"One thing we"ve got to do the minute we get back," said Bart.
"What?" asked Fenn.
"We"ve got to make a trip to that place where we saw the men acting so queerly, where Sandy was on guard, and where that log cabin was, and see what it all means. We"ll have those men arrested."
"And Captain Needham, too."
"Yes, he"s in the plot."
The boys arrived home about noon. That they were welcomed by their parents, relatives and friends is putting it mildly. There was a big crowd at the depot, as the train got in, and there was a regular procession up the main street, with the boys in the center. Such shouting, laughing and cheering was seldom heard in Darewell before, and the next issue of the town paper was hardly large enough to give even a partial account of what happened.
As soon as the boys were released by their friends, which took considerable time, there was a consultation at Mr. Wilding"s house.
It was attended by the four boys, Frank"s uncle, Mr. Keene and Mr.
Masterson. The lads told their story from the start, beginning with their first encounter with the King of Paprica.
"There are just two ways about it," said Mr. Wilding. "Those men are either crazy or they are criminals, up to some game. In either case they ought to be driven from the community."
The others agreed with him. Then they discussed a plan. It was decided that the boys, accompanied by Mr. Wilding, the chief of police and an officer, should go to the clearing at the foot of Bender"s hill, and see if any of the men were still there. If they were they were to be arrested, and held until they made a satisfactory explanation.
The little posse started about three o"clock that afternoon, the matter being kept quiet. The two police officers were armed. The boys wanted to take their rifles, but were not allowed to, as their parents did not want them to run any chances.
The chief of police and his officer led the way through the woods and across the fields to the location described by the boys. They went cautiously, keeping a lookout for any signs of the strangely-acting men.
As they advanced through a little glade, close to where the clearing was located, the chief, who was in advance, called out:
"There"s some one sitting on the ground just ahead."
Bart pressed forward. He saw a lad leaning against a big stake driven into the earth.
"Why it"s Jimmie Nelson!" Bart exclaimed.
"The laziest boy in town," murmured the chief.
"I"ll go up and speak to him," Bart went on. "You can hang back here until I see what he"s doing."
"Doing? He never does anything," said Fenn.
"h.e.l.lo, Jimmie," called Bart, as he started to cross the clearing. "What you doing here?"
"Got a job."
"You call that a job; sitting there?"
"Sure, it"s a nice easy job. Sandy got it for me. He"s working for the same firm."
Bart gave a sudden start. The plot, it seemed, was thickening.
"What are your duties?" Bart went on.
"Oh I just sit here to watch that this stake don"t move, and if I see any one coming I"m to pull this string."
"Have you pulled it?"
"Not yet, ain"t seen any one."
"What do you call me?"
"That"s so. I almost forgot. Say, pull it, will you; you"re nearer to it than I am."
The string was about two inches from Jim"s hand, and within one inch of Bart"s foot.
"What happens if I pull it?"
"Don"t know. That ain"t part of my job," and Jim blinked his eyes lazily.
"Then I guess I"ll not pull it," replied Bart, putting his foot on the cord to prevent Jim from doing it.
"All right, maybe I"ll lose my job now, but I don"t care. There"s too much work. Have to stay awake too much."
Bart turned and beckoned to his companions who had remained in the woods. They came on in a hurry.
"You"re not supposed to come here," Jim objected in a lazy tone. "I ought to pull that string. Pull it, Bart, you"re closer than I am."
"Forward!" exclaimed the chief. "We"ll see where this cord leads!"
He started to trace the white string that stretched along the ground and into the woods beyond the clearing. The boys followed, and the party broke into a run. Bart carried the end of the cord with him to prevent Jim from pulling it, but he need not have taken the trouble as Jim had gone to sleep.
Just as the posse was at the further edge of the clearing there emerged from the woods four men. One was the white-bearded individual, whose strange language and actions had first aroused the boys" suspicions, one the tramp, whom the chums had encountered three times; the third was the man who had taken Sandy"s gun that day, while at the sight of the fourth Frank exclaimed: "The King of Paprica!"
The men stopped abruptly on seeing the boys and their companions. There was a moment"s silence and then a noise sounded off to the left. They all turned to behold Captain Needham approaching on the run.
"The boys got away!" he cried, addressing the King of Paprica.
CHAPTER x.x.x
STRIKING OIL--CONCLUSION
"You"re right! They did!" exclaimed the chief of police. "They got away from you, and they"re here now to prefer charges against you and the other scoundrels. I place you all under arrest," and he drew his revolver, the officer doing likewise.
"There"s no necessity for that," said the man who had called himself the King of Paprica. "We"re not going to make any trouble."
"You"d better not," said the chief significantly.
"I can explain it all now," the man went on.