abroad, I understand, and they wouldn't feel veryeasy if they knew what sort of a gang was staying in the place."
"Where's the house?" went on Matt, his excitement growing.
"It's a big, flat-topped mansion close to the river, just below thetown. It's owned by a man named Caspar----"
"I know the place!" exclaimed Graydon. "I've seen it a dozen times.It stands at a good distance from any other house, and is one of theshow places of River Forest. You're right, Brady. Mr. Caspar would bemightily put out if he knew how his home was being used."
"Well, that's where Pete and Whipple, two of my old gang, have taken mydaughter," went on Brady. "They're there now, and so are the Hooligans.But there's no telling how long they'll be there. It's up to youofficers to get busy and make the most of my tip. I want you to capturethose two traitors who have been trying to cheat me out of the stuffI stole, and have cached away--and who are trying to make my daughterhelp them. I want you to rescue the girl. That's your part of thebargain, Matt," he added, turning to the young motorist. "I don't carewhat's done with the Hooligans, for they don't concern me, but I wantto see Pete and Whipple at hard labor alongside of me in the 'pen,' andevery time they look at me I want them to remember that it was Bradywho put them where they are!"
A look of demoniacal hate convulsed Brady's face. If any one haddoubted the genuineness of his desire for revenge upon Pete andWhipple, that look would have settled it.
"We'll get them," averred Graydon, "but first we'll make sure of you."
He stepped forward with the handcuffs, and Brady put out his wrists.
"I'm King's prisoner, not yours, remember," said he, with a hard laugh,"and you'll put it in your report that I helped you capture Pete andWhipple. Now don't lose any more time. Those two men are pretty clever,and you'll have to nab them quick if you want to be sure of them."
By a most opportune circumstance, a two-seated carriage containingHarris and two other officers, and Carl, came whipping along the roadat that moment. Carl and Harris stared in open-mouthed amazement whenthey saw Brady. Then they tumbled from the carriage and raced for thelittle group by the trees.
"Where did you capture Brady?" demanded Harris.
"He captured himself," replied Matt. "Dropped off a freight train andgave himself up."
"The dickens he did!"
"Vell, donnervetter!" put in Carl. "For vy you knock me ofer to gedavay den, oof you come pack?"
"I had pressing business, Dutchy," said Brady, rattling the gyves, "anddidn't want you to interfere with me. You'd better let Graydon take meto La Grange in that carriage, Harris, and then on to South Chicago.I've done about all I can, and you officers are to do the rest. You cango to River Forest in the air ship, along with Matt, and those othertwo officers can sail along with you. You may need even more help, forPete and Whipple are strongly entrenched."
"Pete and Whipple?" echoed Harris blankly.
"I've located them, and told Matt and the rest where to go. Caspar'shouse, in River Forest----"
"You know the house, don't you, Harris?" queried Graydon.
"Like a book," replied Harris. "But tell me more about this beforeI----"
"You've got to hurry, I tell you!" cried Brady, with angry impatience."The scoundrels are all there, and my girl is there with them. King canexplain to you as you travel along."
"Is that automobile there?" asked Harris.
"I didn't see it, but it must be there if the rest are in the house.Hurry up and get started. Your nearest course is to follow the railroadtrack. Better land in the timber and surround the house before you letPete and Whipple know you're anywhere in the neighborhood. If you haveto shoot, shoot straight."
The
re was a deadly menace in the last words which did not escape thosewho heard them.
"You're a bloodthirsty scoundrel!" muttered Harris.
"My word's as good as my bond, though," laughed Brady cynically, "in acase like this."
"You'd better take him to La Grange, Graydon," said Harris, "and thenon to South Chicago. Can you manage the team and Brady, too, as far asthe town?"
"Sure," replied Graydon confidently. "Hand me that gun, King."
Matt returned the weapon to its owner, and Harris, Graydon and Bradywalked toward the carriage and the two waiting officers. While Harrisand Graydon were explaining the work ahead to the men in the carriage,Matt and his chums hurried to the air ship and began making the craftready for the task before her.
There was still plenty of gasoline in the receptacle, but Matt, out ofhis reserve supply, filled the tank full up.
By the time Harris and the other two officers reached the air ship,everything was in readiness. The La Grange men were somewhat fearful oftrusting their lives in the craft, but Harris laughed away their fearsand they took the places in the car to which Matt assigned them. Theburden now placed upon the Hawk was about as great as she could carry.The car was somewhat crowded, but Matt succeeded in making a neatascension, and at one hundred feet from the ground he turned the craftto an even keel and steered her along a line parallel with the railroadtrack.
"First time I ever went after a couple o' thieves in an air ship,"observed Burton, one of the La Grange men.
"And it'll be the last time, for me," added Sanders, the other one,with a frightened gasp as the car careened. "The ground is good enoughfor Sanders, any old day."