“Pardon it!” roared the colonel, beaming with excitement and delight. “I—I—I don’t know what I will do! That was the best A number One fight I ever saw in my life! I’m terribly proud of you boys!”
The ropes released, the colonel sprang up and threw himself on Rhodes in an outburst of admiration and thankfulness, pounding him familiarly on the back and very nearly shaking his hand off. With a single glance at the bound men to see that they were safe Rhodes introduced the others and lavishly praised the ingenuity and courage of Cadet Vench. The colonel was tremendously pleased with his new fourth class men.
“By George, I must have the best fourth class in the history of the school, if I may judge by you three boys and Don Mercer,” he exclaimed. He turned to Jim and told him about Don, adding. “So you see, there is nothing to worry about. As soon as we have locked these two scoundrels up and have captured Tireson we’ll liberate Don. If that happens sometime tomorrow we’ll have to keep a watchful eye on Clanhammer Hall and see that they don’t move him.”
“Shall we get these men out of here, colonel?” asked Rhodes. “There is no knowing who may come along and we wouldn’t want our game spoiled now.”
“No, that is so,” the colonel agreed. “Though the enemy would have to bring an army along to overcome you boys! We’ll get these men to the nearest police station and then have someone posted here to take Dennings if he comes, which I suppose he will.”
After making sure that the fire would go out and not set the place on fire, the boys once more examined the bonds of the prisoners and then pushed them out of the house and into the back of the car. The colonel sat guard with Rhodes and Terry. Jim, who had turned the revolver over to the colonel, rode in the front seat with Vench. At the colonel’s suggestion they drove five miles to Arrington, where, after some difficulty, the sheriff was aroused from his comfortable bed and came down to hear their story. He was interested and astonished, and when he had dressed he led them to the county jail, where the two men, still sullenly silent, were locked up. Then, after the officer of the law had agreed to send a special man to watch Dennings’ house, the boys drove the colonel to Portville.
In talking it over, just before they left Arrington, the colonel decided that he would return to Portville and remain in hiding, there to plan a trap which would take in both the major and Dennings. The major was easy to reach, but Dennings was not. He had business in many places, and had a habit of slipping from place to place, and the colonel was particularly anxious to catch him.
Vench drove to Portville and the colonel engaged a room at the main hotel. The boys followed him to his room and they had a final council of war.
“I want you boys to return and go on with things just as if nothing had happened,” directed the colonel. “Of course, the major may find out that the game has been spoiled, and then he’ll try to escape. If possible, keep your eyes on him. Watch Clanhammer Hall, too. We mustn’t allow anything to happen to Don.”
“What shall I do with that driver in the tool house?” asked Vench. “If we leave him there all night he will freeze, because I took his fur coat off.”