“Yes; and there was something alive tied up in it with a rope.”
“Well, not exactly alive,” returned Average Jones, “though the mistake is a natural one.”
“I tell you, I know,” persisted Bailey. “While Mr. and Mrs. Farley were workin’ over some kind of a box, I shinned up the tree.”
“Bold young adventurer! And what did you find?”
“One of the limbs was shakin’ and thrashin’. I crawled out on it. I guess it was kind o’ crazy me, but I was goin’ to find out what was what if I broke my neck. There was a rope tied to it, and some big thing up above pullin’ and jerkin’ at it, tryin’ to get away. Pretty soon, Mr. and Mrs. Farley came almost under me. He says: ‘Is Tuxall all ready?’ and she says: ‘He thinks we ought to wait half an hour. The street’ll be full of folks then. Then he says: ‘Well, I hate to risk it, but maybe it’s better.’ just then, the rope gave a twist and came swingin’ over on me, and knocked me right off the limb. I gave a yell and then I landed. Next I knew I was in bed. And that’s all.”
“Now I’ll take up the wondrous tale,” said Average Jones. “The Farleys, naturally discomfited by Bailey’s abrupt and informal arrival, were in a quandary. Here was an inert boy on their hands. He might be dead, which would be bad. Or, he might be alive, which would be worse, if they left him.”
“How so?” asked the Reverend Mr. Prentice.
“Why, you see,” explained Average Jones, “they couldn’t tell how much he might have seen and heard before he made his hasty descent. He might have enough information to spoil their whole careful and elaborate plan.”
“But what in the world was their plan?” demanded the minister.
“That comes later. They took off Bailey’s coat and waistcoat, perhaps to see if his back was broken (Farley nodded), and finding him alive, tossed his clothes into the buggy, where Farley had left his own, and completed their necessary work. Of course, there was danger that Bailey might come to at any moment and ruin everything. So they worked at top speed, and left the final performance to Tuxall. In their excitement they forgot to find out from their accomplice who Bailey was. Consequently, they found themselves presently driving across country with an unknown and undesired white elephant of a boy on their hands. One of them conceived the idea of tossing his clothes upon the sea-beach to establish a false clue of drowning, until they could decide what was to be done with him. In carrying this out they made the mistake which lighted up the whole trail.”