The Clock Strikes Thirteen Part 17

"The nightshirt riders!" Jerry exclaimed. "Duck down, everyone!"

Penny and the six lads from the Riverview Home crouched low, watching the approach of the two riders.

"One of those men may be Clem Davis, but I doubt it!" muttered Jerry.

"They're here to destroy the crated cantaloupes!"

"Jerry, we can't let them get away with it!" Penny exclaimed. "Why not pelt them with melons when they get closer?"

"Okay," he agreed grimly, "we'll give 'em a spoiled cantaloupe blitz.

Gather your ammunition, gang, and get ready!"

Screened from the approaching hors.e.m.e.n by trees and bushes, the young people hastily collected a few over-ripe cantaloupes which were small enough to throw with accuracy.

Unaware of the barrage awaiting them, the two hooded men rode into the yard.

"Now!" Jerry gave the signal. "Let 'em have it!"

Taking careful aim, he hurled his own melon with all his strength. It found its mark, striking one of the men with stunning force, nearly causing him to fall from the saddle.

Penny and the boys from the orphans' home concentrated their efforts on the other horseman. While many of their shots were wild, a few went true.

One struck the horse which reared suddenly on her hind legs, unseating the rider.

"Give it to him!" Jerry shouted, observing that the fallen man was unhurt.

Handicapped by lack of ammunition, there followed a brief lull in the battle, as the young people sought to replenish their stock. Seizing the opportunity, one of the night riders galloped away. The other man, who had lost his horse, scrambled into the cab of the loaded melon truck.

"He's going to drive off!" Penny cried. "Let's stop him!"

She and Jerry ran toward the truck, but they were too late. The giant motor started with a roar, and the heavy vehicle rolled out of the yard.

Just then, Mrs. Davis came running from the cabin.

"My melons!" she screamed. "They've taken my melons! Oh, I was afraid something like this would happen!"

"Maybe I can overtake that fellow," Jerry called to her. "Ride herd on these kids until I get back!"

As he ran toward his own car, Penny was close at his heels. She slid into the seat beside him and they raced down the lane.

"Which way did the truck go?" Jerry demanded. "I was so excited I forgot to notice."

"It turned right. No sign of it now, though."

"The fellow is running without lights to make it harder for us to follow him."

Jerry and Penny both were hopeful that they could overtake the truck, which carried a heavy load. However, they had been delayed several minutes in getting started, and as the miles fell behind them, they caught no glimpse of the man they pursued.

"He must have turned off on that little side road we pa.s.sed a quarter of a mile back," Penny declared in discouragement. "Switch off the engine a minute."

Bringing the car to a standstill, Jerry did as instructed. Both listened intently. From far over the hills they thought they could hear the m.u.f.fled roar of a powerful motor.

"You're right, Penny! He turned off at that side road!" Jerry exclaimed, backing the coupe around. "We'll get him yet!"

Retracing their route, they started down the narrow rutty highway. Five minutes later, rounding a sharp bend, they caught their first glimpse of the truck, a dark object silhouetted in the moonlight. Only for a moment did it remain visible, and then, descending a hill, was lost to view.

"We're gaining fast," Jerry said in satisfaction. "It won't be long now."

The coupe rattled over a bridge. For no reason at all it began to b.u.mp, a loud pounding noise coming from the rear of the car.

"Gracious! What now?" Penny exclaimed.

"A flat," Jerry answered tersely. "Just our luck."

Pulling up at the side of the road, he jumped out to peer at the tires.

As he had feared, the left rear one was down.

"We'll probably lose that fellow now," he said irritably.

With Penny holding a flashlight, the reporter worked as fast as he could to change the tire. However, nearly fifteen minutes elapsed before the task had been accomplished.

"We may as well turn back," he said, tossing tools into the back of the car. "How about it?"

"Oh, let's keep on a little farther," Penny pleaded. "If we drive fast we might still overtake him."

Without much hope, they resumed the pursuit. Tires whined a protest as they swung around sharp corners, and the motor began to heat.

"This old bus can't take it any more," Jerry declared, slackening speed again. "No sense in ruining the car."

Penny had been watching the road carefully. They had pa.s.sed no bisecting highways, so she felt certain that the truck could not have turned off.

On either side of the unpaved thoroughfare were lonely stretches of swamp and woods.

"Let's not turn back yet," she pleaded. "We still have a chance."

"Okay," Jerry consented, "but don't forget we have six orphans waiting for us at the Davis place."

The car went on for another eight miles. Then came a welcome stretch of pavement.

"We must be getting near the state line," Jerry remarked. "Yeah, there it is."

Directly ahead was a tiny brick building with an official waiting to inspect cars which pa.s.sed beyond that point. A series of markers warned the motorist to halt at the designated place.

As Jerry drew up, a man came from the little building.

"Carrying any shrubs, plants or fruit?" he began but the reporter cut him short.

"We're following a stolen truck!" he exclaimed. "Has a red truck loaded with cantaloupes gone through here tonight?"

"I checked one about fifteen minutes ago."

"Fifteen minutes!" Jerry groaned. "That finishes us."