CHAPTER XXIV. PHILIP IN A TIGHT PLACE
Ralph Temple was still at his cottage, or, more properly, hut, waitingimpatiently for Vernon to reappear, that he might obtain his share ofthe contents of the tin box.
He had led a lawless life, and more than once been engaged in dishonesttransactions, but never in one of such magnitude as the present. Hecalculated that, even if they surrendered the box in consideration of areward, he would not receive less than a thousand dollars, and he wasplanning how he would dispose of this sum.
This was the project which he fixed upon: For years he had been desirousof visiting California, in the hope that chances of getting rich, honestly or dishonestly, might be met with in a State whose very namewas suggestive of gold. With a thousand dollars he would feel justifiedin going. Moreover, there would be an advantage in leaving a part of thecountry where he was an object of suspicion to the authorities, and wasliable at any time to be arrested for complicity in more than onequestionable transaction.
In his lonely hut he knew nothing of the developments in the lastrobbery – whether any reward had been offered as yet. This wasnecessarily left in the hands of Vernon, while he remained to guard thehidden treasure.
A state of suspense is all the harder to bear when a man has nothingelse to divert his thoughts, and this was the case with Temple.
"What if the box should be discovered?" was the thought that hauntedhim.
Finally, though he had once before visited the hiding-place of the tinbox, he decided to go again, and started at such a time that he arrivedabout an hour after Harry and the detectives had unearthed and removedit.
Meanwhile, it becomes necessary to state that Philip Ross, whosecuriosity was excited by the continued absence of Harry, made up hismind once more to visit the wood to see if he could discover any tracesof his victim.
"He's hiding in the wood so as to make an excitement," thought Philip.
"He'll make a great fuss about what we did to him."
In fact, Philip was getting a little anxious about the results of hishigh-handed treatment of Harry. He was not sure but Harry might have himarrested, and this excited his fears. He admitted to himself, reluctantly, that tying a boy hand and foot, and leaving him all nightin the forest, was rather more than a joke.
He called at the hotel for Congreve, but was told that he had gone toride.
After a little hesitation, he decided to go to the wood alone, carryingwith him, by way of precaution, a stout cane which belonged to hisfather, to defend himself with in case Harry should be lying in wait andmake an attack upon him.
On his way he had occasion to pass by the locality of the hiddentreasure, though, of course, he knew nothing about this.
Just at the spot he heard a tramping in the fallen leaves, and, lookingup hastily, saw Ralph Temple approaching.
Now, Temple, as we know, was a man of questionable reputation, and, moreover, once already he and Congreve had had an angry altercation withhim. It is not much wonder, therefore, that Philip's heart beat withfear at the prospect of meeting this man alone, so far from help.
He could not get away without attracting attention, and, therefore, asthe best thing under the circumstances, hid himself behind the broadtrunk of a stately oak tree, and in fear and trembling waited for theunwelcome intruder to depart.
Ralph came along, with a quick, swinging gait. He was a tall man, ofstrong frame, and an unprepossessing countenance appropriate enough tohis character and reputation.
His first glance was directed toward the spot where he had helped burythe box upon which his future plans depended.
There was something that startled him in the evident displacement of theleaves, as if there had been others there since the morning.
"Can it have been taken?" he asked himself, with a thrill of anxiety.
He strode forward hurriedly, and, removing the leaves, discovered signsof recent disturbance. Most suspicious of all, he found one of thestakes, the end soiled with dirt, which had been used by thedetectives.
With a beating heart and a muttered imprecation, he began to dig down toascertain whether his apprehensions were justified.
Philip, peering from behind the tree, was very much alarmed by thisincomprehensible proceeding.
What could the man be doing? Was he insane? He blamed his folly inseeking again this dangerous neighborhood after the encounter of themorning.
"Oh, if I were only safe at home," he mentally ejaculated; "or, if
Congreve were with me. If he discovers me he may kill me."
He thought of running away, but in the silence of the forest his stepswould undoubtedly be heard, and he would be pursued. So it seemed mostprudent to stay where he was. In fear and trembling he continued towatch the dreadful outlaw.
It was not long before Temple made the unwelcome discovery, suspectedfrom the first, that the box was gone. He desisted from his work andgave vent to such a volley of imprecations that Philip trembled as if hehad an ague fit.
Could it be, Temple asked himself, that Vernon had proved false to him, and, returning, conveyed away the box for his own individual profit?
"If he has, I'll kill him," he muttered, in a deep, growling tone.
Philip heard him, and his heart beat fast with fear. Who did Temple wantto kill? Was it himself or Congreve?
"I'd give a thousand dollars, if I had it, to be at home," thought themiserable boy.
As for Temple, he was no less miserable. All his hopes and anticipationswere dashed. The disappearance of the tin box, whoever might haveremoved it, would render it impossible to carry out plans of Californianemigration with which he had been solacing himself all the morning. Sucha big haul as the present might never be made again.
His first suspicion fell upon his partner, but he also thought of thetwo whom he had met in the forenoon in the wood. They had beensuspiciously near the spot, and might be implicated in the loss. Itdidn't seem probable, but it was possible.
At this inauspicious moment Philip, yielding to a tickling in the throatwhich he couldn't overcome, coughed. It was not a loud cough, but Templeheard it.
He instantly started for the quarter from which the sound proceeded, andin a few seconds discovered and dragged Philip by the collar from behindthe tree.
"What are you doing here?" he demanded, sternly.
"Nothing," answered Philip, trembling.
"Ha! You are one of the boys that I caught prowling round here thismorning."
"I have as much right here as you," said Philip, plucking up a littlecourage.
"Have you? We'll see about that," snarled Temple. "Where's the otherfellow?"
"He isn't here."
"Isn't here? I don't believe it. He's hiding somewhere near."
"Then you can find him," said Philip, sullenly.
"No matter! I've got you, you rascal!" And he shook Philip fiercely.
"What villainous work have you been up to?"
"I don't know what you mean," said Philip, his teeth chattering. "I amthe son of Colonel Ross, and he won't allow me to be treated this way."
"I'd treat him the same way if I caught him here," growled Temple, witha lack of reverence for the colonel's exalted position, which struckPhilip with horror. "Now, tell me what you have done with the tin box, you young scoundrel!"
"The tin box!" ejaculated Philip, in genuine amazement.
"Yes, the tin box. You know well enough what I mean."
"I don't know anything of any tin box; indeed, I don't."
"Do you mean to say you didn't dig it up from the place where we putit?"
"No; indeed I didn't! I don't know anything about it. What was in it?"
Was this ignorance real or affected? Temple could not tell. What wascertain was that the box was gone, and this boy was hovering about thespot. It would be folly to let him go.
"I don't believe you," he said, bluntly. "You must come with me."
And he began to drag Philip off in the direction of his hut.
"Oh, where are you taking me?" asked the frightened boy.
"You'll know soon enough. I'm going to keep you till the tin box isrestored to me."
Poor Philip! As he was jerked along by his collar, in the stern grasp ofthe outlaw, he suffered a good deal more than Harry had in his recentcaptivity.