It was Mark who said that, and he said it with such vehement emphasis that Texas closed his teeth together with the suddenness of a steel trap.
“You mayn’t be lunatics,” observed the sheriff, stepping forward to make sure that their hands were securely fastened. “But you certainly look a good deal like it. Say, Mr. Hamilton!”
The man who answered, the seven prisoners recognized instantly as the reporter they had fooled. Their hearts sank within them at that.
“Are these the fellows?” demanded the sheriff.
“They’re the ones, all right,” laughed the other. “There’s no mistaking such faces and clothes as those.”
“That settles it,” said the sheriff. “Forward, march!”
It was two or three miles from where they were to Highland Falls, their destination. Fortunately they did not go through West Point, when the plebes were in dread of being recognized. The sheriff did not want to attract a crowd and so he kept in the woods, skirted the edge of the buildings and finally came out into the road below the post.
The unfortunate plebes were very near the end of their journey then. The silent party tramped on rapidly. The buildings of the little town began to loom up in front. There were few lights burning then, but some stray passer-by started a shout, “The lunatics!” and almost instantly windows began to go up and staring faces to appear in the openings. But just then they came to a low square building back from the main street, and the sheriff sprang forward, unlocked the door, and pushed the prisoners in before him. A moment later the heavy door clanged, and that was all.
The sheriff was considerate enough, now that he had them safe, to remove the painful handcuffs. This, however, he did not do until he had searched them carefully, removing the Texan’s arsenal. After that he shoved them into the solitary cell in the jail, locked and barred the heavy door, and after warning them to keep quiet and behave themselves, went out and left them in silence and dismay.
About the same time the young reporter hurried down to the telegraph station to send in his report; and Bull and his three friends, having been thanked by the sheriff, set out in high spirits for their favorite drinking place, where they meant to celebrate their glorious triumph. As for the sheriff, he warned the jailer to keep the strictest guard, and then, with a sigh of relief and satisfaction, went home to bed.