But Gagnon, who had heard that remark, did not mean to try any stunts now that his deliverance was near, and he meekly climbed ashore from the wharf and marched ahead of the boys towards town. They both had their bows along but, to a casual observer, they having untied his hands, Mr. Gagnon appeared like an older brother, hiking into town with his two kid-brothers after a bow-and-arrow hike.
Gagnon was as good as his word and they made town in good shape and walked right into John’s store! The grocer was just going to close up, for it was very late.
“Sorry, boys, too late for groceries,” grinned John.
“Too late for a prisoner, too?” demanded John Tallman.
Now the Federal agent, John, had never realized how really effective these two boys were before. He’d laid their supposed prowess to newspaper accounts and Mr. Sandborn’s praise to fatherly affection for Stan and friendly regard for the Tallman boy. But he had to think fast in the next ten minutes or the whole town would know something was wrong down at the grocery store!
He whisked Gagnon into the cellar, bound and gagged him and then went to the phone. He called a number and said, “Hello, Jim, old boy?”
“Why, hello, John!” came the rejoinder. “How’s the grocery business?”
“Pretty swell. How about coming down—over the week-end with your bags?”
A whistle of surprise came over the wire.
“Like that, eh? I’ll drop in, old boy!”