the two boys were pretty well tired out from the strain through which they had just passed and they both had several bad burns on their hands, which, now that the excitement was over, began to assert themselves. they had not walked far when they saw a small park, where were some benches, and jack proposed that they sit down and rest up a bit. as he knew that bob had been taken to boston, naturally the latter was the more surprised of the two on seeing his brother there, and as soon as they were seated on a bench bob said:
"now, jack, tell me all about it, quick, and then i'll give you an account of my racket."
so jack, starting from the time bob disappeared, told him all that had happened. when he reached the point where we left him, he said:
"i tell you what, bob, when i found that those rascals had varmoused and left me locked in that burning house, i was scared. i pounded on the 119door and yelled till i was hoarse and when no one came i was about ready to give up. by this time the room was pretty full of smoke, and my eyes smarted so that i could hardly keep them open and the floor was so hot, that i had to fairly dance, and it was getting hotter every minute. i had managed to get my clothes on by this time and started to see if i could kick a hole in the door, but it was too strong and i could make no impression on it."
"couldn't you cut a hole in it with your knife?" asked bob.
"i thought of that, but i had lost my knife somewhere. well, just as i thought that all hope was gone, i remembered that there was a hole about two feet square in the ceiling at one end of the room. it was fully eight feet from the floor, but i took the cot and leaned it against the wall and managed, by climbing up on it, to reach the edge of the opening and climb up through. i found myself in an empty room running the entire length of the house. there was a stairway at the other end and i ran to it, but the smoke was pouring up in clouds and i could see that the stairs were ablaze and the room below full of fire, so i didn't dare to risk it. i thought then it was all up with me, but it was a little cooler up there and i managed to get one of the front windows open, and you know the rest. i tell you, bob, old man, you never looked so good to me as you 120did coming up that ladder with the rope in your hand. i think i should have jumped in another two minutes. but, now tell me all about yourself. where have you been and how did you get away?"
then bob gave him a full account of his adventures and when he told how he had hit reed on the nose, jack said, "good enough for him, wish i'd been there." then, when bob had finished, he asked, "but why do you suppose reed pushed me overboard? it must have been he."
"of course it was," answered bob, "there's no one else who would do it except king and it couldn't have been he, for he was with me at the time. i suppose he saw you, and thinking you might make trouble for them, he probably thought he would dispose of you."
"i guess that's about the way of it, leastwise, that's the way i figured it out. hello, there's a cop; suppose we ask him where we are."
they soon learned that they were only about a half mile from the station, and as they were well rested, they decided that they would go there and take the train for their uncle ben's in winthrop.
reaching the station, they found a train about to leave, and in less than a half hour, they were getting off at winthrop beach. uncle ben's house was but a few minutes' walk from the station and soon they 121were ringing the bell, and their aunt lucy answered it.
"why, it's bob and jack," she cried as she saw them. "where did you come from? my, but i'm glad to see you," and without giving them time to speak, she grabbed one in each arm and gave them a good hug and kiss.
"where's uncle ben?" asked bob as soon as he could get the question in.
"he had to go to the bank, but i expect him out on the next train, as he said he was only going to stay a little while. but there, i'll bet you haven't had any lunch and are as hungry as two young bears. come right in and we'll have something to eat in less than no time."
"how are all the folks?" asked aunt lucy, as they sat down.
"fine and dandy," replied jack, "but my goodness, bob, we must call them up right off. can i use the 'phone, auntie?"
the 'phone was in the front hall and jack was gone some little time, but at last he returned. just as they began to eat, the door opened and uncle ben entered the room. he was no less delighted to see the boys than aunt lucy had been, and the meal was a merry one. the boys said nothing regarding their adventures till the lunch was over, then bob said:122
"uncle ben, we've got quite a long story to tell you."
"is that so? well, fire away."
so bob began and told them all about their adventures. he was interrupted many times by expressions of horror and indignation from uncle ben and aunt lucy.
"well, of all the happenings," declared uncle ben, when he had finished. "say, bob, do you think you can find that house where they had you?"
"yes, i think so. it was in east boston, 54 uhl street. i noticed the number of the house and the street as i ran out."
"that's in one of the worst sections of the city," declared uncle ben. "now, boys, if you are not too tired we must take the next train to the city and report this to the police, and we may be in time to catch them. the scoundrels, they must be caught and punished if possible; it's not safe to have them at large."
both boys declared that they were not tired, and, as the next train left in about fifteen minutes, they started at once.
in a short time they reached east boston and took the ferry across.
"it must have been here that i went overboard," said jack as they were about half way across, and 123he shuddered as he looked down at the water. "i wouldn't want to go through that again."
"i should say not," said uncle ben. "oh, by the way, jack, you didn't see either of those fellows round the house after the fire, did you?"
"no, i never thought a thing about them."
"well, they ought to be found and locked up, for they undoubtedly intended to rob you, and were probably going to make your father pay a big sum of money."
"yes, i guess that's so," agreed jack, "but then they saved my life and i'd rather call it square."
"well, if that's the way you feel about it," said uncle ben, "we won't say anything to the captain about them."
reaching the other side of the harbor, they lost no time in getting a car, which took them to state street, where was the police station of which uncle ben's friend was captain.
"is captain long in?" he asked a sergeant, who was sitting at the desk as they entered.
"i think so, sir, please wait a moment and i'll see." touching a bell on his desk, he ordered the attendant to see if the captain was in his office.
"right, sir," said the man going out.
he was back in a minute, and telling them that captain long would see them at once, conducted them through several rooms into his private office.124
"why, hello ben," greeted a large broad-shouldered man, wearing the uniform of a police captain, as they were ushered into the room. "come to give yourself up?"
"not just yet, harry. these are my two nephews from maine," he said, introducing the boys, "i think likely you've seen them around my house, but i guess you've never met them."
the captain expressed himself as pleased to know them, and then motioning them to sit down, asked:
"now, what can i do for you?"
"well, harry," answered uncle ben, "these two youngsters have been through enough to turn your hair gray." then turning to bob, he said: "tell him your story as quickly as you can, for every minute may count."
so, for the third time that day bob gave an account of his kidnapping, only this time he made it as brief as possible. the captain said nothing till he had finished, but they could see that he was not losing a word.
"give me as careful a description of those two men as you can," he ordered, and bob obeyed.
"this is indeed serious," said the captain, turning to mr. golden when bob had finished. "i'll bet you my cap that the smaller of the two men is jim the penman, and if that's right, he is one of the most wanted men in the country today. why, there's a 125reward of $10,000 for him, and that other fellow may be oily joe; they have worked together a good bit and are two of the most expert counterfeiters in the world. the two of them have given us a lot of trouble. i'm mighty glad you came to me, although i'm afraid it's too late, as they've probably skipped, but we'll make a try for them and it's possible we may be on time."
he touched a button on his desk, and an officer entered.
"have the patrol out at once with six of the best men available," he ordered, "report to me here. let's see," he said, as the man saluted and retired, "you said 54 uhl street. that's over across the ferry."
in less than two minutes a knock sounded and at the captain's "come in," six uniformed policemen entered. quickly, he explained the situation to them and gave his orders.
"the driver will let you out about two squares this side of the house, and i'll be there by the time you are, and tell you how to arrange things."
he gave them the address and saluting, they left the room.
"don't lose a minute," he shouted as the last man went out.
"now," said captain long, turning to mr. golden 126and the boys, "don't you want to come along with me in my car?"
"we sure do," cried both boys together, and even uncle ben seemed no less anxious.
"all right then, this way," and he led them out to the street.
his car, a powerful two-seated machine, stood in front of the station house, the chauffeur dozing on the front seat, but he sprang to activity as he heard the captain's voice.
quickly, they entered the machine, captain long giving the direction to the driver, and just as they started, the patrol whizzed by, the horses at full gallop.
