CHAPTER IX.
BACK TO THE CANAL.
"There's only one man down there, mate, so far as I can see," announcedFerral presently. "He's waving a bunch of burning grass on the end of astick."
"Is he an officer?"
"He's got on a policeman's uniform."
"Then I guess it will be safe for us to go down."
The descent continued, and the Hawk hovered above the place whereGraydon was standing.
"Don't bring that fire near the air ship, Graydon!" Matt called. "Putit out and then come alongside and we'll help you into the car."
The officer did as directed, and was soon in the air ship with Matt andFerral. The young motorist started on again toward the canal.
"It was a big surprise to me to see this air ship," said Graydon."Harris was scared to death thinking something had happened to it, andto you boys. We rushed out here from South Chicago in an automobile,and----"
"We know all about that, Graydon," interposed Matt.
"You do?" cried Graydon. "Who told you?"
"Harris."
"Now where in the blazes did you see Harris? He halted the automobilein the road and asked me to get out and take a look through the oldquarry. When I got back to the road again the car was gone, and so wasHarris. I've been at sixes and sevens ever since. Why did Harris pullout and leave me?"
"He didn't go of his own free will, Graydon. He was knocked down andcarried in an unconscious condition to a house in La Grange," and Mattbriefly explained what had happened.
Graydon's amazement was keen.
"Well, what do you think of that!" he exclaimed. "Here I've beenpottering around in the vicinity of that old quarry for two hours,wondering where Harris was, and why he didn't show up. I got the notionthat maybe he had seen some one and had given chase, and that perhapshe'd come back. After two hours of waiting and looking, I gave up andstarted for La Grange. Then I saw the air ship, and now you tell methe automobile has been stolen, and that Harris is scurrying around LaGrange, hunting for the machine and for Hector Brady! I suppose I oughtto be there with him."
"You might just as well go on with us, Graydon," said Matt. "We'regoing back to the quarry and Harris is coming there as soon as hefinishes his work. You'll probably find him a whole lot quicker if yougo with us than if you keep on to La Grange."
"I'm willing enough to go with you," answered Graydon, "because I'mtired out. I've had footwork enough to-night to last me for a week."
"What did you find in the old quarry? Anything?"
"I found a place where somebody had camped--a sort of a den under anoverhang of limestone. But there wasn't any one in the quarry."
"That must have been the place where Brady has been hanging out."
"So you captured him and he got away from you! Well, he's about asslippery a crook as you'll find in eleven states."
The two trees by the canal were soon reached, and the Hawk was mooredjust as she had been the other time. Graydon, after turning over hisrevolver to Matt, stretched out in the bottom of the car with hisrolled-up coat under his head and was quickly snoring.
But there was not to be much sleep for Matt or Ferral that night. Itmight be, as Harris had said, that "lightning never struck twice inthe same place," but the two lads were not taking any chances. Armedwith Graydon's revolver they felt equal to any emergency that mightconfront them, but to close their eyes seemed out of the question. Theypatrolled the ground in the vicinity of the two trees. This was more asa precaution to keep themselves awake than anything else.
"Too blooming bad we just missed getting Miss Brady away from thatoutfit," muttered Ferral. "If we'd got to Hooligan's half an hoursooner, we might have rescued the girl."
"We can't tell what would have happened," returned Matt. "Thosescoundrels had the automobile--don't forget that--and they didn't stopat Hooligans very long after they got there from the quarry."
"Long enough, anyhow, so that we could have grabbed the machine if wehad known about it. Now there's no telling where Pete and Whipple havetaken the girl. With that automobile, they may be thirty miles fromhere, by now."
"It will be easier to find them with the automobile than if they hadgot away without it. They'll have to keep to the best roads, and Harriscan telegraph all over this part of the country. Every automobile willbe closely scanned, and if Pete and Whipple get away they'll be a wholelot more clever than I think they are."
"They'll only use the old flugee by night, mate. During the daytimethey will hide away somewhere."
"Well, I think the chances are good for the whole party being captured.Helen Brady has done so much for us, though, that I would like to havehad a hand in rescuing her."
"I'm tagged onto the same rope, old ship! But I guess it don't makemuch difference how Helen Brady gets away from Pete and Whipple,just so she _does_ get away. That guff about the memorandum in theLake Station house, and the buried treasure, was a fine yarn for themarines. I'm a Fiji if that Brady hasn't got a keen imagination."
"I'm taking a whole lot of stock in that yarn myself, Dick."
"Oh, my eye! Say, matey, where's your head? Why, Brady just threw thattreasure business into the story to make it more catchy."
"I don't think so. We know that Pete and Whipple lured Helen Bradyaway. Why should they do it if it wasn't to get hold of that buriedloot? Brady's explanation is the only reasonable one, and it ringstrue, to me."
"Why did he get up and dust if he was playing square with us? Didn'the say he'd give himself up if you'd head the Hawk for La Grange andhelp rescue the girl? Nice way he's got of giving himself up! Why, hetripped anchor the minute he got a chance, knocked Carl over and tooka slant for the open. He's got a good offing by now, and I'm bettingwe never see him again. According to my notion, he stands a betterchance of steering clear of the law than do Pete and Whipple. Brady cangive any the rest of his old gang cards and spades when it comes toheadwork."
"I don't know why it is, Dick," said Matt, "but somehow I've got alot of confidence in Brady's doing as he said he would. He's hungryto revenge himself on Pete and Whipple for their attempt to steal theburied plunder, and making the girl help them. Brady, if I know him,will go a long way to get even with a man."
"He's tried jolly hard to get even with you, but you've just naturallyboxed the compass all around him."
"Well, he's let up on me now."
"Don't be so cocksure of that, my hearty. He let up on you while hecould use you and the Hawk. After he accomplishes what he set out todo, if he ever does, there may be a different story."
"I've got a good deal of confidence in him," insisted Matt."Everything's quiet around here, Dick," he added, "and you might aswell turn in and catch your forty winks. I'll stand guard alone.If anything goes wrong--which I haven't the least idea will be thecase--you'll hear this gun begin to talk and can flock to the placewhere you're needed."
"I guess I will do a caulk, mate, for I'm mighty dozy; but I'll onlytake the nap on one condition."
"What's that?"
"Why, that you go below yourself after I do my own stretch off theland. I'll wake up in time to give you a chance before sunrise."
"I'll agree," laughed Matt, "providing you wake up."
Ferral selected a spot under one of the trees and spread the canvasshelter Matt had stowed in the car for the protection of the air ship.With his coat for a pillow, and the canvas between him and the ground,he was off to the Land of Nod in record time.
From that on, Matt had a lonely and fruitless vigil. A passenger trainwent past on the railroad, but that was the only event that came torelieve the monotony of two hours' sentry duty.
At the end of the two hours, when, as Matt judged, it was nearly fouro'clock, Ferral stirred himself and arose.
"It's my turn-to, mate," said he. "Give me the revolver and below withyou."
"How did you manage to wake up?" queried Matt, as he passed over theweapon.
"Practice, I guess. If a fellow fixes it in his mind that he's goingto wake up
at a certain time, he can usually do it. Anyhow, that's thecase with me. But ease off on your jaw tackle, matey. You're wastingvaluable time. We've been through a lot of excitement and you must betired. Harris and Carl will probably be here before you have the chanceto get as much of a snooze as I had."
Matt walked over to the improvised bed under the tree and dropped down.He was hardly flat on his back before he was sound asleep; and itdidn't seem to him that he had more than closed his eyes before a yellfrom Ferral brought him to his feet.
But some time had passed since Matt had laid down. The sun had risen,and it was broad day. There was the roar of an approaching train inMatt's ears, and Ferral was pointing excitedly toward the cars andshouting:
"Look there, mate! What do you think of that? Brady, or I'm a Fiji!"
Motor Matt's Daring Rescue; or, The Strange Case of Helen Brady Page 9
