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  CHAPTER XV

  MURKY AT BAY

  Chip Slider, always willing when there was something to do, caught holdof the limb that showed signs of recent use and swung himself up into thetop. Paul Jones followed, but Anderson shook his head as he tried to raisehis half useless arms. Without assistance he could not make it. Yet itwas evident that the fugitive Murky must have taken that road.

  Meanwhile Chip, landing on the other side after a slippery passage onthe log, saw the tracks leading straight off through the woods as ifMurky well knew what he wanted and where he was going. Paul, in crossing,noticed midway of the log certain muddy smears as if someone had eitherfallen off or had climbed up on the log about midway of the slough. Thisdid not much impress him at the time. Hastening on to join Chip, the twothen perceived that Nels was still on the other side.

  "By cripes! Anderson can't make it, Chip! We ought to have waited andhelped him over. That log's mighty slippery. Looks as if someone hadfallen off already. What had we better do?"

  "Say, Paul, this trail leads right back in the direction of them rockswhere we spent last night. What do ye think of that?"

  But Paul was now calling to Nels on the other side. He had heard whatChip said and shouted to the big Swede its import. At this Nels solvedthe difficulty in a few words, directing the boys--if they were sure ofthis--to follow the new trail while Nels would go back to the head ofthe slough and rejoin them somewhere near the foot of the rocky ridgethey had previously traversed.

  Still the trail was puzzling. Both lads found not only a fresh trailleading ridgeward, but signs of an earlier trail, now much rainwashed,that led towards the slough, not away from it as the fresh trail did.

  "Tell you what I believe, Paul," remarked Chip after studying thesituation over. "When Murky first struck out he was trying to getclear off, probably east somewhere. He must 'a' come this way, triedto cross the run here and couldn't. He might 'a' fell off that logwhere you saw them stains.

  "What would he do then? Why, strike for higher ground; git to some placewhere he could make a fire. That took him back to where he run againstus. And if it hadn't 'a' been for Nels, I ain't sure but what he'd a gotthe best in that mix-up. What do you think?"

  What Chip thought was indicated by his pointing finger, for he was ahead,following the trail, now growing more and more indistinct. Paul came upand looked at the faint outline of tracks now turning abruptly up therocky ridge.

  "Murky--if 'twas Murky--is goin' right back where he and us spent lastnight. Now what would he be doin' that for? There hain't but one reasonthat counts," affirmed Chip. "He's hid out that money somewhere--don't youreckon?"

  All at once the significance of this appealed to both the boys. As withone accord they eagerly resumed their trail hunt, but it was with suchscant success that Paul finally shook his head in discouragement. Chip,now on hands and knees, stooping, at times almost crawling, was inclinedto give up too.

  "You remember how we lost that trail before on this ridge and only foundit when we separated, taking in the lowland on either side?"

  "Yep! That's what we'll have to do now. Wish Nels was here. Wonder wherehe is now?" And Paul peered in the direction of the slough.

  With one accord both lads waited a few minutes, but seeing no sign ofthe vanished Swede, it was agreed that Chip should take one side of theridge and Paul the other, and at each mile of progress or thereabouts,should let each other know. If, meanwhile, one should strike the trailagain he should call or go in search of the other.

  Possibly Paul had gone a mile, when a rumbling, heavy voice halted him.No trail had he found, but--there was Anderson coming, having at lastrounded the head of the slough.

  "You find him yet?" meaning the vanished trail. "He bane go dis way?"

  "No, we lost it on the ridge like we did before. Chip is looking for it onthe other side of this slope. I hope he has better luck than us."

  "Let's res' a leetle, Paul," and Nels slumped heavily down.

  At this juncture came a faint call from the other side of the ridge. Pauljumped up again, saying:

  "Come on, Mr. Anderson! That must be Chip. He's found something, for weagreed to let each other know, whichever came on anything first."

  And Paul gave an answering shout, starting up the gentle rise of the rockyelevation, on top of which both trails had vanished.

  "Alright--I bane coomin'," responded Nels as he wearily got up andtried to keep up with Paul's hasty steps, but soon gave that up. "I banetired--all een--das w'at."

  Young Slider had felt all along the keenest interest in the recovery ofthat stolen money. His dead father's participation therein probably kepthim stimulated by a desire to show his new-found friends, the Auto Boysthat he was worthy to be trusted.

  After some futile search he was at length gratified to discover signs ofthe vanished trail. It came down from the higher ground where the rocksand gravel made it indistinguishable. Filled with new courage he followedon, pleased that it became more plain as the lower ground grew softerand more mushy. At this juncture he began calling to Paul, and perhapsit was indiscreet in view of what presently happened.

  But Chip was not thinking of himself. Instead, as he gave his last shoutand heard the faint echo of Paul's reply, he only thought that he wasagain on the track of Murky. Where was Murky now?

  "I hope we'll soon know," he said to himself as he plodded on, on--eyes onthe ground and seeing little of things around him. "I hope Paul hurries.He'd help a lot--"

  "Blame _me!_" A savage growl struck on Chip's ears. "It's that durnedlittle Slider cuss."

  With a curdling chill Chip raised his eyes and was astounded by whathe saw. Having gone farther than he thought, amid his eagerness to geton and his constant scrutiny of the trail, he saw around him the samerocks rising to his right that they had approached the night before. Andright under the heavy ledge where he and Paul had been sheltered, priorto Murky's attack, stood Murky himself, mud-slimed, gaunt, fierce, andscowlingly savage.

  "Ain't I never goin' to git rid of you?" he snapped, drawing menacinglynear. "You'll not dodge me this time!"

  With this Murky lurched forward, his claw-like hand reaching forth.Chip let out a yell of terror. He could not help it. The yell wouldcome, and it rang far-reaching, striking on Anderson's ear as the Swede,having recovered, was crossing the ridge's backbone not so very far away.That yell smote upon Paul not unlike the effect of an unexpected thunderclap. But Paul recognized the voice. Chip was in trouble. He--Paul--wasnot with him. Gripping his courage, he rushed on, rounding a bulge ofrock just in time to see Chip being dragged within that same recesswhence both Murky and Nels had emerged the night before, one to attack,the other to rescue the two boys.

  "Look here!" cried Paul, now more angry than ever, his fear of Murky quitegone for the time being. "You let that boy alone! Hear me?"

  Apparently the tramp did not, for he disappeared through the elbowedrecess still dragging the struggling Chip. Just then Paul stumbled andwas nearly thrown down by hitting a smooth, round rock with his foot.Recovering, he picked up that rock and darted through the recess afterMurky with his captive. His other hand also found that pistol with whichhe had clipped the robber's ear, and which Paul had hung onto, thinkinghe might have a use for it. No cartridges were in it of course, but stillit was a weapon.

  In one corner of that recess where the fire had been built Murky had youngSlider down and apparently was choking the life out of the lad. Withouta word Paul ran up, heaved the rock and, as luck would have it, struckthe robber fairly right over the head.

  A less hard-headed man would have toppled over. But Murky was hard-headedas well as hard-hearted. He reeled upon his knees and his clutch upon Chiprelaxed sufficiently to enable that thoroughly frightened youngster towriggle away on hands and knees while Murky was recovering.

  The latter scrambled to his feet, his head smarting. Roaring, he lungedat Paul, who darted back, his only real weapon gone and wondering whatto do next. More by instinct than anything he levelled
the empty pistol atthe robber, shouting at the same time:

  "Keep off--keep off! I--I'll shoot--"

  But by this time Murky had recovered his poise and his strength as well.For all he knew Paul might send bullets his way, but that did not nowstop the ruffian. With a savage snort of anger he sprang upon the boy,wrenched from him the pistol and straightway began to beat Paul overthe head. About this time Murky felt a clinging form jump upon his back,wind its thin arms and legs around his half reeling frame, as Paul struckat him with boyish impetuosity, though the blows were futile so far asdoing the man any serious harm.

  "Blame ye both!" he exploded. "I'll fix ye--blast ye!"

  And fix them both he methodically proceeded to do. Seizing Paul by thescruff of his neck and twisting Chip somehow under his other arm, he thentried to bang their heads together. Luckily he did not succeed beforethere was a sudden interruption.

  For the second time there came in Murky's rear a rumbling roar of anger.Nels Anderson, just arrived, breathless, exhausted, was yet ready to dowhat might be done by a tired man almost without the use of his arms.

  At the sound close behind him Murky turned, his savage claws fastened inthe half helpless boys' clothing. Pushing them before him, he rushed uponthe Swede. The impact was too much for Nels.

  Back he staggered, his heels tripping, and fell with the two youngsterson top of his prostrate bulk.

  By the time the three got to their feet again Murky had vanished. But theyheard him farther on, and in an instant Chip was off, crying:

  "We mustn't lose him! He's back after that money! I just know it!"

  Was Chip right? Only quick work might solve that riddle. In a trice Paulwas at Chip's heels while Nels, puffing more than ever, yet still game,came on after. Arrived at the next turning, they saw Murky dragging atsomething in a dark corner or crevice of rock. Seeing his pursuerscoming, Murky rushed blindly at them. Chip managed to dodge but Paulwas overborne and, stumbling back, brought up against Nels, and again arough-and-tumble struggle began. Meantime Chip, having dodged, saw whatMurky, down on his knees, had been dragging at when again surprised.Intuition told him what it might be. Instead of going to the aid of hiscompanions Chip stooped over, dragged out a wet, soiled package from adeeper crevice, ran off through another passage that seemed to windamong a number of converging boulders, and--a moment later returnedempty-handed to where the fight was still going on.

  Murky now had the big Swede down and was pummelling him over head andface with his fists. Anderson was rolling, twisting about, strivingineffectually to wriggle loose. From behind Paul Jones was doing hisbest to drag the robber back. Paul had him by the hair and collar. WhenChip came back, he had managed to hit Paul with one right-handed fist andthe boy was gasping.

  All this went through Chip like a flash of lightning out of a clear sky.Seizing a good sized fragment of rock, he began pounding Murky about thehead.

  "Blame ye!" roared the thief. "Will ye quit? I--I'll--"

  Further utterance was checked by Murky's turning and flinging himselffull length upon young Slider. Bearing him to the ground, the lad wassoon knocked into unconsciousness by Murky's powerful blows.

  "Git outer my way!" he shouted, rising and making a break for the sameplace where Chip had seen him stooping not ten minutes before. "Blame me!I--I'll--where is it? What have ye done with it? Ye will, will ye?"

  By this time, blinded by baffled rage, Murky proceeded--as Chip afterwardsexpressed it--"to wipe up the earth" with his opponents.

  CHAPTER XVI

  CONCLUSION

  Through the nearer passages under the leaning rocks, approaching footstepswere heard, hurried steps, that even Murky had to heed. Then came LinkFraley, followed by Phil, Dave, Billy--the Auto Boys. Behind those wasMr. Beckley, breathing heavily as if tired by undue haste.

  No sooner had Murky seen who they were than he sprang up from the scramblewherein he, the Swede and Paul were engaged, and made a break for anotherpassage. But Link, who happened to be nearest, thrust out one long leg.With another cry of rage Murky went prostrate.

  For a few minutes--or was it seconds?--a struggle went on. But Murky'sday of probation was at last over. Actually weeping with anger, Andersonstrove to reach his late opponent. Paul, though somewhat bruised from hisown struggles, also tried to do his bit in securing the scowling man.But it was not necessary. In another short space of time Murky lay therehelpless. His arms were bound behind his back, his legs and feet alsosecured.

  One of the first things Mr. Beckley did was to walk up to Anderson andshake his nerveless hand with great vigor. Then he did the same thing toPaul, who was also being congratulated by the other boys. Then Beckleyturned to Anderson, saying:

  "It was brave and faithful of you, Nels, to start out all by yourself.But it was you and this--this lad who really rounded up the rascal."

  "You forget Chip Slider, Mr. Beckley, don't you?" Paul Jones liked to befair, though at times he was too forward. "Chip was along--why, where isChip? I'd forgot him for the moment."

  Link Fraley and Phil Way were bending over Chip's still prostrate formwhere he lay after being so maltreated by the scowling villain who nowlay bound not more than ten feet away.

  Attention thus drawn, the entire party devoted themselves to the task ofreviving young Slider, who it appeared was only stunned and bruised byhis treatment at the hands of the robber.

  Presently Mr. Beckley again took the lead in questioning. "Of course I--wefeel deeply grateful. The Longknives will do almost anything for thosewho were most active in securing this fellow and his ill-gotten booty.He'll have to face a murder charge too, as there is little doubt but thathe dragged Grandall to his death inside that burning building. And nowthat we have the thief and the money--"

  "Are you sure we've got the money, sir?" It was MacLester who asked thisfor, Scotch-like, Dave was always ready to cast doubt upon most anythingthat was not proved before all men. "I don't see any money!"

  "Of course we may not see it right now, yet I don't doubt but that youand Murky know where it is?" This to Nels and Paul, who both looked rathernonplussed. "Where is it, Nels?"

  "I--I--" Anderson was stammering and confused in manner. "I bane not sureI can tell. That feller, he know." He pointed at Murky who glared evillyat the crowd in general.

  "Ye needn't look for me to tell anything," he snarled. "I got no money!"

  "If you had, you'd lie about it," was Beckley's comment that seemed tomeet the general opinion among his captors.

  Murky relapsing into sullen silence, Beckley resumed his queries.

  "Do you mean that having gotten this scoundrel here," indicating Murky,"you don't know where his plunder is?"

  "Wish I did, sir," said Paul Jones, turning from Chip who was justbeginning to be conscious of outward things.

  "And you, too, do not know where the money is?" Beckley turned again toAnderson, who squirmed rather uneasily.

  "Wush I did," the latter muttered. "I bane coom after the boys. Ven I coomoop wid 'em, dey vass in mix-oop wid heem," pointing at Murky.

  "That fellow must 'a' had the money hid out somewhere," said Paul. "Wefollowed him for miles. Finally we lost the trail, then we came on himby accident, as it were. He was about to get the best of Chip and me whenin came Nels, here, and Murky disappeared. It was in the night. In themorning we struck his trail again. But he never seemed to have the moneywith him. It is all a mystery to me. Isn't that the way of it, Nels?"

  Nels gave a sheepish nod of assent.

  "Well, it's something big to have apprehended this fellow. Before we arethrough with him I dare say we will know where that stolen money is."

  Mr. Beckley spoke with grim purpose which, however, did not belie hisapparent disappointment that the stolen twenty thousand dollars wasnot forthcoming, or at least some knowledge gained as to its presentwhereabouts.

  Here Chip Slider, reclining against Link Fraley, who was stillsolicitously supporting the boy's dizzy head, blinked and strove toraise himself. Clearing his throa
t, he asked in a shaky voice:

  "Is it the money they want to know about?" This, apparently, to Link.

  "Why, yes, boy! We've got hands on the thief," meaning Murky. "But whatMr. Beckley wants to know now, is what's become of the swag, the boodle,the stuff Murky stole. He won't tell, and you chaps don't seem to know."

  "Yes, we do!" replied Chip unexpectedly. Then he sat up unaided.

  "What do you mean, my lad?" queried Beckley, a quizzical smile on his facefor he had not fully determined the reason of Chip's being here except ina casually superfluous way.

  "I mean that--" glancing at Paul and Nels, "--that we know where themoney is. At least it looks like the money and Murky seemed mighty anxiousto get his paws on it."

  Giving little heed to the wonder in the faces of the Swede and Jones, theboy tried to get to his feet. "Help me up, please. I'll be all right in aminute. There! Now if you will all go with me, I'll show you what I mean."

  Still supported by Fraley, though Chip was almost himself again, he ledthe party to a deep crevice where some dirt had been hastily pawed out.

  "Right here I saw Murky on his knees trying to pull out something fromthis hole. About that time he saw us again, and the way he went for uskep' him busy with Nels and Paul. It flashed through me what Murky wasafter. I left them fightin'. It was two to one, anyhow. When I got tothis hole I pulled out a wet bundle that I took to be the money. Seemedlike I could see the bills or the corners of them in bundles."

  "Yes, yes!" exclaimed Beckley eagerly. "They would be apt to be inpackages. You were right; I feel sure you were right!"

  "But where are those bills now? Where is the bundle?" asked Link.

  Without a word Chip, unaided, led the group to the nearby recess wherehe had hurriedly stowed them. Pointing, he continued:

  "That there is what I drug out of yonder hole, sir. I guess it's themoney, or Murky wouldn't 'a' been so anxious about gittin' it."

  It was the missing money, of course. Practically intact, too, althoughit was wet and in places mud-soaked. The bags of coin were there. One hada small rip in the seam, doubtless where the coin had escaped that Paulfound near the dilapidated suit-case.

  Here Paul's enthusiasm at last broke loose.

  "Oh, you Chip!" he cried. "You're the goods, ain't you? That then was thereason you didn't stop and help us fight Murky!"

  "Yah--he had good reesons--heh!" This from Nels, now rejoicing like therest. "I bane like you, Cheep; zat I does!"

  After that nothing apparently was too good for young Slider. Even Mr.Beckley, dropping his previous air of good-humored toleration, declaredthat Chip deserved real commendation.

  "You have showed pluck and perseverance, for you were about to startafter that skunk Murky alone when our young friend Paul Jones joined you.And Nels, our good old Nels, crippled though he was, came swiftly onthe trail of you both, arriving just when help was needed."

  "Yes, Paul," remarked Phil, "our crowd came just in time too; but if ithad not been for you three, I guess we would not have both prisoner andmoney in our hands right now."

  "That reminds me," interrupted Link, starting off on a run. "Who stayedbehind to watch that devil Murky?"

  As with one accord the others, except Mr. Beckley and Chip Slider, startedafter Fraley, leaving those two to bring along the money. A moment laterthey broke into the passage where Murky had been left, and found thatthe wily rascal had already loosed his hands by rubbing the cords thatbound his wrists against a sharp edge of the rocks, and was at work uponthe bindings that held his feet. These were only partially freed. Seeinghis captors approach, he jumped up, made a reckless bolt for freedom, butfell sprawling on the earth. In a trice the others were upon him andafter a brief struggle had him tied hard and fast again.

  "You'll not get away again, old chap," was Billy's comment as he tied thelast knot. "There's a thing called law and justice you've got to facebefore you're done with this crowd!"

  While Mr. Beckley, with Anderson's aid, and with sundry others lookingon, carefully counted over the wet, draggled, yet still good contentsof the package thus found, there came a rattle of wheels. Presently twoteamsters from Staretta appeared, with word that they had managed tobring their teams thus far, but the mud and thickening tree trunks mightprevent their going farther.

  "Guess you won't have to go farther, my men," spoke up Mr. Beckley. "Canwe get back to Staretta by night--with a prisoner, and also three moreof our friends who came on before?"

  "Sure we can! We've broke such road as there is in comin'." The speaker, ared-faced, burly looking man, was shaking hands with Nels, for he was oneof the old gravel road workers whom the Longknives had never paid as yet.

  "Well then," remarked Beckley to whom all deferred as the leader in theirsubsequent proceedings, "we will get a move on at once. I am anxious toreach town where I can telephone. It is lucky that I changed my mindand did not go on by rail, when I found that these boys were alreadyafter the prisoner yonder," indicating Murky, "and that the other AutoBoys, with Mr. Fraley, were going at once in pursuit. I may state herethat, though the clubhouse is gone and Grandall along with it, we haverecovered the twenty thousand dollars. If I know the Longknives Club,they will now be more than willing to pay all claims against them by thosewho trusted them. It was long delayed, yet it could not be helped. Itrust to put all things straight before I leave your hospitable littletown."

  Needless to state good, clean Staretta beds were occupied by theAndersons, the Auto Boys, the golfing man, his servant Daddy O'Lear,and Chip Slider that night. Even Murky, though guarded in the villagelock-up, had a more comfortable place to sleep than he had enjoyed forsome time. Later, under a warrant duly drawn, charging him with murderand robbery, he was conveyed to the jail at the county seat to await thegrand jury and the court.

  Before Mr. Beckley left, and after he had wired particulars of theserecent events to the Longknives Club, he received by wire the heartyacquiescence from them in the plan already formulated for the dispositionof the stolen and rescued twenty thousand dollars.

  First, there was to be medical aid for Nels Anderson, and a restoration ofthe money losses he had sustained in the building of that gravelled road.Also Chip Slider was to be helped and aided for the plucky way he hadacted, especially in removing the money from where Murky, had he comeback in a hurry, would have found it. Next those workmen who had beenemployed three years before must receive the money due them.

  Lastly a new automobile should be provided without undue delay for theAuto Boys. It certainly was due them. Had it not been for their braveryand devotion to duty the tragedy making up the last chapter of the gravelroad's history would have been far, far more terrible.

  It was not long until all Mr. Beckley's plans were carried out.Legally the Longknives Club had never been disbanded and the fundswere unanimously voted as he proposed.

  But how about poor Chip Slider?

  There is today no more contented boy in Lannington, the home city of theAuto Boys, than he.

  Without loss of time the chums returned home, taking Chip with them.He's working for Con Cecil in a newspaper office there and going tonight school. All his questioning if peace and plenty might not be foundsomewhere, sometime, has been most pleasingly answered.

  There was gladness and thanksgiving in the homes of all the boys' familieswhen the telegrams telling of their escape from the great forest firewere received. A most happy homecoming it was for all, a day or so later.

  Scarcely a week had passed when Henry Beckley and a committee ofLongknives drove up to the green and yellow garage the Auto Boys calledtheir own, and there delivered a truly splendid new car.

  On part of the boys' families and their friends there was much ado aboutit all. A dinner by the Lannington Automobile Club, and a great many morefine speeches than the four chums relished hearing about themselves, wasone such thing.

  "And I will venture to say," spoke Mr. Beckley, in the course of his afterdinner address, on this occasion, "that whatever the future h
as in storefor our friends, they will be found active and alert in time of play, intime of work or in time of danger."

  "The Auto Boys' Big Six," a book wherein the later experiences of thechums will be reported, should in due time enable you to judge whether Mr.Beckley was correct.

  THE END