Chapter XVI: Jule in Great Danger

Case and Thede made the most of the leaky boat, but the most was not fast enough.

"If we only had the _Rambler_, and had it in as good condition as it was at midnight, we could soon learn something of the missing boys, but there is no knowing how far the boat sailed after they left it, and so it is all a guess," said Case, as he set to work bailing out the boat. "I guess this trip settles the excursions of the _Rambler_."

Thede laughed. When Case was blue he was always ready to cancel all the dates made for the motor boat.

Thede let him sputter away until he was tired of grumbling, and then suggested:

"The chances are that the _Rambler_ ran only a short distance after the boys left her. If the boys have the good sense which they have previously shown, they will follow on down the river, and so make the distance we shall be obliged to travel in this old tub all the shorter. In fact, I am looking for them at every bend in the river. We ought to meet them in a few minutes now."

"But if they are on the opposite shore, we are going the wrong away about it," replied Case. "The river is very wide here, and we never could paddle this old tub across it in the face of the current. I don't see what the boys ever left the boat for. But some people never will learn by experience."

Thede's view of the case was certainly a hopeful one, but it was hours before they saw any signs of the lads. Then Case saw Captain Joe running along the river bank barking furiously.

"There's the first signal!" Thede exclaimed, turning the prow of the boat toward the south shore. "And the dog seems to be in trouble. He seems to be wounded and is just about all in."

"It strikes me that we had better get to the shore just as soon as possible."

As Case spoke Alex came out to the river bank alone. Jule was nowhere in sight, and Alex's clothing was so torn that he looked like a ragman.

"Alex has been up against something pretty strong to give that tired look to his face," Thede exclaimed as he turned the boat toward the south shore. "Did you ever see a more disreputable human being?"

"Never!" was the reply.

The old tub of a boat struck the beach at last, and was promptly boarded by Alex, who was gasping for breath.

"Did you bring your automatics?" was the first question.

"Sure!" was Case's answer.

As the boy spoke he took a weapon from his pocket and handed it to the lad.

"What's doing?" he asked as he did so. "And where is Jule?"

"Come with me and I'll show you where Jule is," was Alex's reply. "Walk softly! There are others with him. When I give the word you just rush, and rush to some purpose."

Without knowing what they were to meet, Case and Thede swept down into a thicket and, in obedience to a motion from Alex, drew up for a minute and waited.

The three outlaws had captured Jule and were about to burn his feet if he did not tell where his chum was.

"Oh, he'll answer fast enough as soon as he feels the flames tickling his toes," the leader said. "We're going to exterminate this nest of vipers, and don't you forget it!"

"Go as far as you like," Jule answered. "I still refuse to tell. Nice boy I'd be, if I betrayed my chum!"

"We'll see about that!"

One of the outlaws was evidently opposed to what was about to be done, for he drew the leader aside and whispered in his ear for several minutes. At the end of that time the leader shook his head and turned, with a sharp order, to an evil-faced, scowling outlaw who appeared equal to any piece of deviltry.

The man addressed was quick to obey the command. He took a handful of matches from a pocket and proceeded to light one of them.

All the time there was a grin upon his face which told how much he enjoyed the assignment.

Jule did not believe that he would be deserted by his chum. He had no idea in what shape the assistance would come, but he was perfectly well satisfied that it would come. Alex had broken away from the robbers and taken to his heels and would be sure to return at the critical moment.

As Jule saw the preparations for torture going on he wished that Alex would hasten to the rescue, but he had no doubt of the final result. Alex was loyal.

"Now," said Case, taking out his automatic, "you see what the intention is. I have a notion that it is the deliberate intention of the devils to torture the boy to death. How should he know where Alex is? It is a subterfuge to make the act appear more humane. This being the case, what ought we to do to the outlaws?"

"If you don't decide on something pretty soon Jule will get his feet cooked!" interposed Alex. "What ought we to do with the devils? Kill 'em, I say!"

"It does seem that drastic measures should be adopted," the surgeon put in. "Of course, we can't decide what to do with them while they are still at large, but we can make up our minds. It ought to be an easy thing to catch them."

"Oh, we've got 'em now!" Alex added. "None of them has a weapon in sight! It will be just like taking candy away from babies! See! they are taking his shoes off! Mother of Moses! What was that? Looked like a white flash!"

Captain Joe was once more in evidence.

The dog had appeared astonished at the inaction of the rescuing party and reached the conclusion that if anything was done he must do it himself.

As the dog charged in between the leader and the man to whom the duty of burning the boy's feet had been assigned the former drew a revolver and fired, missing the canine by a foot or more. The others drew their revolvers, too, but did not discharge them.

A peremptory order came from the bushes and they dropped the weapons as if they had been red hot.

"Up with your hands!"

Almost before the words were out of the speaker's mouth, the firearms were on the ground. But the leader still retained his huge revolver and was about to use it when the dog seized him by the leg in a vise-like hold.

The revolver dropped to the ground while the man tumbled about in agony, saying many things against the character of the dog. To all of which the dog, who was performing what he regarded as a sacred duty in defending the boy, paid not the slightest heed.

"Call him off!" the leader cried. "If you don't want him killed, call him off!"

By way of reply Alex picked up the long weapon and used it to such good purpose on the head of the fellow that he was soon quite unconscious. In fact, so enraged was the boy that there is little doubt that the man would have been beaten to death if Case had not interfered to prevent his murder.

"What are you doing?" Case demanded. "Do you want to kill the man? I think you would better take a rest and cool off a little."

"Look what was done to Jule by his orders!" answered the lad, still struggling to continue the attack. "Killing is none too good for the likes of him!"

"Save him for the hangman!" advised Jule as he cut the cords which bound him and regained his feet. "We'll tie the bunch up and if they get away all right. If they don't, why that's all right, too!"

"We ought to kill him," was Alex's rejoinder.

"Oh, let him live," laughed Case. "We can afford that much, seeing Jule escaped with whole feet. The chances were against that at one time."

"What shall we do with the others?" asked the surgeon. "They are all equally guilty, I presume."

"The fellow who lighted the match deserves to have his head knocked off," Alex answered. "Did you notice the diabolical grin on his face when given the order?"

One fellow protested in broken Spanish that he had been opposed to the leader all the time, and it was finally decided to bind all three outlaws and leave them on the river bank.

"If we should leave the one who interfered in the interest of mercy," Thede insisted, "he would release the others as soon as our backs were turned, so we may as well treat all alike."

So the outlaws were tied up good and tight, and the four took to the boat again. It was necessary to bail the row boat out frequently as it was still leaking badly, but in time the long stretch of river was passed and the boys came in sight of the _Rambler_.

The last thing the boys heard of the outlaws was a volley of curses from the lips of the leader of the party, who had regained consciousness and was stating in strong words what he would do to the boys if they ever came in his way again.

"What's doing on the _Rambler_?" Jule asked, as they came in view of the motor boat.

There certainly was "something doing," for the deck swarmed with men, and only the cabin was held by Clay and Paul. When the boat came nearer the boys could hear the voice of the parrot ordering the men off the boat.

"Cut it out, cut it out!" he cried. "Get back, get back! You ain't wanted here! Cut it out!"

"Tommy seems to be doing his part, all right," said Alex. "I wonder how long this has been going on?"

"How are we going to get on board the _Rambler_?" asked the surgeon. "All the seats seem to be taken." The men who had taken possession of the boat were now shaking their fists at the boys in the rowboat and offering to beat them up on the most liberal terms.

"The boat now belongs to me!" one of the river thieves shouted, waving his arms in the air. "I take it as abandoned property."

"We'll soon show you!" Alex shouted back.

"Go chase yourself!" shouted Jule. The rowboat kept steadily on her course toward the _Rambler_ and some of the more timid of the occupants of the deck began climbing over the rail, but others stood their ground, making a display of firearms.

The boys were all armed now, Case having thoughtfully provided himself with arms for all, and for a moment it looked serious. When the boats touched, however, the _Rambler_ was abandoned by those who had taken possession of her and not a shot was fired.

"Had a little mix-up?" asked Case.

"It looked serious about the time you arrived," Clay responded. "They had us cooped up in the cabin, and there is no knowing what would have happened if you had not come."

"Now," said Alex, "suppose we celebrate with a good, square, all-to-the-good meal! It seems about a month since I had anything to eat."

"You're always hungry," commented Case.

"Always hungry!" responded Alex. "Look here! If you get up without going to bed, and butt into a crowd of river thieves, and come near having your feet burned off, wouldn't that make you hungry? I'll bet you it would!"

All this time the men on the shore had been shaking their fists and shouting out oaths and cuss words.