“Are those the Rover boys?” sang out the man in front of the cabin, as the party came up.
“Yes,” answered Nick Ocker. “How is Mr. Rover?”
“Not so well,” was the reply. “He’s been asking for his two sons and the others right along. But listen,” went on the man. “You chaps want to go in there cautiously. The doctor was here and said Mr. Rover was not to be excited.”
Hastily dismounting, the four boys entered the log cabin, and as they did so the two men outside led the horses away. Then several other men appeared, each with his soft hat pulled far down over his forehead.
“Make it short and snappy,” said one of the men to all of the others. “Don’t take any chances. If you give ’em any rope they’ll fight like wildcats.”
“I’m all ready,” answered one of the other men. He was carrying a number of ropes.
One after another the boys entered the log cabin. It was rather dark inside, and for several seconds they could see little or nothing. Then they saw a bunk on the far side of the room and on it rested a form partly covered with a blanket. The head of the form was swathed in bandages. With their hearts in their throats Andy and Randy approached what they thought was the form of their father, and Fred and Jack followed. Then, as they were bending over the form in the bunk, they heard hasty footsteps behind them. The next instant each of them found his arms pinned behind him.
“Take it easy now! Take it easy or you’ll be sorry for it!” cried one of the men in a hard voice.
“If you try to fight you’ll get the worst licking you ever had in all your life,” added another of the men.