Sheriff Larkin was some rods from the sh.o.r.e. With a sudden roar Barnacle slipped his leash and tore down the slope. The dog had run a lot of game on Acorn Island since being landed here; but never a quarry like this.
The big man gave one glance behind and then lost all hope of reaching the boat. There was a low-branching tree before him: He leaped for the nearest branch and swung his booted legs for a moment while he tried to hitch up on the limb.
The Barnacle jumped for him. The dog fastened to his heel, and for the first time the girls saw that the mongrel-cur really had a terrific grip.
Sheriff Larkin scrambled up into the tree; but for half a minute Barnacle swung from him, clear of the ground. When he dropped to the ground the heel of the sheriff"s boot came with the dog"s jaws!
Barnacle crouched down and began to masticate the heel. But the glare that he turned upward at the man, from his red-rimmed eyes, proclaimed the fact that he would "just as lives" chew on the sheriff"s anatomy.
The camp on the top of the knoll had been left in confusion. The girls were talking rather wildly--some praising Liz and others deploring the happening.
Mrs. Morse commanded silence. She walked over to where the maid-of-all-work stood before the cook-tent.
"What does this mean, Lizzie Bean?" she demanded.
"I tell you I ain"t workin" for you no more," cried Liz, wildly. "I"ve give up me job."
"But you had no right to do what you have done."
"I don"t care, I"d done more. I"d gone at that sheriff with my finger-nails if he"d come nearer. Don"t I hate him--_just_?"
"Why--why, Lizzie!" gasped the gentle Mrs. Morse.
Here Laura interfered. "I believe I know what is the matter with Lizzie, Mrs. Morse," she said.
"Well!" snapped Lil, in the background. "Let"s hear it. The girl"s crazy. My mother would never have paid for such a creature to come here with us if she"d known."
"Your ma needn"t give me a cent, Miss," returned Liz, sullenly.
"What _is_ the matter with her, Laura?" asked Mrs. Morse again.
"She has somebody hidden in that tent," said Mother Wit, calmly.
"Isn"t that the truth, Lizzie? Isn"t Mr. Halliday in there--Mr. Norman Halliday?"
"The bank robber!" shrieked Lil.
"Oh, oh!" gasped Nellie.
"Hurray for Liz!" exclaimed Bobby, but in a low tone.
"It cannot be?" queried Mrs. Morse.
"Yes he is. I got him here while youse folks was down talkin" to that red-faced sheriff. He was good to me when I lived at that boardin"
house, in Albany, he was! I wouldn"t give him up to that sheriff."
Mrs. Morse looked at Laura very gravely. "_You_ have known about this for some time, Laura? You knew that the young man was on the island?"
"With Professor Dimp--yes," said Mother Wit, bravely.
"Professor Dimp has his own actions to answer for," said Jess" mother, gravely. "But I am quite sure your mother would not approve of your trying to help such a character as this young man seems to be."
"Wait a minute, Mrs. Morse," cried Laura. "Here come Chet and the boys."
"The boys!" chorused the other girls.
"What has your brother to do with this affair?" asked Mrs. Morse, wonderingly.
"I saw Chet wig-wagging a little while ago, and I answered and read his message. He is bringing over a gentleman from Albany--a lawyer--to see Professor Dimp and the young man who has been in hiding so long. I think something important is going to happen," said Laura, complacently. "Do let the Barnacle keep the sheriff up in that tree for a little while longer."
CHAPTER XXV
"QUITE ALL RIGHT"
One amazing thing was happening after another. The girls of Central High could scarcely keep up with the several happenings. On top of Laura"s statement the platform before the cook-tent heaved mightily, and a man"s head and shoulders appeared.
Lil shrieked again. Even Mrs. Morse stepped back in surprise. The young man continued to push his way out, and finally climbed to his feet.
It was the same young man who had appeared on the bank of Bang-up Creek and saved Short and Long from the farmer"s dog. His very good looking hunting suit was now sadly torn and wrinkled. He was without a hat. There was a scratch upon his face that had drawn blood, and he was altogether rather messy looking.
He bowed gravely to Mrs. Morse. "I see," he said, "that this young lady," and he looked at Laura, "knows who I am. And further introduction would be unnecessary."
"Ye--yes?" said Mrs. Morse, rather doubtfully.
"I pray that you will not blame Lizzie Bean. She would sacrifice herself for my safety; but I could hardly allow her to do that, don"t you know? I had an idea that that sheriff would really not come to this camp, and I could get away again after dark."
Lil had given over any intention of screaming again. She was examining the scratched face of the strange young man with growing approval.
"Isn"t he romantic looking?" she whispered to Nellie.
"Poor fellow," sighed the doctor"s daughter. "He _doesn"t_ look wicked, does he?"
"He"s a regular heart-breaker when he"s dolled up, I bet," giggled Bobby.
"It"s too bad!" murmured the Lockwood twins, in unison.
Thus did the appearance of the young man, Mr. Norman Halliday, tell upon the covey of frightened girls. Mrs. Morse herself began to recover from her disturbance of mind. _This_ was no criminal character, for sure!
Suddenly the sheriff in the tree set up a bellow: "That"s the feller I want! That"s him! Don"t you let him escape----"
"Why don"t you come down and take him?" demanded Bobby, wickedly.
But immediately the Barnacle began leaping under the tree and barking and Sheriff Larkin climbed higher.
"You see, the police want me," explained the young man, simply.