Chapter XXIV. A Conversation of Importance - The Rover Boys on a Hunt by Edward Stratemeyer
"Do you know anything about those Germans?" questioned Fred, turning to Codfish.
"I know they came to see Tony Duval once or twice before," answered the sneak of Colby Hall. "They and Duval seem to have some secret business between them."
"Do you know what it is?" asked Jack.
At this Codfish shook his head.
"Did Werner and Glutts have anything to do with it?" came from Gif.
"They went to Duval's cabin once when the Germans were there. I asked to go along, but they wouldn't let me. After that Bill and Gabe took some kind of a message down to Timminsport for them. It was on their way back from the town that they stopped and made a mess of things at your Lodge. They were laughing and joking about it when they got back, and that is how I know what took place."
"You said you would tell us where the things that were taken away are," came from Spouter.
"They are all in the barn under the hay—at least that is what Bill and Gabe said. They took 'em out there in one of the bed sheets."
"I guess that's right," came quickly from Gif. "I noticed that one of the sheets was missing."
They had now reached the shelter of the forest, and here, after a little talk, it was decided that the twins and Fred should return to Cedar Lodge at once, taking Codfish with them, while Jack, Gif, and Spouter took a roundabout course leading to the rear of Tony Duval's shack.
"We've got to be careful," announced Jack. "For all we know, those Germans may be desperate characters."
"And on the other hand they may be the most innocent fellows in the world," added Spouter. "Remember, not all the German-Americans in this country are unpatriotic."
The three soon reached a point where they could catch sight of Duval's shack. They approached with caution so that they might not be seen from the single back window of which the rough building boasted. As the boys drew closer they saw that the window had been raised several inches. Evidently there was a good fire going inside of the shack, and with so many occupants the place had become overly warm.
"Then it's all settled, and you'll attend to the matter?" they heard one of the Germans remark, as they crawled up close to the building.
"Yes, I'll do it," answered Tony Duval. "But I'll be running a big risk."
"Not if you are careful," said another of the Germans.
"And don't forget that you are being well paid for your work," added a third German, "and that you are doing this for the country in which your mother was born."
"I should not want to be caught," grumbled Tony Duval. "If I was, the authorities might hang me."
"Poof! be not so chicken-hearted," said the German who had first spoken. "Now it is all arranged, be careful that you do not disappoint us," he added sternly.
The three cadets had listened to this talk with intense interest. Now Jack could not resist the temptation to peer in at one corner of the window. He saw one of the Germans returning a wallet to his pocket, and saw Tony Duval take up several bank bills from the table and place them away in his hunting jacket. All of the Germans were on their feet, and now turned to the door, which one of them flung wide open.
"It's all over; get back as far as you can to the woods," whispered the oldest Rover boy, and led the way with the others at his heels.
When the cadets gained the shelter of the trees they saw the Germans get into the sleigh once more, and a few seconds later they drove away, Tony Duval watching their departure.
"Now what do you make of that, Jack?" questioned Gif. His face showed that he was puzzled.
"It looks to me as if those fellows were up to no good," returned Jack.
"Did you notice what they said about Tony Duval's mother?" cried Spouter. "That seemed to me as if his mother might have been a German woman."
"That's the way I took it, too," returned Jack. "And then, don't forget what Duval said—that the authorities might hang him if he was caught. That sounds as if they were asking him to do something which was against the law."
"Yes, and a big crime at that," put in Gif.
"I wonder where the Germans live?"
"Most likely at a distance. Otherwise they wouldn't be using a sleigh."
"We ought to look into this, and without delay," said Jack decidedly.
"Let us make it our business to find out all about the Germans to-morrow," said Gif. And so it was decided.
When the three arrived at Cedar Lodge they found the others were already there and had uncovered the goods hidden by Glutts and Werner under the hay in the barn. There they likewise found the bedsheet and the blanket which had previously been taken.
"Well, anyway, they didn't rob us," was Randy's comment.
"I guess they were afraid to do that," answered his twin. "They thought we might bring the law down on them."
"I don't like those fellows any more, and I intend to have nothing more to do with 'em," said Codfish.
"I guess they got you up here simply to make you toady to them."
"That's what they did, Andy. They made me carry all the things for 'em, and made me cut the wood and wash the dishes and everything. I was a big fool to leave home, where I might have had a splendid time during the holidays."
That evening came the first real drawback of the outing. In returning from the barn Spouter slipped on some ice and fell down with his foot under him. When he got up he found that his ankle was sprained, so that he could scarcely walk upon it. The others assisted him into the bungalow and did what they could to make him comfortable.
"I guess I'll be all right in a day or two," grumbled Spouter. "But this will prevent me from going out with you to-morrow to find out about those Germans."
"Well, anyway, Spouter, you'll have Codfish here to keep you company, and I'm sure he'll be glad enough to get something to eat for you," said Jack.
"I'll do that willingly if only you won't call me Codfish any more," pleaded the cadet mentioned.
"All right, Henry. We'll have to call you by your right name after this." And at this the sneak of the school seemed much relieved. Secretly, he hated the nickname of Codfish exceedingly.
Early in the morning came a surprise. The boys heard a well-known whistle and beheld Jed Wallop approaching, this time on foot. The old hunter had his gun with him.
"Thought I'd make a day of it with you," he announced. "That is, unless you've some other plans."
"We were thinking of coming over to your place," answered Jack. "We want to get some information."
"All right. I'm the walkin' dictionary and cyclopædia of this hull district," answered Jed Wallop, with a grin. "Go on and fire all the questions at me that you want to."
The old hunter listened with interest to what the cadets had to say concerning the Germans and Tony Duval, and also about the message Glutts and Werner had carried to Timminsport for the strangers.
"That don't look right to me, at all," he said, shaking his head gravely. "I've seen them Germans a few times myself, drivin' around in that big sleigh of theirn. Sometimes there's only two of 'em, and then agin the four are in a bunch. Someone once told me that Duval had German blood in his veins, and I guess that's right."
"And I'm sure Glutts is German, and maybe Werner too," said Randy.
"My idee is that them Germans are holdin' out at an old house up River Bend way. It was the old Parkingham estate, but it hasn't been used for years. It's a mighty lonely place, too, right in the midst of the woods."
"How far is that from here?" questioned Fred.
"About three miles, I should say."
"Is there a pretty good road?" questioned Jack.
"The way by the mountain road would be all of five miles. But I know a fair trail through the woods that we might take."
"Then let's get there as soon as possible!" cried Gif. "Will you go with us, Jed?"
"O' course I will! If them Germans are traitors to this country, or anything like that, I want to know it," answered the old hunter decidedly. "I'm too old to enlist for the war, but I ain't too old to do my duty by Uncle Sam."
"We might combine business with pleasure," remarked Jack. "We can take our guns and game bags, and also a substantial lunch. Then if we see any signs of game going or coming, we can take our time about getting back here."
"One thing that brought me over was this," went on Jed Wallop. "I heard one of you young fellers sayin' you wanted to get a crack at a silver fox. Well, I know a holler about two miles from here where quite a few foxes are hangin' out. I've heard 'em barkin' around there more than once. I saw a silver fox up that way, too, and if he shows himself you might git what you are wishin' fer."
"Fine!" exclaimed Jack, with enthusiasm. "But is that hang-out of the foxes on the way to the old mansion you mentioned?"
"No, it ain't. But we might work around that way comin' back."
A substantial lunch was prepared and packed, and then, after seeing to it that their guns were in good order, the five cadets and Jed Wallop left the Lodge.
"Mighty sorry I can't go along," said Spouter dolefully. "However, I wish you all the best of luck, not only in getting some information about those Germans, but also in locating the foxes."
"And you can depend on me taking good care of Dick," said Henry Stowell.
"All right, Henry," answered Gif; for he and all of the others had been told how Codfish hated his nickname, and they had decided to do what they could toward dropping it, although, as Andy had remarked, "It might be pretty hard to stop calling a donkey a donkey all the time."
"We'll give the little sneak a chance to turn over a new leaf," was what Jack had said in return. "I don't believe Codfish is bad at heart—he's only been traveling in the wrong company."
It was a fair day with the sun coming up clearly over the treetops. It was still intensely cold, but there was little or no wind, for which the lads were thankful.
"I suppose you have thinned out the game a good deal right around this Lodge," remarked Jed Wallop. "You know rabbits and squirrels don't like to hear the bangin' of a gun. They know mighty well it spells trouble fer 'em."
A mile was covered before they sighted anything that looked like game. Then a big fat rabbit ran directly across their path. To give the boys a chance, Jed Wallop did not fire, and as a consequence the bunny got away, none of the cadets being quick enough to get a shot at it.
"You've got to have your eyes open if you want to lay low all the game in these woods," chuckled the old hunter.
"He was too close to us," grumbled Gif. "Why, he was out of sight before I could think of raising my gun!"
"You mustn't think, Gif. Jest fire and let it go at that," and Jed Wallop grinned broadly. He was a man who loved company, and he thought it great sport to be out in the woods with the cadets.
After this they trudged along in silence, each of the lads keeping his eyes wide open for the possible appearance of any game. But nothing came to view.
"Now we'll soon be in sight of that old house," announced Jed Wallop presently. "It's on the other side of this hill."
They topped the rise, and there saw before them a small clearing, beyond which was a rough mountain road. On the other side of the road was a thick patch of timber, and in the midst of this stood a long low house with a wide veranda in front.
"There is the Parkingham house," said Jed Wallop. "And unless I'm greatly mistaken that's where them Germans are hangin' out."