The Boys of Columbia High on the River/Chapter 4
CHAPTER IV
SURPRISING CHIEF HOGG
Lanky gave a groan of disgust.
"That just finishes me! I thought sure we'd come to a bad end," he grumbled.
On the other hand Frank was chuckling as if more than a little amused.
"We surrender!" he exclaimed, quickly, elevating his hands to show that he was contemplating no manner of defense.
He knew the peculiar voice of the man who seemed acting as master of ceremonies, and was expecting that somebody would be rather surprised presently.
"Hey! Bill, light up that lantern, will you? Let's have a look at these smart birds before we take 'em into town!" observed this worthy; whereupon a second man, making his appearance beside the rig, struck a match, the flame of which he applied to the wick of a lantern.
"Here you are, Captain," he said, thrusting the light upward.
When the boys' captor took one look at the occupants of the buggy which had been stopped on the road outside Columbia, he stared as though he had seen a ghost.
"What's this? what's this? I ought to know these fellows well enough!" he exclaimed, rubbing his eyes with the knuckles of his free hand.
It was Chief Hogg, the head of Columbia's police force, clad in all the regalia of his exalted office, and with a bright silver star upon his left breast.
"Hello, Chief! Do we look like a desperate pair of scoundrels? Is that why you are holding us up on the road to town?" asked Frank, laughingly.
"Well, boys, this is certainly one on me. You happened to say something that made us believe the men we wanted had shown up. But it is a mighty queer thing. This rig corresponds with the description to a dot, too," he went on, looking at both horse and vehicle, and shaking his head.
"Does it?" asked Frank.
"Where did you get that outfit, boys? It doesn't belong in Columbia, does it?" continued the officer, eagerly.
"Not that we know of. At least, we didn't get it there," was Frank's reply, and it acted like a dose of electricity upon the chief.
"Say you so, Frank? Then where did it come from?" he asked, hastily.
"They never waited to tell us, and we've been wondering ever since. Such kind chaps too; I never heard of their like. We asked for a ride, and they immediately handed the rig over to us, running back along the road as if afraid we might refuse to accept the loan," came the answer, in Frank's humorous fashion.
"What's this you're telling me? Some men were in the rig, and ran off when you asked for a ride? Is that it, Frank?" demanded the officer.
"Just as I am telling you, sir. We were up rowing near Rattail Island, and on the way down the river met with a mishap, so we had to abandon our boat. Being wet through we thought it would help out to get a lift to town, so we tackled the first rig going that way. The two men seemed alarmed at our stopping them, for they jumped out, one on each side, and put off toward Clifford at a good sprint."
Chief Hogg gave a low cry of satisfaction.
"Billy, this is the stolen rig, all right!" he observed, cheerfully, "But we've missed our men! That's a great pity, for the horse and buggy could go hang for all I care, if we only had laid hands on those robbers. We'll have to chase after them right away. Boys, will you put the rig up at headquarters?"
"But wait, we haven't told you all we know," continued Frank.
"Then go on, and hurry too, for we must be off. They'll get too big a lead on us unless we start soon. What else happened?" asked the officer, impatiently.
"Why, I had a little suspicion that there was something wrong with those two timid chaps, to make them run away like that. So I felt around, and under the seat I found a leather bag!" said Frank, purposely speaking slow in order to work the stout chief up to the proper enthusiasm.
"A leather bag—yes, go on, Frank! Did you open it, boy?" queried the other.
"I did, and showed the contents to Lanky here, or rather told him what it held. It was half full of watches and jewelry, sir!"
"Good! Great! You've done a big thing to-night, boys, if you've recovered all that stolen property. Where did you put the leather bag, Frank; hide it in the bushes where it could be found again when wanted?" asked the police officer.
"No sir, I chucked it back again under the seat," replied the boy, composedly.
Chief Hogg began a hurried search. He even held the lantern back of the buggy to assist him in looking over the field.
"That was a very unwise move on your part, boy. The bag is gone!" he declared.
Lanky awoke to life at that.
"Didn't I say I felt somebody grab my shins, Frank? Mebbe you'll believe me next time, and not think I'm getting daffy!" he cried out, triumphantly; as if he considered the question of his veracity of more account than a dozen leather bags, no matter if they contained untold treasure.
"Do you mean the bag has been taken out of the buggy; that some one came behind and swiped it?" asked Frank, curiously.
"Just what happened as sure as you live. This is certainly most exasperating, to be so near a haul and get left. One of the rascals must have run after you, and still thinking you were officers, managed to get a grip on the bag. I'm disappointed in you boys. I began to hope you'd taken a fall out of those robbers. But go on in town, and leave the rig for me," the chief went on.
"But what shall I do with this, sir?" asked Frank, holding up a package wrapped in newspaper.
"I don't care; any old thing. But what is it, Frank?" asked the chief, turning as he was about to hurry away.
"Why, the stuff that was in the leather bag!" replied the boy, quietly.
Chief Hogg gasped for breath. He could hardly believe his ears. The idea of a mere boy having outwitted so clever a pair of rascals as those whom he was hunting just then staggered his belief.
"Say, Frank Allen, do you mean to say that you were that smart as to empty out the bag before putting it under the seat for a bait?" he asked, showing his excitement in his trembling voice.
"Yes, sir. You see I rather expected that those fellows might come after us, and demand the bag, so I made a package of the stuff. Then I half filled the bag with stones, so that they wouldn't be disappointed too suddenly! But I never thought they'd just slick it out of the back of the buggy without letting us know," remarked Frank.
"Well, that is a great trick you played. I'm just thinking how mad they're going to be when they open that bag, and find the rocks lying there. Here, Tom, you squeeze in with the boys, and go back with 'em. They may need protection, with all that boodle they're carrying now. I depend on you to see that the package isn't undone till I get back. Bill, we'll take a turn down the road, and perhaps we might happen across a pair of fellows running wild."
"Two to one they make for the railroad, and skip out of this part of the country like a streak. They'll know now the cry will go out, after these boys get in with the stolen rig. But I'm game to make the try, Chief," responded the man called Bill.
Chief Hogg actually shook hands with each of the boys before he left them.
"I might have expected that you'd get the better of those rogues, Frank. Sure, the fellow who out-points you has to be an early riser. I've seen you play ball, and I've watched you skate, and I know!" he said, with Columbian pride.
Lanky had listened to all this with more or less interest. He kept rubbing one of his ankles from time to time, and Frank was amused to hear him mutter:
"Gee! and that was really a grip from the hand of a thief I felt. No wonder it gave me a cold chill! He might have yanked me out on the road, and made me own up to what we did with the stuff."
"But he didn't, you notice, Lanky. He was satisfied just to grab that bag and slip away again," laughed his comrade, poking the other in the ribs.
"Do you suppose they've found out yet?" asked Lanky, still nervous.
"Oh! perhaps so, but it doesn't matter. We've got a protector now. Tom won't stand for any humbug. And besides, we're right in town, where those scared robbers wouldn't dare come," observed Frank, consolingly.
"That's so," said Lanky, brightening up wonderfully, as he noted the truth of his companion's words.
The horse was only walking now, nor could they induce him to even jog along as before. Evidently the poor beast was nearly ready to drop with fatigue.
"Here we are," said the officer, as they drew up in front of the police station.
A group of boys passing came to a sudden stop, attracted by the sight of a man in uniform getting out of a buggy. Frank noticed that they were coming up from the river, as though they might have been boating.
"Look there, fellows, who's that in the rig with Officer Tom Whalen?" exclaimed one of the quartette, suddenly.
"Say, it's them!" declared another, in a half subdued voice; whereupon Lef Seller turned upon him angrily, and said something threateningly in a low tone.
"Got arrested, fellers?" jeered a third member of the group, whom Frank immediately recognized as Tony Gilpin, a familiar figure among Lef Seller's cronies.
Frank and Lanky jumped out of the vehicle, the former still holding the package under his arm. They looked at the ring of faces, and then laughed.
"Are we in charge, Officer Tom?" asked Frank, humorously.
"For doing what? For picking up the stolen horse and buggy, and recovering all the jewelry them rascals stole up at Fordham? Well, I guess not! If it's anything you two boys ought to get the thanks of the community for what you done this same night. Hear that, you fellers?" exclaimed the policeman, sharply.
Lef Seller and his backers stared at each other as though they could hardly believe their ears. Frank could see that his rival appeared plainly disgusted. Bill Klemm seemed to think it something of a joke.
"It ain't any use, Lef," he observed, half aside; "some fellers has got such luck they're going to come out right side up, no matter how you tumble 'em. Everything runs their way!"
"Dry up, drat you!" said Lef, furiously; "wait and see, that's all! I've got half a notion they must have stolen the rig from the owner, and then found the stuff inside. Come along, fellers. What's the use hanging out here and gaping at a couple of heroes? It might be catching, and get us into all sorts of trouble."
With a harsh laugh Lef stalked away, followed by his adherents. Frank looked after him seriously, and shook his head as though he might be considering an idea that had presented itself to his mind.
"Come inside, and see me put that bundle in the safe, boys," remarked the officer, pleasantly; "it's only right that you should know it's going to be snug till the owner proves property. I understand there's a reward out for its recovery, and sure that goes to you two."
"So far as I'm concerned I don't want to be paid for getting a ride home. Chief Hogg can have my share of it," said Frank.
"And mine can go to you and Officer Bill," remarked Lanky, promptly.
"Say, that's mighty nice of you, boys. The missus will want to thank you, if any reward comes my way, 'cause you know that belongs to her," said Tom, warmly.
Both lads were feeling too uncomfortable in their wet clothes to want to linger, and soon set out for their homes. Before parting from his chum, Frank believed it might be wise to warn Lanky.
"Don't tell any one outside your folks that we were run into by that motor-boat," he remarked; "because I think there's a better chance of our finding out whose craft it was if we keep mum awhile."
"Right you are, Frank," replied the other, readily enough; "I was thinking that way myself just now. You remember what I vowed, don't you. Well, I'm going to be like a hound on the trail from this time out! Sooner or later I'm determined to know who did that mean trick, and he's going to get paid in full for it, as sure as my name's Clarence Wallace, otherwise Lanky."
"Glad to hear you say so, and although I'm mentioning no names I could give a pretty good guess where you're bound to land if you get your man. Goodnight, Lanky. We've had just a bully good time all around;" and then the two chums separated.