CHAPTER XVIII
THE ESCAPE
"Well, wouldn't this jar you!"
That was what Bob said.
"Say, it reminds me of when I was little, and used to get shut up in adark closet for being bad."
That was Ned's contribution to the general conversation.
"I wish we'd yanked over his whole barn, and then gone on!"
This from Jerry, wrathfully.
"Well, it's too bad it's so gloomy in here that I can't even see toread my notes, or look for any specimens," lamented Professor Snodgrass.
Then they remained silent for a few minutes, going over in their mindstheir unpleasant situation. They sat on some saw horses which had beenhastily thrust into their prison before the door had been locked.
"Seems to be a pretty solid sort of a place," observed Ned, after apause, during which he had pounded and kicked on the sides of theirshack.
"It is," agreed Jerry. "They don't use smoke houses much any more,and as they were built years ago, when the farmers had lots of time,they made 'em solid. But I wonder how long he's going to keep us here?The old villain! To have the nerve to ask us a thousand dollars fordamages. Why, a hundred would more than pay him!"
"A hundred and fifty would, easily," declared Ned, "and I'd be willingto settle on that basis, for we ought to be at Danforth now."
They talked about their trouble for some time, and after an hour or twoone of the hired men brought the prisoners some food. They ate heartilyand a little later Mr. Muggins approached the smoke house.
"I can't take you fellers over t' court t'-day," he announced, "becauseone of my hosses is sick. But I'll take ye over fust thing in th'mornin', an' I'll have justice, too, unless ye want t' pay me th'thousand dollars now."
"In the first place, we haven't got it," declared Jerry, "and, if wedid have, we'd never pay that amount."
"Then I'll hold ye fer th' proper authorities."
"Are you going to keep us in this place all night?" demanded theprofessor. "If you do you will be liable for severe penalties."
"I ain't aimin' t' keep ye here over night," went on Mr. Muggins. "I'mgoin' t' put ye in th' harness room right away."
A little later the transfer was made, and, closely guarded, our friendswere shifted to somewhat better quarters, though seemingly none theless secure. They were locked in a small room where hung many old,and some new harnesses, the apartment being partitioned off from thecarriage house. The door was locked, and they were left alone, someblankets having been provided for beds, and the assurance given thatthey would soon have supper.
The day passed miserably and slowly. They could not see their airshipfrom where they now were, and they feared lest something happen to it.Talk lagged among the boys, but the professor did not seem to mind hisimprisonment, for he had light now to see to work on his notes, and hemanaged to capture several small bugs, which he put in his boxes thathe had carried into his prison with him.
Supper was brought to them about dusk, and Jerry took the opportunityto demand of Mr. Muggins that they either be taken at once before amagistrate, or released on payment of one hundred and fifty dollars,which, he said was all it would cost to repair the barn.
But Mr. Muggins was obstinate, and would not listen to reason. Hedeparted, locking the harness room door securely after him.
"Well, we might as well make up our minds to spend the night here,"said Bob gloomily. "Anyhow, I'm not hungry--at least for the present."
"That's a comfort," observed Jerry somewhat sarcastically. He waswalking idly about the room when his foot happened to knock against aboard near the floor.
Quickly he stooped over, and inserted his fingers in a crack. Therewas just light enough left from the fast-closing day, to show that theboard was loose.
"Look, fellows!" exclaimed the tall lad.
"What is it?" asked Ned.
"This board! I believe we can kick it off and get out!"
"Do it then!" urged Bob.
"No, not now," said Jerry calmly. "It's too early, and they'd hearthe noise. Wait until after dark, when they're all in bed, and we'llescape."
"But if we do get the board off," objected Ned, "we'll only be out inthe main room of the carriage house."
"That's all right," declared Jerry. "There are low windows there, andthe doors don't fasten as tightly as this one does. We can get out ofthe carriage house easily enough, sneak to the airship, and be offbefore that rascally farmer and his hired men know what's up."
"Good!" cried Professor Snodgrass. "I'll help!"
They could hardly wait for the time to come. It got very dark, forthe lantern had been taken away from them. At Jerry's suggestion theystretched out on the blankets and tried to rest until it should be lateenough to make the attempt to escape.
They could hear movements about the barnyard, and guessed that remedieswere being administered to the sick horse. At last, however, all wasquiet, and, waiting to give the farmer's family time to get asleep, ourheroes began to make ready to leave.
It was no easy matter to get the board off, but they finally managedit, and, after loosening another by the exercise of all their strength,they found they had a place big enough for them to squeeze through.Bob found it hard work, on account of his stoutness, and Ned andJerry, who got out first, had to pull their chum from in front,while Professor Snodgrass pushed from behind. But it was finallyaccomplished, though poor Chunky said he felt as though his skin wasall scraped off him.
"Now to get out of this place!" exclaimed Jerry eagerly. "It ought tobe easy!"
They located a window, by the starlight shining through it, and foundthat they could slide it back. Then, by standing on boxes, they managedto get out of it, and, a few minutes later they found themselves on theground, in the shadow of the carriage house--free.
"Oh, but it's good to be out again!" exclaimed Ned, taking a longbreath.
"No time for that now!" warned Jerry. "Hurry to the airship!"
They found the _Comet_ where it had landed. It did not seem to havebeen touched, but it was fastened to the earth by ropes, attached toseveral stones as anchors.
"Get in!" ordered Jerry to his chums in a whisper. "I'll start the gasmachine, and we'll rise like a balloon before starting the propellers.Then they won't hear us."
Rapidly they climbed aboard. Soon the hissing of the gas generatortold that vapor was being forced into the bag.
"Cast off!" ordered Jerry in a whisper, and the retaining ropes wereloosened.
Up shot the _Comet_ as if glad to be free once more. Higher and highershe rose, until she was above the roof of the barn.
Then, just as Jerry was about to turn the power into the motor andstart the propellers, there was the sound of a window being thrown up,and a voice they recognized as that of Mr. Muggins's cried:
"Hold on there! Come back! Ye can't escape like that!"
There was a flash of fire, and a loud report.
"He's shooting at us!" cried Bob.