CHAPTER XXVI.
NODDY NIXON CORNERED.
As late as it was Jerry found his two chums anxiously waiting for him.
"Well?" asked Ned.
"Here is something," replied Jerry, showing the box which he hadconcealed under his coat. He told how he had found it and the threechums examined the contents curiously.
"What had we better do?" asked Bob.
"I'll tell you what I think," spoke Ned. "We ought to tell father. Hewill know what to do."
Mr. Slade was plainly surprised at some of the disclosures made, for,though he knew most of the circumstances, he was not acquainted with allof them. The boys had forgotten many details in their previous recitals,and, of course, the finding of the box was the latest occurrence.
"I must say you boys have sifted this thing out pretty well," said Mr.Slade. "You have a great deal more information than have the police."
"What had we better do about it?" asked Jerry. "You see we are at asort of stand-still now."
Mr. Slade thought for a few minutes.
"Here is what I would do," he said at length. "I would contrive to havea talk with Noddy Nixon, all three of you. I understand he is a sort ofbully, but if the three of you are together there is nothing to fearfrom him.
"Once you get him alone somewhere you can tell him just what you know,and show him how everything points to him as the person who robbed themill. It may be that the information will overwhelm him, and he willown to everything. Again, he may be innocent of everything, and able toexplain all of his acts satisfactorily. In that case you will be gladthat you made no public complaint."
After a little thought the boys voted this was the best thing to do.They arranged to send Noddy a note asking him to meet one of them in asecluded place the next day, and all three chums promised to be on hand.
Early the next day the three boys met again. In accordance with thearrangement of the night before, Jerry had sent a note to Noddy, askingthe bully to meet him near the old wind mill.
"Come, for the matter is of great interest to you," the note had said,and Jerry had signed no name. Ten o'clock was the hour set, and quite awhile before that time the three boys were at the dilapidated structure.
"I think you two had better stay inside," said Jerry to Bob and Ned."But remain where you can see and hear everything. I'll be out here whenNoddy comes."
It was a few minutes after ten when Jerry saw Noddy coming up the paththat led to the main mill entrance. No sooner had the bully caught sightof Jerry than he started, and seemed about to turn back.
"Don't go!" called Jerry. "Did you get my note?"
"Did you write that?"
"I certainly did."
"What's it all about?" growled Noddy. "If you're fooling me you'll wishyou hadn't."
"I guess you won't think it's much like fooling," replied Jerry. "In thefirst place, have you ever seen this before?"
He suddenly held out the wooden box he had found hidden in the mill. Atthe sight of it Noddy started.
"Where--where did you get it?" Noddy gasped.
"Right here, in this mill," was the answer. "I took it out of a hole inthe floor last night, right after you had been here. It has some papersin it from the Judson mill."
Noddy started again. His face was pale, and he trembled. His handstwitched nervously.
"What--what else?" he whispered.
"You might as well tell everything," said Jerry. "Ned saw you comingfrom the mill on the night of the robbery with this box under your arm.You said it had fish bait in it. We know how thick you were with BillBerry, and how he tried to have the blame cast on Ned. And we knowsomething else."
"What?"
"That you paid a bet to Paul Banner shortly after the robbery."
"Supposing I did?"
"Just this, we have--or, rather I have--one of the bills you gave toPaul."
"Well, what of that?" asked Noddy, trying to maintain a brave air.
"Only this. It was a ten dollar bill, issued by a state instead of anational bank, and it had the initials H. R. C. on it in red ink. Wehave learned that this bill was paid to Mr. Judson on the afternoonbefore the robbery, that it was placed in the box--this box--that wasstolen from the safe."
"Supposing some one gave that bill to me before I gave it to Paul?"asked Noddy.
"If you can prove that it will be a good thing for you," Jerry wenton. "We have no desire, Noddy, to fasten this on you, but Ned must becleared and the robbery mystery ended. Tell me who gave you the queerbank bill?"
But Noddy kept silent.
"On the night of the mill fire," Jerry went on, "we found the hammer andchisel that were used to cut the safe open, and also the dark lantern.If anything more is needed, Bill Berry will--"
"If Bill Berry tells that he saw me in the mill--!" cried Noddy, andthen he stopped.
"We may need Bill's testimony," Jerry said. "You see we have nearlyeverything, Noddy. What have you to say?"
Noddy said nothing for a few minutes. He seemed ill at ease. Then heburst out:
"I may as well confess! You cubs have spied on me to good advantage. Ihad to take that money! I needed it to pay my debts. I heard Tom Judsonsay it was in the safe that afternoon. I knew the old iron box waseasy to crack. I had no trouble to get in, and I began work. When Iwas almost through I looked up, and saw Bill Berry looking in at me. Ioffered to go shares with him if he would keep quiet, and he did. Then,after a while he said another man, a chum of his, had seen me also, andI had to give him money. He would have shot me if I hadn't. It was onenight in a lonely house."
Jerry nodded. He well remembered that night.
"Then," went on Noddy, "Bill suggested throwing the blame on Ned,because he was around the mill that night. It didn't work, however.Now, I guess the game is up. What are you going to do?"
"We'll have to consider," Jerry replied.
"We? Who is we?" asked Noddy.
"Bob, Ned, and myself."
"Are they here?"
"They heard it all. We needed several witnesses," was the answer.
"Give me one day more," pleaded the bully. "I may be able to pay themoney back then."
"I'll see what the others say," replied Jerry. "Come out, Ned and Bob."
The two boys came from their place of concealment. Noddy did not appearto notice them.
"You heard what he said," spoke Jerry, "what do you say?"
"One day more will do no harm," said Bob, who felt a little compassionfor Noddy, unfriendly as the bully had always been.
"All right," said Jerry, and Ned nodded in assent to the stout boy'sproposal. "We will say nothing for another twenty-four hours, Noddy.Meet us here at this time to-morrow and we will decide what is to bedone."
"I will," replied Noddy as he hurried away.
"Well, I'm glad that's over," remarked Jerry. "I hated to do it, but Ifelt it ought to be done. Now to go and tell Mr. Slade that Noddy hasconfessed, and see what's to be done to-morrow."