The Ranger Boys and Their Reward by Claude A. Labelle - HTML preview

CHAPTER XV
 CONCLUSION

LeBlanc stood there facing the astonished Dick, and a cruel leer spread over his face. He reached for a knife that stuck in his belt, and said softly in a whisper, as sibilant and venomous as the hissing of a snake:

“Ah, mon ami, we meet again. The last time.”

Long after that, Dick used to ask himself how it was that he managed to capture the halfbreed. The only solution that he could find was that he had acted solely on pure instinct.

As we know, Dick had been rummaging through the cupboard when he heard the singer approach. In his hand he still held a large can of tomatoes which he had contemplated opening.

He saw LeBlanc’s leering grin, then quick as a flash and straight as a die, he cast the heavy can straight at the halfbreed’s face.

The can struck LeBlanc on the forehead, just above the eyes. With a groan he slipped to the ground, the knife falling from his hand and clattering on the pebbles on the ground.

Never waiting to look to see whether the blow had killed or merely stunned “The Bear,” Dick whipped his lasso from his belt where it hung, and flopping the limp body of the halfbreed over, slipped the noose over his wrists and drew it tight. He took several turns, and then bound the tied wrists to the body. Just for safety’s sake he threw a turn of the rope over the unconscious Frenchman’s feet and then waited to see if he would come to.

In a few minutes the man groaned and then stirred, trying to get up. He found that he was solidly bound, and when he recovered his voice, hurled imprecations at his captor.

Dick then searched the man and found a revolver, and then noticing a lump in his shirt, ripped it open and drew forth a canvas bag.

He opened it and looked in, and found to his great surprise that it was filled with rough tourmalines, among which he recognized some that they had mined, and noted particularly for some distinguishable mark.

He began to worry about the safety of his chums, wondering whether LeBlanc had stolen the gems by stealth, or whether there had been a battle and some one at the mine had been hurt.

He questioned the halfbreed but received only threats and curses for answers.

“All right; if you won’t talk, best thing to do is to get there without delay and see for ourselves. Now, LeBlanc, we’re going home on the double trot. Anytime you make a false step, or attempt to escape, or lessen your speed, I’ll not have the slightest hesitation in putting a bullet in you. Now, en avant, understand that? It’s good French for get a wiggle on you.”

Dick and his captive set off down the mountain. Dick knew that there would be no sleep that night, but he intended to rest, and figured on binding LeBlanc tightly to a tree during the dark hours. If he had known the country, he would have marched through the night, but it would be fatal to get lost at this point in the game.

Just after dusk he prepared to tie LeBlanc up, when he heard the thud of horses’ hoofs in the distance, and set up a whoop. In a moment or two a mounted Ranger appeared.

He looked in surprise at the pair before him, and then in a brisk tone demanded to know the meaning of the sight.

Dick drew from his pocket the Ranger badge and explained who he was. He told the Ranger that he was taking LeBlanc, who was wanted for half a dozen or more serious crimes, back to Chester and thence to Hobart to turn him over to the sheriff.

When Dick told of his plan for the night, the Ranger told him that would be unnecessary, for he had a cabin about two miles and a half away.

“You hop up here behind me, and we’ll make the critter with you use Shank’s Mare.”

Dick had now given up all idea of his week in the woods. All he wanted to do was to get LeBlanc in the hands of the law and see how his chums were faring.

At the Ranger’s cabin he found a second waiting, for occasionally the men on the patrol in the Forest Reserve travelled in pairs.

A good hot meal was waiting, and he enjoyed it to the limit. LeBlanc’s hands were loosened sufficiently for him to eat, but with two sizable men and a boy to watch him, he knew it would be futile to attempt to escape.

Dick entertained the Rangers vastly during the meal with his account of how he had subsisted during his stay in the forest.

“I don’t know that I would have gotten along so well,” said one of them, “and I’ve been in this Reserve here for four seasons now.”

The next morning was gloomy and drizzly, and so it was arranged for Dick to make time by riding double with the Ranger, while LeBlanc was tied on a led horse.

They reached the river bank an hour before noon, and here Dick had figured he would have to wait until his chums kept the agreed upon noon-time rendezvous.

This was rendered unnecessary, however, when they saw a boy rowing a flatboat down the river. They hailed him and arranged to have him stay and watch the horses for a couple of hours, while the Ranger and Dick rowed LeBlanc across the river and lodged him in the lock-up.

Dick then got into communication with the sheriff, who charged the constable to guard the prisoner with every precaution, and under no circumstances was he to be allowed bail by the Justice of the Peace, should any be offered.

The Ranger left after receiving the hearty thanks of Dick, and he set out in a hurry for the mine. He found his chums just on the point of heading for the river, and then ensued many explanations.

Great was the delight of the chums when Dick produced the bag of tourmalines, which he kept until the end of his story, and then displayed with a dramatic gesture.

Not a word was said to Dick about his father’s having been found, but the fat boy could not help but notice the tension that prevailed about the camp. Twice Garry left the mine to go to the telegraph office, but with no result. The next day at noon, however, he received a brief wire from his father. It said:

“Operation a success. Bring Dick and hurry to Boston. Come to Massachusetts Homeopathic Hospital.”

Arrangements were hastily made to close up their summer’s stay. Dick was still in the dark, but his chums would not yet enlighten him. Nate Webster was to remain in charge of the mining, and when Garry proposed that he hire George Washington Dudley, the gum-hunter, and any other help that he needed, Nate agreed enthusiastically, for he and Dud were old friends of years ago.

The long trip to Boston was finally ended, and guiding the perplexed Dick, they got a taxi at the North Station and rushed to the hospital. Here they were met by Mr. Boone. He took Dick to one side and quietly told him that the Hermit was his father and that he had recovered his mind and memory after the operation. Dick was led to the private room, and there Mr. Boone left father and son together for a few moments. When the doctor finally shooed Dick out of the room, he silently grasped the hands of Mr. Boone and his chums, but his voice was too choked for utterance.

And so we leave the Ranger Boys, who had displayed real nerve and bravery throughout their summer. Dick received his reward, in the finding of his father. Phil’s share of the mine would permit him to attend Farnham Hall with his chums that year.

“But what good thing has come to Garry?” demanded Dick.

“Why, I’ve got what I wanted most,—the thing that I wondered all summer how we could bring about. That is the knowledge that the Three Ranger Boys will be together for some time to come, and the knowledge that I have two of the finest friends that could ever be given a fellow; and last but not least, I have a share in the Ruth mine, one of the richest things in the state. What more could I have?”

“Well,” whispered Dick to Phil, “If I’m any good at reading ‘sign,’ when he’s a little older he’ll have something else besides the mine that’s named Ruth.”

And here we leave the Extraordinary Unit of the Maine State Ranger Service.

THE END