Chapter XXIII
Gone
"Here, eat some of this," and Ned held something out to his chum."It'll bring you up quicker than anything else, except a cup of hottea, and we'll get that as soon as you can get away from here," went onthe young bank clerk.
"What is it?" Tom asked, and his voice was very weary.
"It's a mixture of chocolate and nuts," replied Ned. "It's a new formof emergency ration issued to soldiers before they go over the top. OurY.M.C.A. is sending a lot to the boys from around here who are inFrance. I was helping pack the boxes ready for shipment, and I kept outsome to show you. Lucky I had it with me. Eat it, and you'll feel a lotbetter in a few minutes. You haven't had much to eat, have you?"
"Very little," answered Tom, as he nibbled half-heartedly at theconfection Ned gave him, while Mr. Damon went out to the automobile andcame back with a thermos bottle filled with cool water. He alwaysprovided himself with this on taking an automobile trip.
Tom managed to eat some of the chocolate, and then took a drink of thecool water. In a little while he declared that he felt better.
"Then come out of here!" exclaimed Ned. "You can tell us how it allhappened and what they did to you. But I can see that last--theytreated you like a dog, didn't they?"
"Pretty nearly," answered Tom; "but they didn't have things all theirown way. I think I made one or two of them remember me," and he glancedat his swollen and bruised hands. Indeed, he bore the marks of havingbeen in a fierce fight.
"Are you sure the tank's all right?" he asked Ned again. "That hasbeen worrying me more than my own condition. I could think of only onereason why they got me here and held me prisoner, and that was to getme out of the way while they captured my tank. Then they haven't gother?" he asked eagerly.
"Not a look at her," Ned answered. "She was safe in the shop when weset out this morning."
"And now it's late afternoon," murmured Tom. "Well, I hope nothing hashappened since," and there was vague alarm in his voice, an alarm atwhich Ned and Mr. Damon wondered.
"Couldn't you stop at some farmhouse and get fixed up a little?" askedMr. Kimball, the farmer who had brought the note to Ned and Mr. Damon.
"I need to get fixed up somewhere," replied Tom, with a rueful look athimself--his hands, his torn clothes, and his general dilapidatedappearance. "But I don't want to lose any time. I'm afraid somethinghas happened at home, Ned."
"Nonsense! How could there, with Koko on guard, to say nothing ofEradicate!"
"Well, maybe you're right," agreed Tom; "but I'll feel better when Isee my tank in her shed. Let's have some more of that concentratedporterhouse steak of yours, Ned. It is good, and it fills out mystomach, which was getting more intimate with my backbone than I likedto feel."
More of the really good confection and another drink of refreshingwater made Tom feel better, and he was soon able to walk along withoutstaggering from weakness.
"And now let's get out of here," advised Ned, "unless you've leftsomething back in that vault you want, Tom," and he motioned to hischum's late prison.
"Nothing there but bad memories," was the reply, with a rueful smile."I'm as ready to go as you are, Ned. It was good of you and Mr. Damonto come for me, and you"--and he looked questioningly at Mr. Kimball.
"If it hadn't been for Mr. Kimball and his boy, we wouldn't have foundyou--at least so soon," said Ned, and he told of the finding of thenote and what had followed.
"That's the only way I could think of for getting help," said Tom."They took every scrap of paper from me, but I found some in the liningof my hat--some I'd stuffed in after I had a hair cut and my hat wastoo large. For a pencil I used burnt matches. Oh, but I'm glad to beout!" and he breathed deep of the fresh air.
"How did you get in there?" asked Ned wonderingly.
"Those fellows--of course. The German plotters, I'm going to call them,for I believe that Blakeson and his gang--though I didn't see him--arereally working in the interests of Germany to get the secret of mytank."
"Well, they haven't got her yet," said Ned, "and they're not likely tonow. Go on, Tom, if you feel able tell us in a few words what happened.We've been trying to think, but can't."
"Well, it all happened because I didn't think enough," said Tom, whowas rapidly recovering his strength and nerve. "When I got thatmessage that seemed to come from you, Ned, I should have known betterthan to take a chance. But it seemed genuine, and as I had no reason tosuspect a trap, I started off at once. I thought maybe Kanker hadrepented and was going to make amends for all the trouble he caused.
"Anyhow, I started off in my machine, and I hadn't got more than to thecrossroads when I saw a fellow out tinkering with his auto. Of course Istopped to ask if I could help, for I can't bear to see any machineryout of order, and as I was stooping over the engine to see what waswrong I was pounced on from behind, bound and tied, and before I coulddo a thing I was bundled into the car--a big limousine, and taken away.
"The crossroads was as far as we could trace you," remarked Ned.
"Well, it wasn't as far as they took me, by any means," Tom said. "Theybrought me here, took me out of the machine--and I noticed that they'dbrought mine along--and then they carted me into the vault.
"But they didn't have it all their own way," said Tom grimly. "Imanaged to get the ropes loose, and I had a regular knock down and dragout with them for a while. But they were too many for me, and locked meup in that place after taking away everything I had in my pockets."
"Were they highwaymen?" asked Mr. Kimtall.
"No, for they tossed back my money, watch and some trifles like that,"Tom answered. "I didn't recognize any of the men, though one of themmust have known me, for when they had me tied I heard one of them askif I was the right party, and another said I was. I know they mustbelong to the same gang that Simpson, Blakeson, and Schwen are membersof--the German spies."
"But what was their object?" asked Ned. "Did they try to force you totell them the secrets of the tank?"
"No; and that's the funny part which makes me so suspicious," Tomanswered. "If they'd tried to force something out of me, I wouldunderstand it better. But they just kept me a prisoner after takingaway what papers I had."
"Were they of any value?" asked Mr. Damon.
"Not as regards the tank. That is, there was nothing of my plans ofconstruction, control or anything like that, though there was someforeign correspondence that I am sorry fell into their hands. However,that can't be helped."
"And did they just keep you locked up?" asked Ned.
"That's about all they did. After the fight--and it was some fight!"declared Tom, as he recalled it with a shake of his head--"they left mehere with the door shut. There must have been some one on guard, for Icould faintly hear somebody moving about.
"I tried to get out, of course, but I couldn't. That vault must havebeen made to hold something very valuable, for it was almost as strongand solid as one in your bank, Ned. The only window was placed so highthat I couldn't reach it, and it was barred at that.
"They opened the door a little, several times, to toss in once some oldbags that I made into a bed, and next they gave me a little water andsome sandwiches--German bologna sausage sandwiches, Ned! What do youthink of that--adding insult to injury?"
"That was tough!" Ned admitted.
"Well, I had to put up with it, for I was half starved, and as sore asa boil from the fight. I didn't know what to do. I knew that you'd missme sooner or later, and set out to find me, but I hardly thought you'dthink of this place. They couldn't have picked out a much betterprison to hold me, for, naturally, you wouldn't suppose enough of itwas left standing, after my tank had walked through it, to make ahiding place.
"However, there was, and here I've been kept. At last I thought of theplan of sending out a message on the scrap of paper I could tear out ofmy hat. So I wrote it, and after several trials I managed to toss itout of the window. Then I just had to wait, and that was the hardest ofall. The last twelve hours I've been with
out food, and I haven't heardany one around, so I guess they've skipped out and don't intend to comeback."
"We didn't see any one," Ned reported. "Maybe they became frightened,Tom."
"I wish I could think that," was the answer. "What is more likely to bethe case is that they're up to some new tricks. I must get back homequickly."
And after a stop had been made at a farmhouse belonging to a businessacquaintance of Ned's, where Tom was able to wash and get a cup of hottea, which added to his recuperative powers, the young inventor, withNed and Mr. Damon, set out for Shopton.
Before Mr. Kimball started for his home, renewed thanks had been madeto the farmer and his son for the part they had played in the rescue,and the young inventor, learning that the boy had a liking for thingsmechanical, promised to aid him in his intention to become a machinist.
"But first get a good education," Tom advised. "Keep on with yourschool work, and when the time comes I'll take you into my shop."
"And maybe he'll make a tank that will rival yours, Tom," said Ned.
"Maybe he will! I hope he does. If he comes along fast enough, he canhelp with something else I'm going to start soon."
"Whats that?" asked Mr. Damon.
"Oh, it's something on the same order, designed to help batter down theGerman lines," Tom answered. "I haven't quite made up my mind what tocall it yet. But let's get home. I want to see that my tank is safe.The absence of the plotters from the factory makes me suspicious."
On the way back Tom told more of the details of the attack.
"But we'll forget about it all, now you're out," remarked Ned.
"And the sooner we get home, the better," added Tom. "Can't you get alittle more speed out of this machine?" he asked.
"Well, it isn't the Hawk," replied Ned, "but we'll see what we can do,"and he made the runabout fairly fly.
Mrs. Baggert was the first to greet Tom as they arrived at his home.She did not seem as surprised as either Tom, Ned or Mr. Damon expectedher to be.
"Well, I'm glad you're all right," she said. "And it's a good thing yousent that note, for your father was so excited and worried I wasgetting apprehensive about him."
"What note?" asked Tom, while a queer look came into his face.
"Why, the one you sent saying you were detained on business and wouldprobably not be home for a week, and to have Koku and the men bring thetank to you."
"Bring the tank! A note from me!" exclaimed Tom. "The plotters again!And they've got the tank!"
He ran to the big shop followed by the others. Throwing open the doors,they went inside. A glance sufficed to disclose the worst.
The place where the great tank had stood was empty.
"Gone!" gasped Tom.