The Argosy, Vol. XI, No. 21 — page 7: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

THE ARGOSY glances about with his one eye, to which no ove paid any attention. CHAPTER XXVII. MASON AGAIN. WO deputies were left to guard the house, and after securing the boys’ guns, the rest started back to town with the prisoners. Moll was allowed a horse, but the others tramped along through the. mud, vowing ven- geance on all concerned and the boys in par- ticular. Jack and Dick were covered with mud and sound asleep in the office in the court house, into which state they had fallen while heroically waiting for Chub’s return. While the prisoners were being locked in the jail below, Chub wake them up and, related what had transpired after their departure, ; ee im 9 ANDY AND HIS FATHER WERE ON TOP, ‘THEIR FACES PALF AS A SHEET. i} He had scarcely finished when Hart came in, travel stained and jubilant. ‘*Come around in the morning, boys, and we can straighten up what business remains to be done, and you can get your reward.” ‘*Our reward !” repeated Chub. ‘Say !” exclaimed Jack excitedly. ‘‘ Does that reward on the bulletin board in the hall have any reference to this case ?” ‘* Any reference!” returned Hart. is the same one!” | ‘* Whoop-ee !” shouted Jack. And when the three started for a hotel, Dick was so ex- cited he could scarcely say: on ‘““It has been a good day’s work, boys, but we are well paid. I never dreamed when Jack and I read that over that it was anything that concerned us. Five hundred dollars reward! Whew! I don’t know whether I am walking or not!” The next morning, after what legal business remained to be transacted was over, the boys’ names and addresses were written down and the five hundred dollars turned over. ‘* We have more money now than I care to have about,” Chub said uneasily, after the excitement had died away. ‘*Of course it has. It 327 ‘“Then we'd better deposit it, subject to draft, and draw it wheuv we get home,” Dick advised. And as this suggestion was acted upon, and as the bank transacted no business until after nine o’clock, it was half an hour after that before they started. The roads were heavy and progress slow. The farmers seemed to be well supplied with the lines the boys carried, and Chub, growing suspicious, propounded a few questions that revealed the fact that Mason was ahead, and not far ahead at that. X ~ ul & pS ; Wid 1! Wa ‘¢ Now, we are not riding through the country on a pleasure trip,” Chub told the others, after receiving this information ; ‘and there is no profit when we sell nothing. The one ahead has all the sales, and as Mason is not in the least particular what way he takes to get the advantage of us, suppose we change places with him.” ‘Supposing we do, don’t put us there,” Dick reminded him ; ‘and these roads are not in a favorable condition for racing.” ‘“T’ll admit that,” said Chub; ‘* but our horses are better than his, and if we don’t waste any time stopping at these farmhouses where we don’t sell anything, we will gradually gain on him, and not wear the horses out, either.” And following his idea they kept steadily on, and the stops Mason made lessened the distance wondertully. They came in sight of his wagon, after rounding a turn in the road, standing before a farmhouse not far ahead. Mason was at the door with a display of tinware, and when the boys went past with a shout and flying mud, he ran half way to the gate in his excitement, as though intending to stop them. That he was angry the boys could see by looking back. He walked back to the door, jammed his tinware to- gether, and leaving the lady staring at him in astonish- conniclooolkks (CO)