Tom Parker, the dissenter, being the oldest and biggest, was appointed leader.
“No, sir!” declared he emphatically. “I know better than that. I’ve got too much sense to meddle with that. The biggest detective in New York wouldn’t dare go and leave his tracks around there. Oh, no! they’re too cute for that.”
Tom, of course, meant to imply that he also was “too cute for that.”
Willie had taken one snub from Tom and he was determined that should be the last.
“You’re a calf,” was his polite reply to Tom as he vaulted over the fence. “Who’s goin’ to foller me?”
They all followed, even Tom Parker. They advanced cautiously. Willie’s temerity was moderating and he waited for the rest to come up with him. They advanced in a semicircle. As the wavering line was within ten yards of the box that object seemed to lift itself from the ground and a deep groan arose as from the bowels of the earth. Oh what a fright was that—my Faithful Banders! In a moment the fence seemed alive with terrified and struggling boys. Mr. Murphy crawled out of his cramped quarters and went home.
The boys had, of course, been properly sworn to secrecy, but somehow, the next day an uneasy feeling pervaded the village. No one seemed to possess any definite information, but there were rumors to the effect that there were peculiar folks now in the neighborhood; people weren’t really safe and Mrs. White could tell a good deal if she would. That lady had exercised a good deal of prudence and had said very little about the Boulbys, but the day after the boys’ adventure she was credited with volumes.
It was not long before the strong minded mother of a member of the Faithful Band had obtained from him enough to warrant her sending to all the matrons of the village a pressing invitation to tea that afternoon. It was a formidable group that foregathered that afternoon. The discoveries and adventures of the Band were duly narrated and embellished.
Out of the chaos of frightful tales that flourished exceedingly and waxed more and more fearful, one could have deduced the fact that the Boulbys were nothing more or less than modern Blue-Beards.
Well, their families had to be protected, and if they told the men all they knew it would be all over the country in no time, and for some reason they didn’t think that would be well. As far as they could see the best thing to be done was for them to investigate for themselves that very night.