"Bully!" cried Lil Artha, who heard what Elmer had said. "We hold the fort, and the enemy has skipped out! Now, I opine that I'm some disappointed, because I did hope to try that nice club; but it's all right. I'm a peaceful chap, when I can have my own way. And we've got what we came for, fellows. Here, let's give a big three cheers for the Hickory Ridge Boy Scouts."
They were given with a vim and a volume of sound that must have been heard fully a mile away. Doubtless it quickened the pace of the fleeing tramps, who might suspect that they were being hunted by a whole regiment of citizens, stirred to indignation by the stealing of little Ruth.
This made Elmer suddenly remember the girl. She had been watching the actions of the scouts, at first with wonder and awe, but by degrees even smiling. Perhaps the fact that they had made a prisoner of her tormentor, Dolph Gruber, may have had more or less influence along this line. Then again, she had of course seen Matt Tubbs by now, and knew the newcomers must be friends.
Elmer stepped over to the child. The smile on his face was enough to convince little Ruth that, with the coming of these boys in their drab-colored suits, her troubles were ended; and if she were possessed of any lurking doubts they must have taken flight with the first words he spoke.
"We've come to take you back to your mother, Ruth, and I hope you won't be afraid of us. Here's your Cousin Matt along, too; you know him, don't you? It's all right now, Ruth; nobody can hurt you while the Boy Scouts are here," was the way Elmer spoke; and when he held out his hand the child readily put her own little quivering one within it, showing her utter confidence.
Then Matt Tubbs came up, his face wreathed in smiles. Matt was tickled to realize that he had been along when the rescue of the kidnaped child had been effected. More than this, Matt had seen a lot of things that would give him occasion for much serious thought later on—things that must have a bearing on his whole future. He had been given a practical object lesson concerning the other side of life, the decent side, which, up to now, had been pretty much of a sealed book to this pronounced bully of Fairfield.
Elmer, looking at the gentle way Matt was fondling the little girl, nodded his head and seemed well pleased.
"I guess I didn't make any mistake when I said there was some good in that big hulk of a fellow," was what he said aside to Mark, who was also watching Matt.
"Well," replied the other, "I kind of had my doubts when you said all that, but the way things look now, I'm beginning to believe there may be a heap of truth in your theory. But then, everybody can't see as far as you can, Elmer. That's the truth of it. Most of us just skim along the surface, but seems like you dig down deep. I hope it turns out that way. If Matt Tubbs changed his nature, and began to do the right thing, it'd be the best job ever for the boys of Fairfield, because you know he's the big boss over there. And say, wouldn't it make our chance for a warm session of baseball a little later on look pretty good?"
"That's a fact," declared Lil Artha, who had joined them in time to catch what was being said. "That Matt Tubbs sure is a crack-a-jack when it comes to playing ball, and the nine he had last year was as stiff a proposition as the Hickory Ridge fellows ever tackled. Yes, siree, I certain hope he'll be on the square after this; because it'd mean a lot for us."