CHAPTER XIX.
BOGLE SHOWS HIS HAND.
A brief pause followed Brick's impulsive question. The boys looked onwith interest. Raikes gave an almost imperceptible start. Then he drew apipe from his pocket, and began to clean the bowl industriously with atwig of wood.
Mr. Joe Bogle was the most unconcerned one of the party. A smilelightened his sinister features, and he came quite close to Brick.
"We may have met before, youngster," he drawled, in a tone that was theexact opposite of the one he had used before. "It's quite likely, thoughI can't say that I remember your face."
"I guess I'm mistaken," admitted Brick. "It was your voice that seemedfamiliar when you first spoke. I don't notice it now."
"I've often been tricked that way," said Raikes, laughing. "Lots ofpeople have voices alike. Still, you may have run across Bogle some timeor another. How long have you been in Maine?"
"I never was inside the State in my life, until two or three weeks ago,"replied Brick.
"Then I reckon you must be mistaken," emphatically declared Raikes."Bogle and I have been in the woods since November."
"And I haven't been outside of Maine for nearly fifteen years," addedBogle. "It ain't very likely we met before that."
He laughed in a rasping way. Brick laughed, too. Now that the stranger'svoice had lost its familiar chord, he was satisfied of his mistake, andceased to think about the matter.
Raikes quickly turned the conversation into a different channel.
"It seems to me," he said, "that we ought to overhaul that rascallythief, and restore the stolen property to these lads. How does it strikeyou, Bogle?"
He exchanged a lightning-like glance with his companion. The latternodded assent.
"That's right," he replied. "I'm with you. It won't take us much out ofour way."
"No," Raikes continued, "we'll catch him in a jiffy. He can't be faroff."
"It would have taken him almost this long to put on his clothes," saidJerry. "He has snowshoes, though."
"So have we," replied Raikes. "If you lads will come along with us,we'll try to recover the money and watch."
"Hamp ain't fit to travel," answered Jerry. "He's got to sit over thisfire for a couple of hours. And Brick and I can't leave him alone.Besides, how are you going to cross the Mallowgash? That leap is toodangerous."
"Just below the bend, yonder, is a clean freeze-over," replied Raikes."We were in the act of crossing when we heard you fellows sing out. Butone of you ought to go with us to identify the property and bring itback. You see, the rascal may head just in the direction we want to go,and; under them circumstances, we wouldn't care about tramping all theway back."
"I'll go with you," eagerly exclaimed Brick. "I'd like to be on handwhen you corner Sparwick, and make him fork over."
A sudden gleam passed over Bogle's face. Raikes twisted his mustache andlooked across the stream.
"It don't matter which one of you goes," he replied, carelessly. "Comeon, youngster, if the rest are willing."
Jerry and Hamp had no objections to offer. They knew that Brick waseager for the chase, and they saw no reason why he should not accept thefriendly offer of the two genial strangers. It was his money and hiswatch that were at stake.
Brick filled his belt with fresh cartridges, and shouldered his rifle.Then he started briskly down stream with Raikes and Bogle.
As soon as they rounded the bend, the party found the channel frozentightly from shore to shore. They crossed over and went up the otherside. They soon found Sparwick's trail, leading off from the Mallowgashat a right angle. After apprising Jerry and Hamp of this fact by ashrill whistle--the signal agreed upon--they took up the chase.
For a mile they pushed on through heavy forest and rocks. The men wentat a rapid pace, and Brick easily kept up with them.
"We'll overhaul the rascal before long," assured Raikes. "You'll getback to your companions in time for dinner."
But at the end of another mile Sparwick was still invisible; nor didthe scant-marks of his snowshoes appear to be particularly fresh. Heevidently suspected pursuit, and was moving at his top speed.
Presently the trail turned due north. During the next half hour thepursuers caught an occasional glimpse of Chesumcook Lake from highground. They pushed steadily on, until Brick began to feel a littleweary. He admitted as much to his companions.
"Don't give up yet, my lad," said Raikes. "Now that you've come thisfar, you may as well finish. The rascal can't keep ahead of us long."
"And when we get your watch and money, we'll take you part of the wayback," added Bogle.
"If you'll do that, it's all right," replied Brick. "It's a longdistance to where we left the boys, and I might get lost by myself. Itmust be dinner time now."
"I reckon it is," admitted Raikes.
He looked up at the sun, which was dimly visible through a bank offleecy clouds.
"Shall we have a bite to eat?" asked Bogle, glancing at the sled.
Raikes shook his head.
"Better not stop now," he replied. "Every minute is precious."
They pushed on rapidly, spurring Brick to greater efforts by repeatedwords of cheer. Now and then they bent over to examine Sparwick's trail,or whispered together in low tones.
An hour after midday, a strip of open ground was reached. It hadprobably been devastated at one time by a forest fire.
Sparwick's trail led across the clearing to within a dozen feet of abrook. Then it turned abruptly and entered the thick forest, in thedirection of the lake.
Raikes stooped down, and intently examined the imprint of the snowshoes.
"What do you think of it?" he asked of Bogle.
"Not very fresh, eh?" replied Raikes.
"Exactly. The scamp is traveling at a two-forty gait. It will be wastingtime to keep this up any longer."
"And the game's not worth the candle, anyhow," added Raikes.
He looked meaningly at his companion. They moved away from Brick to aledge of rocks that extended clear to the brook. For several minutesthey conversed in low tones. They pointed first to the stream, and thento the rocks on which they stood. The latter, owing to their exposedposition, had been blown full of snow. Finally the men returned toBrick.
"We've decided to give up the pursuit," said Raikes. "Instead ofgaining, we've been falling behind."
"Sorry we brought you on such a wild-goose chase," added Bogle, "but itcan't be helped."
"I don't care much," replied Brick. "Only it's a long ways back. Are yougoing with me?"
"I reckon not," said Bogle. "In fact, you had better go along with us.You're pretty tired, lad, so I'll carry your rifle for you."
By a quick movement, he snatched the weapon.
The act and the words startled Brick. He suddenly realized that hiscompanion had some evil design against him.
"Give me my rifle," he said. "I can find the way back alone. The boysare likely to meet me."
Bogle scowled savagely.
"Don't get obstinate, youngster," he said, in a sharp tone. "I told youbefore that you were going with us. Now march! we have no time to lose."
Again Brick recognized the familiar chord in the man's voice. Like aflash, he remembered where he had heard it. The discovery so angered himthat he forgot every instinct of prudence.
"I know you now," he cried. "You can't fool me with your beard andmustache. You are the missionary who was on the train that night. Youfollowed me and tried to steal my pocketbook."
The ferocious expression that instantly appeared on Bogle's face toldBrick he had done a foolish thing. His dread of consequences led him tocommit another blunder. He turned and dashed at full speed across theclearing.
A hoarse command to stop fell on his ears. He disregarded it and ranfaster. He heard crunching footsteps behind him. Then one of hissnowshoes caught in a tuft of bushes, and he sprawled headlong. As herose to his feet, a muscular hand clutched his collar. He wheeled arou
ndto meet Bogle's grim and angry face.
"I've got you," growled the ruffian. "Don't try another trick of thissort, youngster, or you'll be sorry."
"Let me go!" cried Brick. "Let me go, I say. It's you that will besorry!"
Fear and terror lent him strength. He struggled desperately to breakloose. In the short scuffle that followed he was roughly handled. A blowon the nose from Bogle's fist partially stunned him and drew blood. Herealized the folly of further efforts, and meekly submitted to bedragged back.
"I told you not to be rough," remonstrated Raikes. "The lad's nose isbleeding, and there's blood on the snow. How are you going to hide it?"
"It won't matter," replied Bogle. "It's his own fault. He had nobusiness to struggle. I hit him accidentally. Use your handkerchief,youngster."
Brick did so, and in a short time the bleeding stopped. He quietly letBogle search him, and the belt of money that he wore under his clothes,was soon brought to light. The men opened it greedily, and counted overthe gold coins and banknotes.
"You're welcome to that, since I can't help myself," said Brick, in asullen tone. "And now I suppose you'll let me go."
Raikes looked at his companion, and shrugged his shoulders.
"No; we won't let you go," replied Bogle, savagely. "The cash will dovery nicely, but just at present we want you more than anything else.And here's a word of advice, youngster. You'll do well to heed it, forI'm not given to idle speech. Keep your mouth shut, and ask noquestions. Obey orders, and you shan't be harmed. If you try to escape,I'll put a bullet through you. How's that, Silas?"
"Couldn't be any plainer," assented Raikes. "I hope you understand,lad."
Brick did not reply. He was pretty badly scared by Bogle's threats, andhad no intention of disobeying. The whole affair was a profound mystery.He could not imagine what his captors wanted with him, now that they hadall his money.
"I guess they intend to keep me prisoner for a while," he reflected, "sothey will have a better chance to escape."
Then a darker thought entered his mind, and brought a gleam of terribleanxiety to his face. Supposing they should make an attempt upon hislife?