Nor was this all. Four other fellows had been hiding without, screened by some friendly bushes from the sight of Pete and Simsy when they issued forth in search of the unfortunate who was so beseechingly calling for help. These chaps, hearing the beginning of the racket within the bunk-house, looked upon it as a signal for their advance.
Through the open door they came in a confused bunch, ready to lend any assistance in their power. But just at that moment it looked as if there were already quite enough hands clustering around the astonished and disgusted Dolph Gruber to attend to his case. And as Lil Artha said, "Too many cooks sometimes spoil the broth."
Dolph possibly as yet did not understand what it all meant. He had had a glimpse of khaki uniforms, and may have suspected that the authorities had summoned a company of the militia from some neighboring city to search for the kidnaper and the missing child.
He struggled desperately; but when some six or eight pretty husky boys hurl their united weight on one person that individual has a slim chance of throwing off the burden. And so Dolph had to take it out in wriggling and grunting.
Lil Artha had made preparations looking to this condition of affairs. Indeed, had he been a duly elected sheriff of the county he could hardly have been more in readiness to secure a prisoner.
"Hold him steady, fellows, while I tie his hands behind his back!" he exclaimed; "there, turn him over a little more; and Matt, twist that left arm further back. That's the ticket, boys. Watch me fix him up in a jiffy, will you?"
He started to wrap some stout twine around and around the wrists of the prisoner. By this time Dolph seemed to become aware of the fact that these mysterious fellows, who had crept in through some back entrance, and pounced upon him with such scant ceremony, were a pack of half-grown boys. He started to roar threats at them, filled with rage at the thought of such an indignity as being so rudely handled by mere lads. But despite his worst efforts he could not break loose from the grip they had upon his person.
"Whoop! that's the way to do it, fellows!" Lil Artha continued to declare, as he completed his job. "Talk to me about your football tackle, this takes the cake, sure! Now for another little splice around his legs. Sit on him, some of you! No matter if he does object; what right has a kidnaper got we're bound to respect? Let him bawl till he gets hoarse. We've got him, and we're going to hold him till he's shut up in the cooler at Hickory Ridge!"
Elmer meanwhile had not forgotten that Dolph had comrades. Doubtless his angry shouts must have reached the ears of the two tramps, who could not have gotten entirely beyond range of a loud voice.
"Here, you fellows," he called to the four boys who had come darting through the entrance of the cabin, "shut that door, and find some way to barricade it! We may have the other men attacking us yet; and you remember how we arranged our plans in case that happens. Quick, let's get ready for a siege!"