“So am I!” yelled Larry, as he saw a good chance to rescue the stolen lad.
The farmer raised his gun in the air, and fired. At the sound of it the tramps looked back in alarm, and the boy ceased running.
“Go on! Go on!” yelled Larry. “We’re going to save you!”
A second later another shot was fired.
“There they are!” cried Mr. Meldron. “That’s Bob’s gun! Now we’ll close in on ’em!”
He and Larry rushed forward. At the same time, from behind the house, came the others of the posse. The tramps and their young captive were surrounded.
But a strange thing happened. The boy who had ceased running, did not appear to be at all frightened or alarmed. Instead a puzzled look came over his face, as it did over the faces of the tramps. They stood grouped together, and a man came out from the old house, and called:
“What’s the matter there?”
“You’ll find out what’s the matter!” replied Bob Nestor savagely. “We’ve got you just where we want you. Surrender in the name of the law!”
“Surrender? What for? Are you crazy?” demanded the man on the porch of the old house. “What are you after, anyhow?”