The Auto Boys' Vacation Part 20

Then in came Billy, fairly frothing over the manner in which he had been tricked by the captive just when he was trying to make the stranger less uncomfortable. Between them they soon had him down on the ground where he writhed, kicked and twisted about in a climax of sheer desperation.

Doubly exasperated, Billy managed to get hold of a stout, short bit of a club from amid the fallen litter of the woods, and brought it down smartly on the man's head. It raised a welt, but he continued to struggle, though with decreasing force. Evidently he was becoming exhausted. Suddenly Worth jerked out his handkerchief, saying at the same time:

"Gimme yours, Phil--quick!"

Phil not only complied, but resumed holding down the stranger so effectively that in another minute Worth soon had his legs bound fast again.

"Now let's drag him back to the car and be off," remarked Phil. "Really the way that chap acts causes me to feel sure we've made a haul that the law will more than sanction. Yet I won't feel safe until we have him back at Feeney's."

The prisoner was lifted in the car where Billy stood over him, with pistol and the tube club ready for instant use if necessary. Without further trouble the Big Six sped along the rough roads until at length Feeney's house was reached. What was their surprise to see another car drawn up before the yard gate, while two strange men were coming out of the house, evidently in a great hurry, preparatory to entering their own machine.

CHAPTER XVI

CONCLUSION

At sight of the Big Six they halted, while in their rear came MacLester and Paul, with Mr. Feeney looking over their shoulders in sheer amazement at what his eyes beheld. Noting Worth's and Phil's disordered attire and the bound, somewhat bruised captive inside the tonneau, the foremost man came forward, saying to the two lads:

"Well, well! I guess you have saved us some trouble, you boys!" He waved a hand at his partner. "Permit me to introduce self and partner. We're from Buffalo, plain clothes detectives, secret service. McPherson is my name; Westcott that of my partner. We already know yours through Mr.

Rack, of Syracuse. Guess you know him. This man," pointing at Quinn, "and the other chap inside have been wanted some time for illegal coinage. After putting them under guard we will visit that old Tavern for further proofs. What's this?"

"It's what that man Quinn was trying to lug off when we took him. Before that they had stolen our car--" This from Billy.

"I know, I know! And you got this, did you? Pretty good!" McPherson had opened the valise, disclosing tools, dies, bars of metal and numerous coins. "We were at Midlandville. Heard of you there. Also got wind of these chaps and the old Tavern, and, prompted by Rack, we hurried along, fearing you lads might alarm them, inadvertently of course. But you have done well, remarkably well! There's a thousand reward out for them and it looks as if you four boys will have decidedly the best claim."

Meantime Westcott, a.s.sisted by Feeney, who greeted the two lads effusively, carried in Quinn to join his comrade under strict guard.

"Are you not ent.i.tled to that reward, Mr. McPherson?" asked Phil at length.

"No, sir. Not if anyone else does more than we in apprehending them. It looks now as if you four and perhaps Feeney and his folks will be ent.i.tled to all there is in it."

It may be said here that after all was over, the boys insisted that the Feeneys should share proportionately in the reward. It did Phil good to see the delight which these humble, hard working folks felt in what the third of that reward might do for them. They needed it and were glad to get it besides being grateful to our boys for being so generous.

Three days later the Big Six rolled smoothly into Lannington once more.

Glad indeed were the Auto Boys to see again the dear home faces and receive the sweet home greetings. "And also, and likewise," said Mr.

Paul Jones, "home cooking beats the world!"

A number of weeks later the boys read of Adam W. Kull being sentenced to serve seven years in prison, while Grant Coster received a sentence of two years. Thus vividly reminded of their adventures, the friends renewed a former effort to learn how Scottie had happened to appear in Lannington, their own home city. They could not, though it was evident that the dog, always even humanly fond of automobiles, had followed some car there.

Phil and Billy were now preparing to enter college. Dave was already occupying a steady position in his father's shop and Paul was about to take up engineering in a school near home. Slowly but surely the almost unbroken companionship of years' duration was encroached upon by the demands the days were bringing. The boys were growing older. But I know there were still no pleasanter hours for any of them than when, on holidays and of an evening, they sometimes met again at the little green and yellow garage under the whispering elms.

THE END