CHAPTER XVII
CHUNKY IN A PREDICAMENT
Tad got breakfast before any of the others awakened. Even CharlieJohn was sleeping soundly after his two days and nights on the trail,and it was not until Tad dropped the frying-pan that the Indian wokeup.
Tad nodded to Charlie to call the others. Ned and Walter got upcomplaining at being disturbed. At breakfast it was decided that Tadand Charlie should go into town to find out what trouble Stacy wasin, and the two started shortly after breakfast. The public house,bearing a sign painted in yellow letters reading, "Mountain ViewHouse," caught the glances of Charlie.
"Um git fat boy there."
"That is where we will go then," answered Tad, turning towards thehotel. There were few persons on the streets of the little mountainvillage, though later in the season many summer visitors would bethere, filling the hotel and the boarding houses, for Matungamook waspopular with many during the hot months of summer.
Tad entered the hotel. The only man he saw was the porter.
"I am looking for a young man named Brown--Stacy Brown--who came totown with this guide after provisions. I understand he has falleninto some trouble," said Tad.
"He belong to your outfit?" asked the porter, eyeing Tad withimpassive face.
"Yes, sir."
"I reckon he's the fellow Jed Whitman took in yesterday, ain't he?"
"I don't know who took him in. Who is Jed Whitman?"
"Game warden for this section."
"Oh! Why did he take Brown?"
"Violation of the game laws. He shot a moose down in Moquin Valley."
Tad Butler understood now. He had suspected the truth almost fromthe beginning. Chunky had been talking again.
"Will you tell me where the jail is?"
"Jail? There ain't no jail here. I reckon Jed's got the younkerover to his house. He's waitin' for Squire Halliday to come back.The squire's been down to Bangor, else they would have tried theyounker yesterday."
Tad was thankful for the business that had called the squire toBangor, and he hoped the justice would return in a pleasant frameof mind.
"Will you tell me where Mr. Whitman lives?"
The porter stepped out into the street, and, pointing down to thelower end, said:
"That yaller house on the right."
"Thank you," answered Tad, starting off.
"Charlie, do you understand now? They arrested Stacy for killingthat moose. The game warden has him at his house down yonder.Master Stacy is not in jail at all. Now you run back to the camp andtell Professor Zepplin. Tell him he had better come in and wait forme at the hotel. I will meet him there in about an hour. Do youunderstand?"
"Me know. Game warden git fat boy. Fat boy kill moose." Charliemade a motion of drawing a knife across his throat.
"Yes. And the game warden has him at his home."
Charlie started off at a lope. Tad turned and continued on down thestreet toward the yellow house, where he rang the bell. The door wasopened by a tall, raw-boned, keen-eyed man, who himself looked asthough he might be a mountain ranger.
"Is Mr. Whitman at home?" asked Tad politely.
"I'm Whitman. What you want?"
"I came to see if you had Stacy Brown here?"
"I reckon I have. Who be you?"
Butler introduced himself, at the same time stating that the rest oftheir party was encamped about a mile from the village. He asked whyStacy was being held, and was told what he already knew.
"How did you know that he had killed a moose?" asked Tad.
"Well, I reckon every feller in town knew about that before theyounker had been here half an hour," grinned the Warden.
Tad understood. No need to ask any more questions along that line.
"Is there any way in which this matter may be squared?" asked Tad.
"I reckon the only way is to wait for Squire Halliday's decision,"answered Jed with a twinkle in his eyes.
"I didn't mean that I wanted to try to bribe you," laughed Tad, withslightly heightened color. "I thought perhaps an explanation might beall that was necessary."
"What is your explanation?"
Tad's bump of caution swelled. He declined to discuss the matter solong as Stacy was to be brought before the justice. He asked if hemight see Chunky, and was told that the fat boy was asleep. Jedoffered, however, to wake the fat boy up, which he did. Chunky lostno time when told that a boy named Butler was downstairs waiting tosee him.
"Chunky would sleep if the world were coming to an end," mutteredTad.
The object of his thoughts bolted into the room only about half clad.
"Oh, Tad!" wailed Stacy. "I'm in an awful fix! I've got myselfarrested, all on account of that bull moose."
"No. On account of your talk. It's a pity you aren't tongue-tiedsometimes."
"Have you come to take me away?"
"I have come hoping to get you away."
"Wait till I get my coat and hat and I'll go with you."
"Perhaps you had better speak to Mr. Whitman about that first,"suggested Butler.
Whitman shook his head.
"Can't let him go. He's in my charge until the justice disposes ofthe case."
The fat boy's jaw fell perceptibly.
"What will the justice be likely to do with him?"
"How do I know?"
"What can he do if Mr. Brown is found guilty?"
"Send him to jail, or--"
"Oh, wow!" wailed Stacy.
"Fine him or discharge him. I've tried to make young Brown ascomfortable as possible, and we've had a pretty good visit, haven'twe, Stacy?"
"Ye--yes. You have been like a father to me, but--"
"But what?" twinkled Jed.
"But I'm held up."
"Yes, I reckon you are. I am sorry, Mr. Butler, but I couldn't helpit. When some folks came over and told me there was a fellow at theMountain View who had just killed a moose down Moquin way, I juststrolled over town to look into the matter. It didn't take me longto find out what I wanted to know. I saw my duty clear and I didit."
"What did he say?" asked Tad.
"Oh, he told me the whole story," smiled Jed.
"You bet I wouldn't if I had known who you were," retorted Stacyindignantly. "That was taking a mean advantage of a fellow."
"Well, you weren't making much of a secret of the killing yourself,it seemed to me."
Tad nodded at Stacy as much as to say, "You see what comes fromtalking too much." Stacy lowered his gaze to the floor. His facewas very red.
"What time do you look for the justice to return?"
"Squire Halliday? He's home now. He will be at his office abouteight o'clock, I reckon. I'll take the young man right over. Idon't suppose you want to bail him out?"
"No," reflected Tad. "I think we will leave him with you for thepresent."
Chunky bristled, but restrained himself, though he would have likedto fall on Tad Butler and pummel him.
"There seems to be nothing more for me to do here, so I will go backto my friends. I am sure we are very grateful to you for yourkindness to Mr. Brown, Mr. Whitman."
"Not at all. All in the line of my duty."
"By the way, where is the justice's office?"
"Next door beyond the hotel. You can't miss it. There's a sign onthe window near two feet high. But I'd advise you not to try tomonkey with the squire. He's touchy."
"I don't intend to monkey with the squire, thank you," answered Tad,bowing himself from the room, followed by the big, staring eyes ofStacy Brown.
Butler walked slowly towards the hotel where he was to meet theProfessor, and Tad's face wore a suppressed grin in spite of theseriousness of the situation.
"I thought as much. Still, it isn't fair. He can't hold Chunky onthat. Why, the boy was defending himself. If he had told the truthabout the affair I am sure they never would have taken him. In allprobability he told Jed Whitman a tale of his own bravery and prowessthat simply forced
that officer to take him in. Well, we shall see."
Professor Zepplin, with Rector and Walter Perkins, was already at thehotel when Tad returned. The Professor was nervously stroking hiswhiskers.
"Did you see him?" he demanded.
Butler nodded.
"I had a talk with him."
"Well, what about it?"
"I fear we shall not be able to do anything. The justice, SquireHalliday, is a queer old fellow, I guess. There is no telling whathe may or may not do, but I think, after he hears the true story, hewill let Chunky go with a warning."
"It was on account of the moose?" asked Walter.
"Yes."
"Outrageous! Outrageous!" growled Professor Zepplin. "I'll wagerthese Mainers don't let a moose get by them, open or closed season."
"I should think not," agreed Tad.
"Have you seen the justice?" asked Ned.
"I have not. Nor do I intend to until I see him in the courtroom,"answered Butler. "I am not looking for more trouble. We have enoughon hand as it is."
"What time is the case to be called?" asked the Professor.
"Eight o'clock. It is seven o'clock now, so we have an hour towait."
"How is Stacy taking it?" asked Walter.
"About as usual. He is mad. I think he would try to fight the gamewarden if he dared," smiled Butler.
"Then he is not locked up?" questioned the Professor.
"Oh, no. I should judge that he is being treated as a member of thefamily. Mr. Whitman naturally doesn't want Stacy to get out of hissight, now that he has detained him. Well, I'm going out for a walk.Who is going with me?"
"I am," answered Ned promptly.
The two boys returned a few minutes before eight o'clock. Callingfor Walter and the Professor they strolled into the office of thejustice, where a dozen or more men of the village had alreadygathered. These eyed the Pony Rider Boys with no little interest,knowing who the boys were by this time, and pretty much everythingelse about them that anyone in the Maine Woods did know.
The justice, a little, weazened, irritable fellow, came in shortlyafterwards. The boys eyed him inquiringly.
"I'd hate to have him sit in judgment on me," whispered Tad to NedRector.
"So should I," agreed Ned.
Stacy Brown and Jed Whitman entered the courtroom at this moment,Stacy big-eyed, glancing apprehensively about. His glances caughtsight of his friends. Then Stacy threw out his chest pompously. Eventhough he was virtually a prisoner he felt a certain pride in thethought that all this assemblage was on his account. Chunky walkedover and shook hands with his friends.
"Any word you want to send to the friends at home, in case they hangyou?" asked Ned.
"The judge won't do anything," answered the fat boy confidently.
"Anyway, I am going to send the story to the paper at home," declaredNed.
"Don't you dare do anything of the sort. I'll thrash you, NedRector, if you do that," threatened Stacy, his face very red.
"Where is the prisoner?" snapped the justice.
Whitman nodded towards Stacy.
"Bring him here! Why is he allowed to roam about the room at will?"
Jed beckoned to the fat boy, who walked over and sat down on a bench.
"Get up!" commanded the justice. "Now, Mr. Whitman, we will hear fromyou."
In the squire's happy-go-lucky way of conducting the hearing, he didnot require Brown to testify under oath. It was a hearing typicalof the country districts.