"Oh, I didn"t want him."
"I don"t refer to that."
"What then do you mean?"
"All the money I got out of the Husking Valley Bank is in the saddle bag, and he will run straight to the gang, his empty saddle will warn them to fly, and they"ll get the money."
"Confound it!"
"Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha!"
It was a derisive, mocking laugh.
Jesse was delighted because the inventor had not gained all.
On went the stage.
She ran into the city at dusk.
Jesse was put in jail, and Jack and his friends left the stage under guard, and hurried to the railroad depot.
Fortune seemed to favor them.
The first person they saw standing on the platform waiting for the train, was Frank James.
Jack lightly stepped up behind him.
Grasping both of his arms, he exclaimed:
"Frank James, you are my prisoner!"
A startled cry burst from the outlaw"s lips, and he made an effort to tear himself free and reach his pistols.
But the iron grip of the young inventor was not to be shaken off so easily, and the wiry bandit found himself as helpless as an infant in the hands of Jack.
Then he craned his neck around to see who had him.
A roar of rage escaped his lips when he satisfied his curiosity.
"Jack Wright!" he gasped.
"Yes, We"ve got Jesse, too."
"What! Jess caught!"
"Little over an hour ago."
"May the demon roast you!"
"Don"t rave! it won"t do any good."
"Oh. Lord! Here"s Timberlake, too!"
"Yes. He waits to take you away."
"Let go, or I"ll---"
He fiercely struggled again, but it was useless.
Timberlake smiled grimly as he disarmed the outlaw.
He carried a veritable a.r.s.enal.
A crowd gathered around.
As soon as they realized that the prisoner was one of the James Boys, the interest in him was aroused at once.
Timberlake snapped a pair of fetters on his own and Frank"s wrists, and led him away to the jail.
An alarm had been sent out to the police to look for the rest of the gang.
As Siroc and the men had mysteriously vanished, it was fair to presume that they had found the horse, got the money, took the hint, and left for parts unknown.
Anyway none of them were found.
Jack"s mission was accomplished.
The governor was notified of what he had done, and the reward was sent to him at once.
Jack was well satisfied, and Timberlake more so.
If the newspapers had not at once published an account of the arrest, more of the gang might have been taken.
As it was all escaped arrest.
When the evidence of the four was taken, the young inventor had his wonderful electric stage repaired for the journey home as he had nothing further to keep him in Missouri, now that he had dispersed the James Boys gang.
They needed the rest they got after that.
Before Timberlake left them to go to Kansas City, he said:
"I am grateful for all you"ve done, boys, and will never forget your gallant conduct. You have accomplished what we have for a long time been striving to do."
"Oh, Lor"," said Tim, disdainfully. "That ain"t nothin" ter wot I once did when I wuz aboard o" ther ole frigate Wabash."
"Whoop!" roared Fritz, interrupting him.
"Stow yer gab!"