"No one but a crusty old brute would refuse to let us dry ourselves,"
replied Ned. "And besides, I don"t believe the owner lives anywhere within a mile. He probably uses this work room in winter--when there is hardly any farm work to do--and doesn"t come near it in summer. The reason I think so is because the tools have all been taken away."
Ned"s supposition was probably correct. At all events the boys did not scruple to make a blazing fire in the stove, and very pleasant the warmth felt after their long tussle with the storm.
Ned was soaked through and through in spite of his rubber coat, but Randy was only wet to the middle. They stood as near as possible to the stove, and so powerful was the heat of the wood fire, that in half an hour their clothes were entirely dry.
It was rather a risky undertaking, but both lads were hardy and vigorous and had no fear of taking cold.
As the fire burnt itself out the pale light of day shone through the windows. Friday morning had dawned.
"Still raining a little," said Ned, "and the sky is cloudy. We must start up the creek without delay now. My mind will feel a good deal easier when I know that Clay and Nugget are safe. They must be feeling pretty wretched if they stayed on the island all night in the rain."
"I don"t think they would venture to leave after the directions you gave them," returned Randy. "Unless the island became flooded. I never thought of that before."
Ned walked quickly to the side window and looked out.
"The water is still on the rise," he said gloomily. "It is backing into the wasteway and crawling up the slope toward the mill. You can hardly see anything of the dam. To tell the truth, Randy, I believe the creek is quite high enough to cover that island."
Randy turned pale.
"What has become of the boys then?" he asked. "Could they have pa.s.sed down the creek while we were drying ourselves?"
"Hardly," said Ned. "You forget the dam. But pull on your coat and we"ll be off. It"s not raining enough to hurt us."
Randy hastily obeyed, and after satisfying themselves that the lingering embers of the fire could do no damage, the boys went down the shaking flight of steps to the lower floor. With great care they crossed the rotten planks, and were half way to the door when a burly figure darkened the threshold--a roughly dressed man with a gun on his shoulder and a partially filled grain sack in his hand.
The boys stood still, half frightened, half astonished, but the stranger came quickly forward, lowering his gun as he did so.
"Good morning, my lads," he said in a gruff, mocking voice, "so the storm has driven you to my humble retreat. You are welcome--quite welcome. Make yourselves at home. This is an unexpected honor. I am sorry I was absent when you called."
The boys exchanged startled glances. There was an unpleasant ring to the stranger"s voice that boded no good intentions.
"If you own this mill we are much obliged to you for the use of it,"
said Ned. "We got wet in the storm and came here to dry ourselves. We took the liberty of making a fire in the stove up stairs."
As he spoke he moved toward the door with Randy at his heels.
"Not so fast," muttered the man, pushing the boys forcibly back. "You can stay a while and keep me company. I"ve taken a fancy to you chaps, and want to get better acquainted with you. Over there is the portion of this domicile that I occupy at present. It ain"t very palatial, but I reckon I can give you a log to sit on."
There was no choice but to obey, and the boys reluctantly crossed the rickety floor to the lower corner of the mill. Here was a great heap of sawdust, and two or three logs. The man sat down on the former--between the boys and the door--and motioned his companions to one of the logs.
It was now fully daylight, and the stranger"s position, facing one of the broad windows on the creek side of the mill, gave the boys an opportunity to examine him closely.
He wore a dirty, greasy suit of tweed, patched here and there with different colored cloth. His shoes gaped at the toes, and his coat collar was b.u.t.toned tightly about his throat--no doubt in default of a shirt.
His face might have been handsome at one time, but it was now marred and brutalized by a life of dissipation. His nose and cheeks were purple, his eyes bloodshot, and a matted growth of brown hair strayed from beneath a ragged slouch hat.
Little wonder that Ned and Randy cowered fearfully before the gaze of this evil looking ruffian. They knew now that he was a tramp, and never before had they seen a worse specimen.
It suddenly occurred to Ned that this was the same man who had pa.s.sed the camp in a boat on the previous night, and the knowledge by no means added to his peace of mind.
Immediately on sitting down the stranger had taken a short black pipe from his pocket, and filled and lighted it. But during the performance of this operation he was not oblivious to the keen scrutiny of his companions.
"I hope you chaps will know me again," he said in a sarcastic tone. "Or were you just admiring my beauty? Dude Moxley is what my friends all call me, because I dress with such taste, and take such good care of my complexion."
Suddenly changing his voice he demanded gruffly, "Where are the other two chaps?"
"Why--why--how did you know there were two more?" exclaimed Ned, thrown off his guard by the question.
Mr. Moxley smiled complacently. "I seen the canoes and the tent up yonder along the sh.o.r.e. As the canoes happened to be empty I judged the rest of the party were on behind somewhere. I just guessed at their bein" two more of you, but it seems I hit it."
This was a very lame explanation, but the boys were too greatly worried to notice its defects.
"I may as well tell him all," thought Ned. "Perhaps he will relent and let us go."
Acting on this impulse he related the occurrences of the previous night, and described the perilous situation of Clay and Nugget on the island.
"Won"t you let us go and look for our companions now?" he asked. "If the island is flooded they are in great danger."
Ned had risen in his eagerness, and now he made a step toward the door.
"Sit down!" thundered Mr. Moxley. "If you lads try to escape I"ll put a hole through you."
He lifted the gun and patted it significantly, and that instant Ned recognized the weapon. It was Mose Hocker"s property--the identical muzzleloader which Randy had brought up from the depths of Rudy"s Hole.
Ned could see the silver plate set in the breech, and could partially read the inscription: "John Armstrong, Maker."
Randy was equally quick to recognize the gun. He gave a little gasp of astonishment and looked at Ned.
The agitation of the boys was not observed by the ruffian.
"Just sit still now," he growled. "If you don"t you"ll be the worse off.
You needn"t be alarmed about your friends. I reckon they"ll be along this way purty soon."
While speaking Mr. Moxley happened to glance toward the upper end of the mill, and through a gaping crevice between the boards he saw something that caused a sudden wave of excitement to spread over his face.
Rising quickly to his feet, he seized both boys in an iron grasp and dragged them several yards across the floor to a big closet that occupied the corner of the mill. He unbolted the door and shoved his captives roughly inside.
"Don"t you dare to whimper," he hissed savagely. "Mind that, my lads.
Dude Moxley ain"t to be trifled with."
The ruffian slammed the door and bolted it, and the next instant his heavy retreating footsteps shook the rotten floor.
CHAPTER XXI
A MYSTERIOUS WARNING