CHAPTER 21 _IN SEARCH OF WEBB_
"Beautiful! Beautiful!" chuckled the major as the flames began to dieaway. "That proves our theory. No machine is required to set off themines--only the action of water."
"Professor Bettenridge must have heard the explosion!" Penny exclaimed,fairly beside herself with excitement. "What will happen now?"
"If human nature runs true to form, he will soon come here toinvestigate," the major predicted.
The four stepped back into the dense growth of trees to wait. Within fiveminutes they observed two shadowy figures scurrying down the path towardthe shack where the mines were stored. As they came closer, Pennyrecognized the professor and his wife.
"And someone is following them," she discerned. "It looks like Mr.Johnson."
Professor Bettenridge and his wife now were near the trees. Their voices,though low, carried to those in hiding.
"That stupid lout, Webb!" the professor muttered. "He has ruinedeverything now by setting off the mine too soon."
"But how could it have been Webb?" his wife protested. "He was at thefarmhouse only five minutes ago. He wouldn't have had time."
"Then it was someone else--" Professor Bettenridge paused, and cast aquick alert glance about the lake shore. He noted that the boat was tied,but that the door of the shack was wide open.
"We've been exposed!" he muttered. "Our game is up, and we've got to getaway from here before the authorities arrest us."
"But what about Johnson?" his wife demanded, glancing over her shoulderat the man who was following them down the hillside path.
"We can do nothing now. He had begun to catch on even before tonight, andthis explosion finishes everything. Don't even stop to pack your clothes.We'll get our car and clear out."
"Webb?"
"He'll have to look out for himself. We're traveling alone and travelingfast."
Those in hiding suddenly stepped forth from the trees, blocking the path.Major Bryan moved directly in front of the professor, flashing a lightinto his face.
"Good evening, Claude Arkwright," he said distinctly.
The professor was startled, but recovered poise quickly. "You aremistaken," he said in a cold voice. "My name is Bettenridge."
"No doubt that is what you call yourself now. You are wanted by theFederal government for impersonating an officer."
"Ridiculous!"
"May I see your draft card?" the major requested curtly.
"Sorry, I haven't it with me. It is in my room."
"Then we will go there."
Nettled, Professor Bettenridge could think of no further excuse. Glancingsignificantly at his wife, he said: "My dear, will you go to the houseand get the card for our inquisitors?"
"We will all go," corrected the major. "Your wife may be wanted as youraccomplice in this latest secret ray machine fleece. We prefer that shedoes not escape."
"You are very trusting," sneered the professor.
By this time, Mr. Johnson had reached the hillside. Puffing from havinghurried so fast, he gazed in bewilderment at the little group.
"What does this mean?" he inquired. "What caused the mine to explode?"
"It was set off by being dropped in the lake," explained the major.
"You mean the explosion was not touched off by Professor Bettenridge'sinvention?"
"The machine had nothing whatsoever to do with it," Penny explained."Professor Bettenridge and his accomplice, Webb Nelson, have beendoctoring the mines with a powder and an outer shield which dissolves inwater. They hoped to sell the worthless machine to you before youdiscovered the truth."
The information stunned Mr. Johnson, but recovering, he turned furiouslyupon Professor Bettenridge.
"You cheap trickster!" he shouted. "I'll have you arrested for this!"
"Have you given the man any money?" Mr. Parker inquired.
"A thousand dollars for an option on the machine. The rest was to havebeen paid tonight."
"You're lucky to get off so easily," Mr. Parker said. "It's possible too,that we can get part of your deposit back."
"You can't hold me on any trumped-up charge," Professor Bettenridge saidangrily. "You have no warrant."
He started away, but was brought up short as he felt the major's revolverpressing against his ribs.
"This will hold you, I think," said the Army man coolly. "Now lead theway up the hill to the other cabin. I want to see your remarkableinvention."
With his wife clinging to his arm, the professor marched stiffly ahead ofthe group. He unlocked the cabin door and all went inside.
Jerking off the canvas which covered the secret ray machine, Major Bryaninspected it briefly.
"A worthless contraption!" he said contemptuously. "Utterly useless!"
"Where did you meet Webb Nelson?" Penny asked the professor. "And whereis he now?"
"You'll have to find him for yourself," sneered the professor. "If he hasthe sense I think, he's probably miles away from here by now."
Determined that the man should not escape, Penny, Salt and Mr. Parkerstarted for the farmhouse, leaving the major and Mr. Johnson to questionthe professor. As they rapped on the screen door, Mrs. Leonard came tolet them in.
"What is going on here tonight, may I ask?" she demanded irritably."People banging in and out of the house at all hours! Explosions! Ideclare, I wish I never had rented a room to that crazy professor and hiswife!"
"Is Webb Nelson here?" Mr. Parker asked.
"The professor's helper? Why, no, right after the explosion he came,gathered a bag of things from the professor's room, and went off down theroad."
"In a car?"
"He was afoot when he left here. Is anything wrong?"
"Considerable. Professor Bettenridge has just been exposed as animpostor. Webb must have realized the jig was up when he heard the minego off."
"The professor an impostor!" Mrs. Leonard exclaimed. "Well, of allthings!"
"Which way did Webb go?" Mr. Parker asked.
"Down the road toward town when I last saw him."
"Maybe we can catch him!" Mr. Parker cried.
"If he didn't get a lift," Salt added.
All piled into the Parker car which had been left a short distance downthe road. But in the drive to Newhall, the man was not sighted. Nor didinquiry in the town reveal anyone who had seen him.
"Undoubtedly he expected to be followed, and cut across the fields ortook a side road," Mr. Parker declared. "We'll have to depend upon theauthorities to pick him up now."
Stopping at the sheriff's office, warrants for the man's arrest weresworn out, and the party then returned to Mrs. Leonard's. ProfessorBettenridge and his wife had been brought to the farmhouse by Major Bryanwho proposed to hold them there pending the arrival of federalauthorities from Riverview.
"There's one thing I want to know," Penny whispered to her father. "Howdid Professor Bettenridge meet Webb? Perhaps he can explain the man'sconnection with the _Snark_."
The question was put to the professor who replied briefly that he knewnothing whatsoever about Webb Nelson.
"I met him only two weeks ago," he said. "He claimed to be an expert athandling explosives, so I hired him."
No one believed the professor was telling the truth. However, it wasuseless to question him further. Determined not to implicate himself, hiswife, or his helper, he spoke as seldom as possible.
"The man has a room here," Mr. Parker suggested. "Suppose we see what wecan find."
Mrs. Leonard led the way upstairs. The professor's room was locked, butshe opened it with a master key.
Two suitcases had been packed as if for a hasty departure and everythingwas in disorder. All garments had been removed from the closets. Thescrap basket was filled with torn letters which Mr. Parker promptlygathered together and placed in an envelope for future piecing together.
In one of the suitcases he found several newspaper clippings. One bore apictur
e of the professor, but the name beneath it was Claude Arkwright,and the story related that he was wanted in connection with a $10,000hoax.
"Bettenridge is our man all right," the publisher declared. "We made nomistake in holding him for the sheriff."
Penny had been searching the larger of the two suitcases which seemed tocontain only clothing. But as she reached the lower layer, she suddenlygave a jubilant cry.
"Salt! Dad!" she exclaimed. "It's here! See what I've found!"