Show i r t t M 4 0 I I bu CHAPTER VIII VIII-Continued VIII Continued 11 11 MorrIstown Is opposite Brock- Brock yule the colonel went on 9 1 know the ground very well The dock lies les low Its It's a n favorite landing for small boats The river rl Is still open There Is no Ice In It ft The ferry terry stops at seven Algyre can cnn easily get a boat and boatman to bring him across The trip would not take more than fifteen Or twenty min min- utes If It we can get him on this side of ot the thc border we shall have no bother with extradition proceedings Hell He'll naturally conclude that Tram is making a n swift getaway and Is anxious to Jump nc across oss the border This stout old grizzly will I 1 think put his foot In my trap I If he be does he be may maul us up a n little That's why I think you'd better keep n away way why I 1 want to be there Shad urged firm Im crazy to go Walt till my plan Is finished and well we'll see said the colonel They were talking together when the telephone rang The Western Union manager was on the wire He wished to see Colonel Coonel Blake and would come right over to his room lie He Tram had Just left his office He had brought In a n telegram telegram telegram tele tele- gram to be sent The manager drew it from his pocket and showed it to the colonel It was as follows To John OBrien O'Brien Jr Windsor Ont Onto Canada 33 30 29 27 Take offer of Den Revel If cash sent 25 23 22 19 quick Tell Yule VUle to love and revere our venerable friends for future use 10 I think Brock Is reliable Goods In 5 urgent demand here bere are numbers three thirty twenty seven twenty- twenty five two twenty-two thirty twentynine twentynine twentynine twenty- twenty nine nineteen ten twenty-three twenty five Sewel Tram Its cipher cIpher- was built on a new plan Soon Colonel Blake bad had arrived arrived ar nr- ar- ar rived at the following translation To uTo John OBrien O'Brien Jr Windsor Ont Take cash quick to Ned Lever ReVere Re- Re Vere sere yere House Brockville Urgent Sewel Tram You will wiil observe again that the numbers are the key to the real message the colonel said to the boy This time however the counting starts on the last word which is numbers and goes backward back back- ward I could have bave given them a better but I suppose these boys were in a hurry when they made their plans The colonel turned to the telegraph telegraph telegraph tele tele- graph man and asked Do you know where Tram Is le stopping I UI think that he is stopping here bere At least when I came In I saw him himin himin himin in the writing room He sat reading reading reading read read- ing a copy of the Watertown Times Theres There's a long article In It about Algyre Alme and the arrival In Ashfield of ot the two Pinkerton men The colonel arose saying Slip SUp out If you can without him seeing you Dont Don't send this message Hold It until you hear from me Good Goodnight Goodnight night In a moment Colonel Blake and his young friend went down to the writing room There at Its long table sat ant the hairy bearded stranger stronger who was undoubtedly Tram Trama a a well-dressed well good good looking looking man manof manof manof of about thirty-five thirty years He was of ot medium height His eyes were gray his hair and beard of n ft reddish brown color The colonel and Shad Shod sat down opposite him and began to write Tram was talking with a aman aman aman man who sat beside him His manner manner manner man man- ner of speech was deliberate his voice olce low and amiable his words were well chosen He was a man manof manof manof of some education There was a touch of ot humor In certain of his remarks re re- marks When this appeared he sniffed and gave a little grunt as If It thus to signalize Its safe delivery He said of ot Algyre that he was lIkey Likely likely like lIke- ly y to get more exercise than he be needed Tram might have hate passed for tor a reputable business man who would contribute to every good cause in his community His face had bad a benevolent expression but his eyes were active shrewd and cun can ning Soon he be arose donned his overcoat which had bad been lying on the back of his chair and walked to the office and out of Shad and the colonel returned to their room Immediately the boy gave his chief an Imitation of Trams Tram's walk and manner of speech Excellent 1 Blake exclaimed Dont forget it ft I may see a chance to use you Shads Shad's memory retained some of the strangers stranger's sayings He went over them again and again before they got Into bed You need only a mustache and some whiskers to make a perfect Tram at night Ill I'll think over the situation and give you words for your part part- I am nm sure that the Mummers clu club at the college can cnn supply you with the needed hair In a moment the colonel added It Is evident ent that Algyre Is In need of a available raIl able cash The OBrien O'Brien tel tele tole telegram gram Indicates It The fact that h he be goes to a place so near the center of e. e excitement as Brockville almost I proves It He Is desperate My I i wire will bring him across the river I He should have had plenty of money after the killing of Perr Perry Shad suggested Theres many a slip possible in la such a n matter The real murderer gets scared He holds off ort He ITe Is afraid to draw v a large sum of money out of the bank banle If It he should be arrested he would have hae to tell what he did with It That was a n. matter he be hadn't thought of He prefers to pay In small amounts That would lead lend to a n quarrel and such a n. quarrel would be a help to tous us Then Algyre Agre was a poker play play- I er Suppose the poker party had bad I fellows In It like Charley Hutch and Old Aust Doran They could get him between them and easily strip him In a night They got into bed The colonel was soon asleep but Shads day did not end so easily He was elated by the fact that he enjoyed the friendship and shared the confidence confidence dence deuce of Colonel Colone Blake make Far Into PRECEDING EVENTS Ragged and starving a II boy of about sixteen n Is befriended by a II camping Dg party He la ha has fled from his brutal father Bat The boy Shad Sheridan Sheridan Sheri Sheri- dan is sent to Canton with a letter to Colonel Blak Blake Tho The colonel his wife wire and their daughter Ruth ore are impressed by the boys boy's manner Ho lie gets work In the village e of Amity Dam and meets me a youth of his age are Bony and Bumpy Brown tinker r village character With Bony Shad visits the shack which Brown calls home Bat seeks seeks' to take his bis son back to his bis own dissolute life lire but is s overawed by Colonel Blake th the dist district attorney and his father passes S out of Shads Shad's Ufa Ufo Love for Ruth Blake takes a strong bold on his heart In an attack attack at at- tack made on the Perry family Oscar Perry the father Is fatally shot hot and his daughter Mrs Doolittle wile wife of Cyrus Doolittle prominent citizen seriously wounded Circumstantial evidence points to Bumpy numpy Brown as the assailant and ha he Is arrested d. d Shad and Bony nony find dl disguises guiles the tho murderer had bd worn Colonel Blake arranges for Shad to study law under tinder his hrs guidance New evidence points to Robert Royce a as the murderer of Perry Bumpy Brown Is ta released on balL bail balLA bailA A stranger In a D nearby arby town attracts attracta the tho attention of Doctor Gorse Corse His de description description de- de fits fita a proclamation calling for the arrest of Donald Donnld Algyre Alme bandit and bank robber The Tha stranger er has bu associated with Robert Royce Cyrus Doolittle's Doolittles Doolittles Doolittle's Doo- Doo littles little's stepson Colonel Blake Is la convinced Algyre AlTe Is la accessory to the tho murder ol of Oscar Perry He deciphers Incriminating telegrams between Algyre Alme and coated coated- I the night he lay thinking of ot the great grent adventure ahead Above all he was eager enger for tor a chance to offer further proof of ot his bIs manhood to Colonel and Mrs Blake He was now nearly eighteen He felt old enough and of sufficient Importance even to marry I They were up early In the morn morn- Ing lag Colonel Blake wrote a letter to the local telephone manager who was his friend In the letter he herald said If It anyone seeks to communicate today or tomorrow with one Ned Lever In Brockville Brock it is I think Important to the Interest of law faw and order In this county which I 1 am am ain sworn to protect that the e effort ort should fall faU It is no less Important Important important tant to them that this letter and Its subject should be kept In the strictest confidence Please burn this tbs when read They reached Canton about seven The colonel went to his home and Shad to his lodgings The colonel urged the boy to go to his house with him get another breakfast he suggested with a smile That was a consideration which made the boy pause and reflect a moment His linen was now a bit soiled Moreover he got got a certain Joy from the thou thought bt that Ruth and her mother would regret his failure to appear at their home borne Of course Colonel Clonel Blake would tell of ot the Invitation Invitation tation and his answer So with pleasant words word he declined It not forgetting to ask that he be remembered remembered remembered to Ruth and her mother He lle was now getting to be a rather well- well spoken lad Ind with a n great pride In his personal appearance It was a busy morning at nt the theoffice office A little before noon the I j colonel summoned Shad to his room My plans are complete said the lawyer You and the sheriff are going with me We leave on the four o'clock train for Ogdensburg A friend of mine will take us up the river In his steam yacht I have burrowed borrowed a lot of hair Well We'll graft It on you and see how It looks He Be opened a box containing a awig awig awig wig a mustache and a n beard They tried them The hirsute adornments adornments adornments adorn adorn- ments were sufficiently accurate In shape and color G Go to a barber and get your hair cut close said the colonel Get your bag ready rendy for a night away and ond bring it here We Wo shall shull leave for the train at fit three forty We shall have bave a chance to talk as we ride When they were sitting together In a car almost empty the colonel drew a sheet of ot paper from his pocket It contained contain ell a diagram and some writing Here Is the layout of the dock as asI asI I 1 recall It he be explained If the ferry boat Is In the way I will ba have haveit ve veIt it moved On either side there will willbe willbe be a group of barrels the kind of things you look for on a dock Among these barrels the sheriff and andI I 1 will twill be concealed concealed he he on one side and I on the of other her You Yon would have havethe havethe havethe the center of the stage It Is a point of some danger I would advise advise ad ad- vise rise you to keep out of ot It and on the side I think that I know an officer in Og Ogdensburg who could play the part of Tram we well enough Shads Shad's courage had not failed him I want to do It the boy urged All right Youre You're an nn unusual lad and Id I'd like lile to see you get the credit for this Im I'm sure you can cando cando cando do It and Ill I'll make malte the Job as safe as I can You'll be standing close to the ferry Cerry house When you hear the boat boot and the signal you will step to the center of the dock and answer with two whistles I expect that Algyre will come ashore i I You will say Let the boat go A gentleman of your talents should not be traveling In a n rowboat OBrien O'Brien Is here bere with a steam yacht Come on You will walk toward to the rear of or dock If he suspects nothing he ho will follow Collow He lIe may throw a light lighton on you If It he does you will look the part If It he follows you we shall close In on him with Winchester rifles and signal for the searchlight on the yachts yacht's deck Winchester rifles I 1 Shad ex et- ex- ex claimed Yes We mustn't kill the man If Lt we can avoid It The light will daze him If he refuses to throw v up his hands bands and tries to draw his weapon I shall put his hs pistol arm out of or business I am fairly quick on the trigger myself Therell There'll be some kind of shelter for you yon I shall not know v Just what or where It will be until I look the ground over You will have time to get behind It before before be be- fore tore the shooting begins Suppose he doesn't get out of the boat He may smell a rat and put back to Canada In that case we shall have to head him off orr with the yacht or run him down l If necessary before he gets to the border which Is far out In the stream If It he comes to that dock he Is our man The devil couldn't save him They reached Ogdensburg and drove to Halls Hall's dock where the yacht and Its commander were waiting wait- wait Ing Sheriff Colewell had arrived In a buggy He had driven across country with the rifles The yacht was ready to move mote A surgeon famous famous famous fa fa- In that land was aboard They set out at nt once on their little cruise up the river Now the owner of the yacht was the successful merchant Mr Shaw of ot Ogden Ogdensburg burg By telephone the colonel had requested the help of his boat and crew In a matter concerning concerning concerning con con- the public welfare He had further requested him to see that a dozen empty barrels were put on board Im going to try to arrest a rather rath rath- er desperate criminal the colonel had explained One or the other of us may get hurt burt a little Therefore Therefore There There- fore we must have a n surgeon aboard Its It's only a short trip We shall be beback beback beback back at Ogdensburg In the morning morn- morn Ing When the nature and details of ot the enterprise were laid before the boats boat's commander In his luxurious cabin he be Insisted on expressing his bis hearty wishes with a bottle of ham cham cham- cham hampa pa ne Wait till dinner time said the colonel Well drink a glass with you then It Is not to be a careless night I used to enjoy stepping on this kind of ot a banana peel and slipping slipping slipping slip slip- ping down Just for the fun of it It Jars me to fall Call these days so I step carefully How Is the searchlight I worl working I Its a wonder wonder wonder-n a kind of ot a hooded hooded hooded hood hood- ed sun said Shaw I could count the hairs In your mustache with It Ita Ita ita a quarter of a mile away awny Darkness had bad fallen when they reached the dock in Morristown The TIle abandoned ferry boat was well out of the way The crew put the I barrels ashore The colonel and the sheriff placed them to their I liking Some fifty feet teet back from the dock stood a n small building occupIed occupied occupied pied during the day by a collector of customs No one was on duty there the ferry laving having stopped The colonel stood a moment lookIng lookIng look look- I Ing at It The boy was at his side This will be your shelter the I I lawyer whispered Get behind It It i as soon Boon as you can I They returned to the yacht It put out In the river swung rung about and anchored stream downstream lown stream a little and about a n hundred and fifty feet from the landing far out of the way of ot through traffic rame Dinner was ready Soon they were seated with their host In the main cabin with cocktails and hors- hors d'oeuvres on the table tahle When a man Is ruined and ready rendy for the Junk heap as I am cocktails cocktails cock cock- tails are a consolation said the col col- onel Until one gets wrinkles and corns and a n churlish voice a bald baldhead baldhead baldhead head and a rebellious stomach ne has no need of the consolation of f strong drink Shad did not fall all to understand that the colonels colonel's remark was aimed at him He lie took a n sip from Crom rein his glass with u n teaspoon Just to see how bow It |