031 The Secret of Wildcat Swamp by Franklin W. Dixon

Author:Franklin W. Dixon [Dixon, Franklin W.]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER XII

Ambush

WHILE Chet was struggling with his new enemy, the man he had knocked down began slowly to get to his feet. Holding his jaw, he shone a big flashlight on the boy and glowered.

“Wise guy, eh? Break his arm, boss.”

“Can the cracks! Get on with this job!”

The injured man’s companion collared Chet and shoved him deeper into the cavern, where the other fellow stuck a candle into a crevice and lighted it.

In the eerie glow Chet saw Cap lying prone on the ground. Then, for the first time, he got a good look at the second assailant, a small, wiry man wearing a badly fitting green uniform and holding a short rifle.

As Chet stared, Cap came to and staggered to his feet.

“You’re the rangers who ordered us out of this area!” he charged.

“Very clever!” the scrawny man said sarcastically. “But since you weren’t smart enough to take a friendly warning, we’re going to teach you a lesson!”

“Listen here,” Cap retorted angrily, “I demand that this boy and I be treated according to law. You have no right to hold us without valid complaint.”

“No? Well, we’re taking the right.”

“You can’t get away with this!” Chet said hotly. “We know who you are, and we know what you’re after! You’re impostors, and you’re trying to steal Mrs. Sanderson’s land!”

“And you,” Cap added, pointing at the wiry man, “you’re Willie the Penman!”

The other man looked startled. “They know we’re—”

“Shut up!” the small fellow ordered. He turned to Cap and Chet. “You don’t know what you’re talking about. If you have any sense at all, you’ll keep your mouths shut.” He turned back to his companion. “Give me the wire.”

The captives were led deeper underground, back into the dim recesses of the cave. Then the men, using lengths of tough copper wire, tied their prisoners’ hands behind their backs and bound their ankles.

“Are we being kidnapped?”

The little man said with an ugly laugh,” I wouldn’t call it that. We’re not taking you anywhere. You’re just going to lie right here in this cave and have a good rest.”

“Yeah, and when we get around to it,” his henchman added, “we’ll send the sheriff to pick you up.”

With that, the two men left the cave. When the sound of their footsteps had died away in the gloomy vault, Chet spoke up. “Do you think they really will send the sheriff to get us?”

“I wouldn’t count on it,” Cap replied. “I can’t picture those two criminals helping the law.”

“Do you suppose Frank and Joe will ever find us?” Chet quavered.

Meanwhile, the Hardys had altered their plans. Since they did not have to meet their father until midnight, they had decided to ride first to Sheriff Paul’s and find out about the “ranger trouble.”

Upon reaching the Paul ranch, the boys dismounted and knocked on the front door. To their amazement, it swung wide open under Frank’s touch,

Joe called out, but there was no reply. He peered into the neat living room.

“The place is deserted and the note we left is still on the table!”

“That’s funny,” Frank remarked.

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