CHAPTER IV
TOM HALSTEAD’S FIGHT AGAINST ODDS
TOM’S sea-trained muscles could always be relied upon to stand himin good stead at need. He strove, now, like a young panther, to freehimself. But this was a battle of one boy against two men, and one ofthe latter had the boy’s arms wrapped close to his body in a tightembrace.
There was a short, panting struggle, after which the young skipper wasbent over. He lurched to the earth, face downward, while his yet unseenassailant fell heavily upon him.
“Fight fair, can’t you?” growled the captain of the “Rocket.”
“This isn’t a fight,” retorted the voice of the newcomer. “It’s amatter of self-preservation. Lie still, can’t you. I don’t want to haveto club you out of your senses. It isn’t a gentleman’s kind of work.”
“You’re right it isn’t,” gritted Halstead, though he now lay morequietly, for the auburn-haired Rexford had thrown himself, also, uponhim. “There isn’t anything about this business that smacks of thegentleman,” the boy added, tauntingly.
“Hold your tongue, will you?” demanded the unknown one, angrily.
“When it pleases me most,” growled Captain Tom, fast getting into anugly, reckless mood.
“Rexford, I can hold him,” went on the man. “Station yourself by theyoungster’s head. Go as far as you like, if he tries to make any noise.Now, young man, I think you would better listen, while _I_ do thetalking. We’re sorry enough to treat you in this fashion, but it’s allyour own fault.”
“How is that?” challenged the youthful skipper.
“We gave you a fine chance to make your fortune. You wouldn’t have it.Now, if we let you go, you’d spoil all our plans by repeating what hashappened to your employer.”
“Right!” snapped Captain Tom. “That’s just what I’m going to do.”
“Just what you’re _not_ going to do,” retorted the man. “It’ll be manya day before you’ll see anyone we don’t want you to see.”
“What are you talking about?” demanded Halstead, gruffly.
“You’ll find out. Rexford, get out some cord, and we’ll tie this youngIndian up. If he tries to yell, hit him as hard as you like, and afterthat we’ll gag him. Remember, Halstead, you’ve got to keep quiet and gowith us. If you behave quietly you won’t be hurt at all. You’ll onlybe held for safe keeping for a few weeks. Then you’ll be turned loose,with a little purse to console you for your present loss of liberty.”
That didn’t sound very dangerous, but the young motor boat skipper wasnot one who would tamely submit to any such proposition. Yet he saidnothing as the unknown man rose from his back, to kneel beside himwhile Rexford tied his hands.
Just as that shifting was accomplished, however, Tom Halstead rolledswiftly over on his back. With a cry of anger the man made a swiftmovement to bend over the lad. It was an unfortunate move. One ofHalstead’s flying feet caught him squarely in the face. Another kickwas aimed at Rexford, who sprang back out of the danger zone.
“Now I don’t care what you do to the boy!” snarled the unknown, afterventing a groan of pain and raising his hands to his face, which,however, had not been struck hard enough to mark it. “Sail in, Rexford,and help me teach the young idiot a lesson.”
But Captain Tom had made brisk use of that moment of freedom. As hisheels struck the earth again he threw his arms and body forward,leaping to his feet. In the instant he started running.
“Here, you can’t get away—don’t attempt it!” growled the unknown,bolting after the boy.
Rexford, being at one side, ran so as to head off the young skipper erehe could reach the road. And Rexford at once showed signs of being asprinter.
If either of the pair caught hold of him Tom Halstead knew that capturewould be swift enough. Well ahead of the unknown, Halstead veeredenough to give him another momentary start on Rexford.
Tom darted to a young oak tree, one of whose branches hung low. Thisgave an opportunity not to be overlooked at such a moment. Leaping atthe branch, grappling with it with both hands, Halstead drew himself upwith a sailor’s speed and surety. From that he stepped like a flash tothe next higher branch. Now, he grinned down at his enemies.
Rexford and the unknown collided with each other just beside the trunkof that tree.
“I hope you won’t either of you try to follow me up here,” hintedCaptain Tom, mockingly. “If you do, I shall have to kick one of you inthe face.”
Holding on above him, he swung one foot suggestively. It was not toodark for the pair below to realize how much bodily risk there would bein attacking this gritty youngster in his present place of advantage.
“You’re all right up there,” admitted Rexford, coldly. “We can’t comeup after you without getting damaged heads. But, my boy, what is tohinder us from throwing enough stones up there to make it pretty warmfor you?”
Tom’s grin of confidence suddenly vanished. He had overlooked thepossibility of being dislodged by a volley or two of stones. Had thefield been clear for a six-foot start from his tormentors he would havefelt like taking the chance of leaping down and taking to his heelsonce more. But they were right at hand, below. The boy felt himselftrapped.
“Don’t let him get away,” advised Rexford. “I’m going into the roadafter a few stones.”
The unknown got even closer to the base of the tree. Rexford, after acareful look at the relative positions of trapper and trapped, ran outto the road.
“Who are we? Who are we? C-o-l-b-y! Rah! rah! rah!”
Down the road came volleys of ringing yells, as though from the throatsof a lot of happy savages.
“Rah! rah! rah!”
“College boys, or a lot of young fellows masquerading as such!” flashedjubilantly through Tom Halstead’s brain.
“Rah! rah! rah! Wow! Right here! Trouble! Hustle!” roared Tom, ashuskily as his lung power permitted.
“Stop that, you infernal imp!” snarled Rexford, leaping back from theroad.
“Colby! Here on the run! Trouble!” roared Halstead at the top of hisvoice.
“What’s that? Who’s there?” came a hail from up the road.
Whizz-zz! Thump! A stone, guided by Rexford’s hand, came through theair, glancing from one of Halstead’s shins.
“Hustle here quick! Follow the voice!” roared Tom.
He ducked his head just in time to avoid a stone propelled at his faceby Rexford.
“Rah! rah! Hold on! We’re coming. Trouble, you say? Colby to the mix-upand the happy ending!”
“Come, Rexford! We’ve got to sprint,” advised the unknown.
Up the road the sound of charging feet came nearer. Rexford and hiscompanion sprang into the woods, running as fast as they could go. ButHalstead wisely concluded to remain treed until he beheld more than adozen athletic looking young men under the tree. Then he slid to theground.
“Did you call ‘trouble’?” demanded one of the newcomers.
“I did,” the young skipper admitted.
“Then hand over the goods! Show us the face of trouble, or take yourpunishment as a raiser of false hopes!” insisted the leader of the boys.
“And be quick about it. We haven’t seen any trouble in an hour,”proclaimed another of the boisterous crowd.
“Come into these woods with me,” begged Halstead. “Scatter and sprint.There are two men trying to get away—the rascals! If you can find themfor me I’ll try to have them held by the police for assault.”
“What do they look like?”
Halstead gave a quick description of Rexford. Of the unknown one theyoung skipper could say only that he was a dark-haired man of thirty,clad in a gray suit.
The spirit of adventure being upon these young fellows, they scattered,dashing through the woods on a chance of finding anything that mightlook like a scrimmage. Five minutes of strenuous chasing, however,failed to discover Rexford or his companion, who must have known thesewoods well. Then the rah-rah boys, hot and disgusted, came back to theroad.
“See here, young man,” remarked one of their leaders, severely, “youhaven’t been trifling with our young hopes, have you?”
“On my word of honor, no,” Tom replied, earnestly. Then a happy,somewhat vengeful thought struck him.
“See here, fellows,” he went on, “I know pretty near the spot where aroll of five hundred dollars lies in the woods yonder. If you can findit I guess it will be yours, for frolic or dividing, just as you like.”
But that proved an almost dangerous piece of information to offer.
“Five hundred—what?” scowled the leader of the young men.
“We’ve found a crazy boy!” roared another.
“To the asylum with him!”
“No! Drag him along and duck him—that will be enough!”
Whooping, these irresponsible young fellows charged down upon Halstead.But he knew better than to run. Laughing, he stood his ground.
“Oh, well, if you won’t believe me,” he said, with mock resignation,“let it go at that. But what are you going to do?”
“Listen, child!” roared the leader of the crowd. “We are pushingforward for the surprise and capture of East Hampton. Willst go withus, and witness scenes of military glory?”
“I’m gladly with you for going to town,” replied the young skipper.
“Then come along. Preserve the utmost silence and stealth, all ye, mybrave men,” ordered the leader, leaping out into the road.
“Rah, rah, rah!” they answered him, roaringly, and turned their facestownward. Tom glad to get out of it all so easily, stepped along withthem.
“What was that about trouble, younker?” one of the supposed collegeboys asked Halstead. “Did you think you saw a shadow among the trees?”
“It was a good deal more than a shadow,” insisted Halstead. “I wasattacked by two men.”
Tom’s questioner looked at him searchingly, then replied good-humoredly:
“Oh, well, say no more about it, and I guess the fellows will forget.It gave us a good excuse for a sprint, anyway.”
To Halstead it looked as though these college boys suspected him ofsome hoax, but were good-naturedly willing to overlook the joke onthem. The young skipper was willing to accept the protection of theirboisterous, husky companionship on any terms until safely out of thewoods and over the bridge once more. As he found himself entering thetown again Tom slipped away, unobserved, from the noisy dozen or more.Two or three minutes later he was back at the hotel.
Inquiry showed that Messrs. Delavan and Moddridge had not yet returned.Captain Tom again sought a veranda chair, and, sitting down, awaitedtheir coming.