"Shouldn't be surprised," remarked the other indifferently.

"He oughter managed things better. How was it you didn't warn him?"

"I did; I whistled twice the instant I saw his danger, and ran the risk of getting it in the neck myself," was the unblushing response of the youth.

"I don't see that there's anything we can do for him. He got himself in a hole through his own foolishness and must pull himself out. My motto when a gang gets into trouble is that every one must look out for himself and the devil take the hindmost."

"I say, Kit," said Miller, lowering his voice as if fearful of being overheard, "do you think they'll get Nox?"

"Haven't a doubt of it."

"I say, do you think there's any danger of his squealing, that is, if he hasn't been killed?"

"Naw," was the disgusted reply. "Nox is game--true blue; you can bet on him till the cows come home."

Which was more than Nox could say about his two pals.

Kit Woodford may have spoken with confidence, but he was not as free from misgivings as he would have it appear. He could not feel sure of their missing companion. If the report which they had heard did not mean that he had been slain, his capture looked certain, and there was no saying what he might do to secure leniency. Kit knew what _he_ would do in a similar situation.

"Well, come on," he growled. "We're in tough luck to-night."

And the two pushed their way among the trees in the direction of the river.

Meantime, matters remained interesting at the home of Widow Friestone.

The words of young Jim Buxton told a graphic story which made even Nora laugh and forget for the time the frightful excitement they had pa.s.sed through. When the merriment had partly subsided, Mike drew one of his remaining two quarters from his pocket and handed it to Nora.

"Will ye do me the kindness to presint that to Jim when he comes to the store in the morning to set the table on the front porch?"

"What's that for?" asked the puzzled girl.

"For the gayety he imparted to this gloomy avening. I don't know as ye need say that to him, for he wouldn't understand what ye meant until after three or four years of hard thought. But he's airned it, and ye'll not forgit."

She laid the coin aside and a.s.sured the donor that his wishes should be carried out.

Chester spoke:

"It seems to me we are throwing away time. It is past midnight and here we sit talking, and doing nothing because there seems nothing to do. What do you think, Alvin?"

"You are right. This business doesn't seem to have stirred up the town. I don't suppose anyone knows what has happened except Mr. Buxton and his family, and I don't think he will tell the particulars himself."

"That can be lift to Jim," said Mike, "onless his dad imprisses upon him that it won't be healthy for him to talk too freely wid his mouth regarding the sarcus he obsarved this avening."

"The lookout in front ran off at the first sign of danger, and if there was a second one he ran too. It will be a long time before any member of that party pays Beartown a second visit."

Alvin now made known the fear in his mind--a fear that was shared by Chester. The _Deerfoot_ was lying against the bank in Back River exposed to any injury which these criminals might choose to inflict by way of revenge. He proposed that the mother and daughter, after refastening the window and locking up, should retire to their beds, while the boys returned to the launch to make sure no harm befell it.

This course was only the commonest prudence, but the hostess and her daughter were clearly so nervous over being left alone for the remainder of the night that Alvin regretted his proposal. Nora especially did not try to hide her distress.

"Never mind," Alvin made haste to say, "we will wait till morning. You have been so kind that we cannot willingly cause you a moment's pain."

"May I make a suggistion?" asked Mike, speaking so seriously that all knew he was about to say something worth while.

"I know he's going to tell us the right thing," said Nora.

"How could I do itherwise wid yer bright eyes cheering me?" he asked, with his expansive grin. "The same is this: Do ye two spalpeens go down to the launch and stay there till morning while I remain behind wid the misthress and sweet Nora, and keep off the burglars wid that same gun that sarved me so well."

Only Alvin and Chester knew the chivalry of this proposal. Mike regretted keenly the separation from them, even though it promised to be for only a few hours.

"That is asking too much," said the widow, though her countenance brightened with pleasure.

"How can the same be asking too much whin ye haven't asked it?"

Nora clapped her hands.

"I can't hilp it if she looks upon mesilf as worth the two of ye," said Mike, with an a.s.sumption of dignity that deceived no one.

"It is good on your part, Mike," said Alvin. "I feel as if we ought to give attention to the boat, and you may as well stay here. We'll wait for you in the morning."

"Don't feel obleeged to do the same. Something may turn up that may cause ye to hurry off. If it be so, don't tarry a minute for me."

"Possibly you may prove right, but we shall hate to leave you behind."

"Ye may do so foriver, so long as I have such quarters as these."

With this understanding, the friends parted, no one dreaming of what was to befall them before all met again.

CHAPTER XXII

A STARTLING DISCOVERY

Nothing was more natural than that Alvin Landon and Chester Haynes should be concerned for the safety of the motor launch _Deerfoot_. It had been stolen from them once in simple wantonness by two young men who had nothing to do with the post office robberies. The motive for a similar theft was now much stronger. It was evident that the criminals had come to Beartown, or as near to it as they could come, by water, and their boat was somewhere in the neighborhood. They were likely to discover the _Deerfoot_, if they had not already done so, and knowing its superior speed, would either make use of or disable it so it could not be employed for pursuit.

Alvin and Chester kept to the road which connected the landing with the village, for it was much easier thus to advance than to pick their way through the pines and firs. They did not meet a solitary person, for the night was well along and daybreak near. When the rickety frame work loomed up in the moonlight, they turned off into the shadow of the wood and moved with the utmost care. All the time they kept within sight of the gleam of water. Alvin was in advance, with his comrade close upon his heels.

"h.e.l.lo! here she is!" was the pleased exclamation of the Captain a few minutes later.

"Has she had any visitors while we were away?" asked Chester, as the two stepped down to the margin of the river.

"I see no signs of it, but we shall have to examine further."

The launch lay as close to sh.o.r.e as it had been possible to bring her--so close indeed that the two stepped aboard without use of a plank. The position of the moon in the sky was such that the shadow of the trees was cast several feet beyond the boat, which, as a consequence, was wrapped in obscurity. Peering here and there, the youths began a visual search for the evidence they did not wish to find. Alvin tried the covering, which had been drawn over the c.o.c.kpit, preliminary to taking the bunch of keys from his pocket. It slid back easily.

"I thought I locked that," he said in surprise.

"I remember you went through the motions, but you must have missed it."