CHAPTER XIII
THE CIPHER
The boys were dumbfounded by Barrows' answer.
"What's that you say?" demanded Garry.
"I said I had not seen him since the three of you went to your shacklast night to turn in. Isn't that plain enough?" reiterated the manager.
"Well, all we know is that just after we got to the shack, Dick left tocome back here and have a chat with you and get some information aboutthe country, as we had some little thought of taking a week's hike upinto the wild lands that lie to the northwest."
"If he started for this office he never got here, for I sat up latetrying to straighten out the tangle that Howells left behind him. No onecame near the office all that time. Perhaps your chum has gone off onsome little private expedition."
Garry was quick to notice that there was a malicious ring in themanager's voice. At once the uncomfortable feeling overcame him thattheir night's work had been discovered. Garry was at a loss what courseto pursue. He could make no accusation of any kind, for Dick might havestumbled on some clue that took him off on the trail.
"Well, you can understand that we are a little bit worried over thematter, especially since this is strange country to Dick. He might havewandered into the woods and got lost." Garry knew that this was next toimpossible, but he could think of nothing better to say at the moment.
"My advice is that you wait a bit, and you will probably find that he isall right. He'll very likely show up in a little while. I wouldn'tworry," said Barrows.
There was nothing to do for the moment but take the manager's advice,and the boys returned to the shack.
"Phil, there's bad business afoot here somewhere. At such a time asthis, Dick would not have gone off to follow a clue without leaving ussome sort of a note or even a sign. He could leave a half a dozendifferent signs that we all know to denote trouble. He hasn't takenanything with him. His rifle is still there and so is his pack. If itwere some mission of danger that he had gone on he would at least havetaken his rifle. Now what shall we do?"
"Let's give him till noon in case it was such a hurried matter that hehad not time to run back for his rifle. We might even wait until sixo'clock. You know we have always made it a rule that we should never begone more than twenty-four hours on a search without letting the othersknow in some way that we are safe. Sundown tonight would not be exactlytwenty-four hours, but it would be near enough," advised Phil. Garryagreed that this was sound advice and they went off to breakfast. Theyfound Barrows was almost through.
"Why don't you fellows start out this morning and look for him? One ofyou could go in one direction and one in the other. If you know anythingof the woods, you could soon find signs of him if he were wanderingabout," suggested Barrows.
Garry told him that they had decided to wait until nightfall beforegetting really worried. At this the manager allowed a satisfied gleam toshow in his eyes. Both the boys were narrowly watching him, and notedthis. After breakfast they came back to the shack, and once safe inside,Garry whispered to Phil:
"Watch every move from now on. That business of Barrows telling us to goin different directions on such a wild goose chase was entirely tooobvious. He wants us to get separated. Keep your rifle close by youevery minute, and tonight we'll establish a watch same as we have donein the woods when there was danger near. First thing this morning is togo to the spot where we agreed to leave notes for the hermit, and leavea letter telling him what has happened and asking him to take a look atthe shack on the other side of Kanamo Lake."
Hastily writing the note, and watching that they were not followed theyslipped out of the camp and ran to the appointed postoffice.
Garry reached his hand in as a matter of course, and was surprised tofind that there was a note in the natural receptacle.
He brought it out, and with Phil leaning over his shoulder, read it. Itcontained a distinct shock for both. Here was what they read:
"Attacked by men and letter to your father stolen. Hit on head and leftlying in road. Use all caution. The Bear is in the woods."
The usual lone pine symbol was attached.
"Well, we are discovered, Garry," said Phil. "Barrows must have had thehermit followed and has read the letter. I wouldn't be a bit surprisedif he knew what we talked about last night. Question now is whether hewas instrumental in bringing about Dick's absence."
"I am afraid that we have sort of made a mess of things, Phil. Wehaven't given Barrows enough credit, or else we have been too sure ofourselves. There is a good chance, however, and this note makes me thinkit highly likely that Jean LeBlanc may have captured Dick again. Youknow he seems determined to do him harm, even more so than us, for heand Dick have tangled up three or four times now, and each time Dick hasmanaged to elude him and make more or less of a fool of him. Thisnaturally would make an even more implacable enemy of the vengefulhalfbreed. Let's get back to camp and wait awhile. We will pry about theentire camp to see if there is any sign of Dick, and also we will besafer for the time being. Don't think I am cowardly, only we want totake no chances if we are to help Dick and at the same time complete ourmission here."
They returned to the camp, and as they walked, Garry tore the hermit'snote into tiny, indistinguishable fragments, throwing each tiny particleto the winds.
The day dragged on, although they tried to make it pass quickly bysearching through the camp. Night came at last, and they turned in.Before retiring they arranged for alternate watches, and also decidedthat on the morrow they would insist that a message be sent for Mr.Boone. The boys had almost decided that rather than allow Dick to fallinto greater danger by protracting the time of a systematic search, theywould tell what they had learned to Mr. Boone and let him force theissue of the stolen timber.
It was nearly eleven o'clock and Phil, who was on watch, was about towake Garry for his turn at sentry duty, when he heard a cautiousfumbling at the door, and the sound of a low malediction when theintruder found that it was locked. There was silence for a moment, andthen Phil heard the sound of someone breathing heavily at the window. Hecrept noiselessly to Garry's bunk, and holding his hand over his chum'smouth lest he make a sudden noise, shook him awake. Garry was aroused inan instant, and all sleep vanished. He knew from feeling Phil's handsagainst his mouth that caution was needed.
Having roused Garry, Phil crept back to the window just in time to heara faint swish. Instantly he knew that the intruder was cutting thedouble thickness of heavy mosquito bar with a knife, and guided by thesound, clubbed his rifle and brought it down with full force. There wasa howl of pain, and the sound of someone running away at top speed.
"Must have clipped that chap either on the head or the hand," whisperedPhil. "Guess he won't be here again tonight."
"Looks as though the war was on. You roll in and I'll watch for a coupleof hours now. Good thing we used our old trick of sentry work, or wemight be in a bad position right now," answered Garry.
For another hour nothing happened. Then there was a pounding at the doorand Barrows' voice was heard calling the names of Garry and Phil.Suspecting a trick, both boys reached for their rifles, and afterlighting a candle, Garry covered the door with his rifle while Philopened it.
Barrows stepped in and seemed to be taken back by the sight of the rifleleveled at his head.
"Why the military greeting?" he asked with an attempt at good humor.
"Taking no chances," answered Garry briefly, for he had a feeling thatit was almost time to tear the mask away. "We had one visitor heretonight, and we didn't know what to expect."
Garry explained his statement about the visitor by briefly telling ofthe attempt that had been made to enter the cabin an hour previously.Barrows passed this off by offering the suggestion that some of thelumbermen were naturally ruffians, and might have wanted to commitburglary.
"What I woke you up for was to tell you that a man has come here with anote that he refuses to deliver to anyone but you boys. He's at myoffice now, and all he will say is that your fr
iend Dick's safetydepends on obeying what is in the note. Of course I could have summonedsome of the men and had him overpowered, but thought you boys might liketo handle the matter for yourselves."
The boys put on their shoes and coats, for they had gone to bed almostfully dressed, and prepared to follow Barrows.
"Careful now," whispered Garry, as he passed Phil.
There seemed to be little need for caution, however, for they wereunmolested on their way. At the office they found an unkempt dirtylooking individual.
"Be these the boys," he asked of Barrows, pointing a dirty finger atGarry and Phil.
"Yes, these are the ones. Now state your business and do it quick,"snapped Barrows.
"This letter tells the hull story," answered the man in a hoarse voice,and he handed a crumpled piece of paper to Garry.
The leader of the Rangers took the note and read it in silence, thenhanded it over to Phil.
What they read was this:
"Have been captured by Jean LeBlanc. Have been forced to write this letter to you. LeBlanc wants a thousand dollars for my freedom. You are either to bring it with you, or make arrangements for its delivery at a spot known to the bearer of this letter. Warn you that any attempt to molest bearer will result in serious injury or worse to me. You know I would not ask this unless I were in grave peril. Don't fail me. Follow bearer's directions.
"Being emergency will ask ransom emphatically.
"Dick Wallace."
"That's Dick's writing, sure enough. He must have been tortured intowriting that letter, else he would never have done it," said Garrybetween his teeth. "Now Barrows, the time has come for a showdown. Whatdo you know about this matter? Speak up, and speak up quick!"
"What should I know about it. I don't know what's in the letter aboutyour friend," answered Barrows taken back by the tone of Garry's grimvoice.
"How do you know it's about our friend?" demanded Garry quick as aflash.
"Why, the bearer here told me that it had to do with one of the threeboys who were staying here," answered Barrows weakly.
"I think you're lying, Barrows, but I can't prove it. Here, read theletter."
He handed the crumpled note over to the manager, who took it and read itin silence. Then he burst into a protest.
"I never heard of this Jean LeBlanc. Why do you connect me with thematter? I never even heard the name LeBlanc."
"You had a Baptiste LeBlanc working for you until Howells insisted thathe be discharged, didn't you?" continued Garry implacably.
"Why, there may have been a man of that name. I remember Howellsinsisting that a man be discharged, but I never pay much attention tothe names of the lumberjacks, at least to their last names. I leave thatto the timekeeper and the section bosses. You misunderstand me entirely.I am ready to give you all my help. What do you propose to do?"
"First place I am going to start back with this man here and look intothe matter. Of course we have no money to take with us, but I am goingto be assured that Dick is safe. You will get the necessary ransom fromthe bank at town, and thirty-six hours from now you will start with itto some place where this man will appoint. We will be there at the timewith Dick. In the meantime telegraph my father to get here with allspeed. Now, Barrows, I'm putting this matter up to you. If you fail inany way it will be so much the worse for you. I'm trusting you onlybecause I have to in an emergency. Don't fall down, or we'll make youthe sorriest man you could ever dream of being. Phil, keep these mencovered with your rifle until I go back and get our packs. Don't letthem stir out of your sight or move a finger."
Garry concluded his words, and tearing a leaf from his notebook, wrotehastily for several moments, then left the cabin. Barrows made as thoughhe would follow, but a menacing gesture from Phil made him keep hisseat.
Once outside the cabin, Garry sped away into the woods like a deer. Hewas extremely cautious with every step, however, lest a snag or roottrip him and disable him at this crucial moment. The note that he hadwritten contained explicit directions to the hermit to get word to Mr.Boone by telegraph, and then see if he could pick up their trail andfollow them. He knew the old man was an expert at trailing, and Garrywrote that he would leave signs on the way from the hollow treepostoffice.
The return to the camp was somewhat slower, for he stopped occasionallyto blaze an X in a tree, or dig a slight hole in the ground with histoe. He wished that he had time to make a more distinct trail, but therewas the danger that a plain one might be noted by one of Barrows' aides,and obliterated. He was trusting that the hermit could find it, versedas he was in all the lore of the woods.
Back at the office with his knapsack and that of Phil, he asked what hadtranspired while he was gone. Phil told him that a meeting place hadbeen agreed on.
"Now," said Garry sharply, "can you lead us where you came from in thedark?"
"Guess I can, came here in the dark," was the surly response of theguide.
"Then start travelling. Now, Barrows, first sign of any treachery fromanyone in the camp will mean that first I'll shoot this guide and secondanyone within range of my rifle. Now hike," this last remark beingaddressed to the man.
Out of the camp toward the northeast led the way, and as they walkedIndian file, they took every step as though it were a path strewn withglass. Once outside the camp, having been bothered by no one, Garrycalled a halt.
Keeping a sharp eye on the guide, Garry whispered to Phil:
"Notice anything funny about that note of Dick's?"
"Not particularly, except that I took exceptional care to be sure thatit was Dick's writing," answered Phil.
"Did you remember the last line?" he questioned further.
"I think I could repeat it over by heart."
"Then use your head and look for the very obvious code in the last sixwords," said Garry.
Phil repeated them aloud two or three times, then fell silent. Then hegave vent to a low exclamation.
"Why, it's as plain as the nose on your face. It's just the firstinitials and they spell Beware!"
"Exactly; that's step number one. Now the second thing is the noteitself. It was written on brown paper. Safe thing to write such a letteron, anyone might have it in his possession. The queer part is that onthe shelf high over Barrows' desk was a bundle of report blanks wrappedin the same identical kind of paper, only the wrapper was torn. Icouldn't think of any way to clear the office, but I bet I could havematched this scrap to the torn place in the report!"
"Then you think that Dick has been at the camp all the time?" queriedPhil half incredulously.
"Don't think it, I'm sure of it."
"What are we to do, then?" asked Phil.
"I have that all doped out. We'll let this chap lead us a couple ofmiles or so further on and then overpower him and tie him up and leavehim there while we double back and search the camp."
Garry gave the order to march again, and they started on their way. HadGarry been gifted with second sight, he would never have left the spotwhere they had held the conference, for they had gone only a shortdistance when the guide asked them to halt.
"What's it worth to you fellows if I tell you all about this business?You ain't going to meet your friend where I'm taking you; it was just toget you away from the camp that I led you out here. But you can't makeme tell anything, or LeBlanc would kill me. But I'll take a chance formoney."
This sudden development puzzled Garry. He did not know exactly what tomake of it, so he decided to temporize for a few minutes, and gain timeto think.
"Where is LeBlanc now?" he asked.
"Right there at the camp was where I last saw him."
The answer was such a surprise that Garry's guard was lowered for amoment, then there was a scurry and rush of feet, and a half a dozenforms leaped out from behind the trees near them, and before either boycould make a move with his rifle, they were in the hands of the enemy.