And their excitement was justified, for while the two men had been eating dinner in Dick’s home, a messenger had appeared at the front door with two communications, one addressed to Dick and the other to his younger brother. Each of the two letters was similar to that sent to Tom Rover. In the one addressed to Dick the three rascals, Davenport, Jackson and Tate, demanded fifty thousand dollars for the safe return of Jack, while in the communication addressed to Sam the same amount of money was demanded for the safe return of Fred. Completely bewildered by these letters the two men had been discussing the situation when the telegram from Tom was brought in.
“Poor Tom is in the same boat!” exclaimed Sam. “Those scoundrels want fifty thousand dollars from him or they won’t return the twins.”
“That means that Tate, Jackson and Davenport want a hundred and fifty thousand dollars from us for the safe return of the four boys,” came from Dick. “It’s a pretty stiff demand, I take it.”
“Are you going to pay it, Dick?”
“Not if I can possibly help it. Fifty thousand dollars isn’t a flea bite. At the same time, I don’t want them to hurt Jack or the other boys. I know Davenport and his crowd pretty well. They are about as hard-boiled as they come. I suppose the gang are as mad as hornets at me and the kids for the way we turned the tables on them down in the oil fields.”
“Well, I don’t believe in giving them a cent, either,” said Sam. “Just the same, it makes me shiver to think of what they might do to Fred if I don’t pony up.”
“We’ve got to do something, that’s sure.” Dick Rover began to pace up and down the floor. “I expect Tom is just as much worried as we are. It was an outrage to let Davenport and those other fellows out of prison, and this proves it. I’ll tell you what, Sam. I’d give a good part of that fifty thousand dollars right now to get my hands on Davenport,” and Dick’s eyes sparked angrily.
From the servant girl they learned that the message had been delivered by a boy. Who the fellow was she did not know, nor could she give a very good description of his appearance.
“I suppose he was a kid just hired for the occasion,” said Dick. “Most likely he knew nothing about the fellow who gave him the letters.” And in this surmise Jack’s father was correct.