“Frank, do you think they all got away; and what could have happened to Mr. Riley?” he could not help asking.
“Don’t you bother about Mr. Riley,” laughed his chum; “when the count is made up, you’ll sure find him on deck, and carrying things with a high hand. Bring your man right along in, Bob. Here we are!”
They had turned the corner of the shack, and the open door stood before them. While passing the window Bob had been sorely tempted to turn his eyes aside, in order to take a look; but a stern sense of his duty made him pause. For he had a faint suspicion that should he slacken in watchfulness over his prisoner, the man was desperate enough to make another attempt at flight, even though his arms were bound.
“Oh! Mr. Riley did it, as sure as anything!” was the exclamation that broke from Bob’s lips, involuntarily, as he stepped into the shack.
He saw the former mine superintendent standing over two men, who were on the floor. Looking a little farther Bob discovered that Blaisdell was sitting in the corner, nursing his head, as though it pained. None of the three rascals seemed to be in possession of a weapon of any kind, which would probably account for the little arsenal that lay on the floor close to Mr. Riley. He had seen to it that they were completely disarmed.
Noting all these things Bob gave a big sigh of relief. It began to look as though the end might be near. They had had a hard time of it. They had secured two of the three original thieves; and it appeared as if at least two-thirds of the spoils had been recovered!
No wonder, then, Bob was ready to throw up his hat, and yell. Something seemed to hold him back, however. Perhaps it was because his chum did not manifest any particular signs of being overjoyed.
Mr. Riley looked up as they came in, and his thin face was wreathed in a grim smile at seeing how Frank carried the missing bag; while Bob ushered the runaway thief into the shack.
“Got ’em both, eh, boys?” he greeted them with. “Now that’s what I call going some. And I reckon as how the Colonel will be proud of your carryin’s-on. Looks some snug in here, doesn’t it, Frank?”
There was something so comical in this last remark that Frank had to laugh. No doubt it did look “snug” from the standpoint of Mr. Riley; but the four men who had been “rounded up” so completely certainly gave no evidence of appreciating the situation. Scowls and black looks marked the faces of all of them.