"I will see to it that they do not run away," answered Captain Dale. "We have a guardroom at the Hall—a sort of lock-up; and if it is necessary I will have them placed there until Colonel Colby can investigate, and until you can make up your mind what you want to do."
The old farmer argued the matter for several minutes, but in the end agreed to let the military instructor take charge of Jack and Fred.
"But remember," he said in parting, "you've got to keep 'em under lock an' key till I see Colonel Colby. I'm a-goin' to make an investigation, an' I'm purty sure I'll be able to prove that they killed them cows."
CHAPTER XXVIII
IN THE GUARDROOM
"What in the world do you suppose has become of them, Randy?"
"I give it up! I hope they only lost their way and didn't have some kind of an accident."
"Oh, don't speak of an accident!" cried Andy in horror. "It makes me shiver to think of it."
"I can't understand why they didn't rejoin us as they promised to do," said Frank Newberry, who was present. "We looked all over for them, and fired one or two shots to attract their attention, but it was all useless."