University of Virginia Library

CHAPTER XV.
A HINT OF A MYSTERY.

"SEE here, Elmer, did you tell Si anything about what had brought you down here?" Rod went on to ask, as though he strongly suspected that such a thing might have come to pass.

Elmer looked a trifle confused.

"Perhaps now, Rod, you may think I was silly to say anything about my hoping to get a valuable paper, but somehow it just slipped out," he confessed, "I understand these people down heah, suh, and know that hosses couldn't make Si betray a confidence like that, and especially after we've done so much fo' him. Besides, I had a reason fo' doing it. After hearing what he had to say about this strange Colonel Pepper, it struck me we might be up against a pretty hard proposition, in trying to tackle him, and get a chance to investigate under his hearth-stone. And in that case, why, it might come in handy to call on Si Keck and some of his mountain friends to assist us, you see."

Rod caught his breath; then he reached over, and squeezed the hand of his chum.

"Not a bad idea, Elmer, I declare if it is," he observed, seriously. "If this man who lives in your

old home is so much of a mystery around here, we might find we'd bitten off more than we could chew when we tackled him; and then, as you say, it'd be comforting to know we could call on Si and his men for help. But what did he tell you?"

"Promised to be not far away from the place, and gave me a signal that would bring help if it was needed," the other replied, feverishly. "Between you and me, Rod, I have a pretty good idea that Si is yearning to see with his own eyes what is going on under that roof; and that is one reason fo' him offering to be what Hanky Panky here would call 'Johnny- on-the-spot.' But all the same I know he does feel grateful to us for what we did."

"I'm ready now, any time you fellows say the word!" called out Josh, just then.

Rod and Elmer got on their feet, seeing which, Hanky Panky and Rooster followed suit; for they had been amusing themselves in a game of mumble- the-peg, to pass the time away. Had it been followed up to its logical conclusion there was not a doubt in the world but what Rooster would have had to draw the peg with his teeth, after it had been driven flat with the surface of the ground; for he always had the hard luck to become the victim, no matter how faithfully he labored to win.

Once again did Elmer occupy the position of leader, on account of his being more familiar with

the characteristics of the country, and the nature of the mountaineers than any of his chums.

It was no "snap," as the rest of them well understood; and especially after having learned about the trap that had been arranged for their undoing further along the mountain road.

What if, after all, Si Keck, despite his good intentions, was unable to get in communication with his followers, who, believing that the boys were enemies, would proceed to carry out the original programme? That meant the ever present chance of the leader running slap against a tremendous rock, that was to be sent down across the road at a narrow point, and too late for him to avoid striking up against it.

Elmer recognized that he was taking chances, but he was not the one to betray the first sign of nervousness when confronted with danger. They may have faults, these boys who are born down in Dixie, but timidity is not among the number. Their fathers and grandfathers proved this by the valor shown on many a bloody battlefield in the dreadful war between the States.

Rod kept as close behind his chum as seemed proper. As the pace was not to be a fast one, he was able to do this, and be in a position to call out, if by chance he sighted anything that looked threatening ahead.

As they passed the spot where the cabin stood that had been saved from the flames by the valor

of the motorcycle boys, Rooster came near having an accident; because he kept twisting his neck around, to see all there was, and trying to answer the cheery signals of the hunchback boy and the little girl with the tousled hair; but luckily no damage was done, and presently they had left the scene far behind.

They had been on the move only ten minutes when Elmer was seen to be making suggestive motions, as though trying to call their attention to something off on the left.

And upon looking in that quarter, when the trees opened up, so that they could catch a glimpse of the uplands, they speedily saw what it was he wished them to notice. A column of black smoke was climbing straight up toward the heavens, for at the time there chanced to be not the slightest puff of wind.

Even as they looked it suddenly stopped, there was a brief interval, and then once again did the column begin to ascend. This was repeated again and again, until the boys had counted seven distinct smokes. Then the column again arose undisturbed, though at the moment they lost sight of it, when the trees interfered, the series of smoke puffs had started in once more, as though old Si wished to repeat his message.

And every one of the motorcycle boys breathed easier; for they felt positive that this was a message

of good will toward them, that was being forwarded ahead to the men in waiting; and if they read it correctly, there would be nothing doing in the nature of a surprise, when Rod and his chums arrived on the spot.

It chanced that Elmer remembered hearing Rooster say he was thirsty, for he had not been along at the time they were busily engaged carrying water from the little roadside stream to the burning stable. Consequently, when he again discovered the creek close by, he held up his hand as a sign that he meant to stop.

The others were a little excited as they too came to a halt.

"What's doing, Elmer?" asked Hanky Panky.

"Have they blocked the road, after all?" asked Rooster, showing signs of alarm.

"Nothing of the sort, suh, believe me," came the reply; "I just happened to remember that you were complaining of being mighty dry; and as I wanted a drink myself, and we were in no great hurry, I thought we could be accommodated right heah."

"Good for you, Elmer!" exclaimed Rooster, as he dropped his machine on the turf alongside the road, and hastened to find a place where the water looked cool and inviting, so that he could get down on hands and knees, and indulge in a good long drink.

Hardly had he started to do so when he was heard to utter a cry.

"Look at that snake, would you, fellows?" he exclaimed; "say, somebody grab up a stick, and whack him with it. He must have been right close by when I dropped down on my marrowbones. What if I'd stepped on him? Ugh! tell us, what sort of a snake is it, Elmer? Do you have rattlers down here in Tennessee; because that looks mighty like one to me."

Hanky Panky had a great aversion to snakes of all kinds. He would never touch even the most harmless of the species. Even the feel of a cold frog always gave him a shiver he avowed. And so he was the first to spring back, while both Josh and Rod began to look for a pole of some sort.

"Get it long enough, Josh," said Rod, "because that is a rattlesnake, sure as you're born, and a pretty good-sized one for these mountains. Am I right, Elmer?"

"Yes, it's just what you say, Rod; although I've seen only one or two in all the years I lived around here. But they're just as deadly as in any other part of the country. A rattler is a rattler, whether you find him, big and sluggish down in Florida, the diamond-back kind; or one of those spry ones they tell us live on the plains, and make their homes in the burrows of prairie dogs. Now, make a sure job of it, Josh; and keep as far away as you can."

"Will he jump at me, then?" demanded the one who had the long stick.

"Oh! no," replied Rod; "a rattlesnake never does that. He always whips himself into a coil as soon as he thinks there's danger around, and holds his head poised, as well as his tail, with its rattles. Then he strikes out viciously, and if he fails to hit anything, of course he'll throw himself half his length or more; but he never runs at his enemy -- just gets back in coil as quick as he can. Watch, now, how he makes that little rattle-box go when you poke him with the stick! See him hit it with his hollow fangs, would you? Whew! that was a crack, all right, and the chances are, if you looked, you'd find the end of your stick covered with a nasty green fluid. That's the deadliest poison known. There'd be mighty little hope for any of us pulling through, if that reptile ever had a chance to inject some of it in our veins. But you'd better finish him, Josh."

"Yes," said Hanky Panky, who was looking very nervous, and somewhat white too; "I don't fancy watching you play with that forked lightning, Josh. What if this one should be a jumper, and make a flying leap at any of us? Please give him a whack, and make him be good."

"I suppose you mean that the only good rattler is a dead one," chuckled Josh, as he got ready to comply with the request of his chums; "they used to say that about the Indians out West; but now people've found that they make good citizens, and

thousands of the noble red men are cultivating their farms, my dad says. But because the heel of man has got to bruise the serpent's head always, I'm agoin' to knock this fellow silly. There, take that, will you?"

He brought his heavy stick around with such tremendous force that, striking the upraised head of the snake, he sent the reptile five feet away. Hanky Panky gave a little squeal, and started to run, as though under the impression that it was now about to attack them all; but seeing Josh pounding it at a lively rate, he conquered his timidity, and watched the process of winding up the career of that one rattler.

But Rooster was very careful, as he bent down to get his drink, to look around, so as to make absolutely certain that the mate of the reptile could not be hiding behind some stone or root, ready to avenge the death of Josh's victim.

Josh, having dispatched the snake, managed to sever its rattles, which he declared he meant to keep as a trophy.

"Yes," said Hanky Panky, as they prepared to start on again, "it will always remind you of how brave you were, Josh, whacking at the snake that Rod told you never jumped; and finally after a terrible combat, slaying the monster."

"Aw! let up on that, Hanky," said Josh, with a little grin on his face; "what it might remind me of

is the way you shriveled up, and looked for a tree, as soon as you heard there was a snake around. I don't claim to have done anything worth mentioning, and my chest ain't agoin' to stick out every time I look at this rattle; but it will bring this scene back to my mind; and I'll laugh to think what a silly you are about snakes."

Of course Hanky Panky subsided after that, and presently the five machines were popping away again, as the motorcycle boys resumed their journey southward, toward the spot where Elmer's old-time home stood among the trees of Walnut Ridge.