University of Virginia Library

CHAPTER XXI.
THE BATTLEMENTS OF LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN.

"How about the time, Rod?"

Josh asked this question as they were pushing their motorcycles along a bad stretch of the road on the following morning.

"Just nine, lacking a Couple of minutes," replied the other, consulting the little cheap nickel watch he carried along with him nearly all the time.

"Hey! say we are taking things right easy nowadays, will you?" ejaculated Hanky Panky; "I've known the time when Rod here, was just bound to get us movin' when day was breakin'. Guess we must a struck them care-free Southern days we've

heard so much about. It's sure in the air, then, down this way."

"No, not so much that, Hanky, as the fact that we only have a few miles to cover this morning, when we'll arrive at Elmer's old home; and you see, it wouldn't be just right to wake up Colonel Pepper, who was out late last night, and may want to put in a little extra time sleeping this fine morning."

"It came in pat for some other fellows besides Colonel Pepper, I want you to understand, boys," declared Rooster; who of late seemed to have gotten the better of his speech impediment, though the others feared that was too good a thing to last any great length of time.

"Well, a feller that dreams like you always do, Rooster, must lose a heap of sleep; and I don't wonder you want to lie abed mornings, when the rest of us are on the jump," Hanky Panky went on to remark, pointedly.

"Say, you'd every one of you been as silly as me last night, if you'd dreamed the same, and actually felt that awful thing choking you," the accused one hastened to say; "it was all in white too, and wavin' its hands at me every time I managed, with a terrible effort, to throw it off; and then, when I opened my eyes, to see that old object wavin' in the breeze, who wouldn't believe that it must be the ghost of his dreams?"

"I'd advise you not to eat any more cheese at supper, Rooster," remarked Rod.

"D'ye think that did it, Rod?" asked the other, almost piteously; "then hear me take a solemn vow, never again for me. Why, I was afraid my hair had turned snow-white in the night, because of the scare that dream threw into me; honest now I was, fellows. I ain't foolin' either."

"Well, see that little owl sitting there under the branches of that pine tree, Rooster; that's your friend of last night. And just remember, won't you, that all ghosts are sure to turn out to be either owls, pajamas whipping in the breeze, or something like that."

"Huh! it's easy to say that in broad daylight," grunted Hanky Panky; "but p'raps I could imagine a case where even the brave Josh Whitcomb would curl up, and hide his face from something that anyway looked like a spirit from the other world."

But reckless Josh only laughed jeeringly, as he cried over his shoulder:

"Bring on your ghosts whenever you want; I'd just like to meet up with one; you'd see me knock him silly right speedy, believe me, now!"

Hanky Panky and Rooster exchanged quick glances, and somehow, when Rod caught the nods they gave each other, he fancied that some fine day the boasting Josh might: be accommodated, if those two plotters could manage to fix things.

"What are you looking for on the road, Rod?" asked Elmer, a minute later.

"Oh! it just struck me that I ought to pay some attention to the marks made by that light vehicle that passed us last night, driven by Ambrose Frazer," was the immediate reply of the other.

"Then you've had no trouble about picking them out?" Elmer continued.

"Not any," answered Rod, "and if you'll just look here, I'll show you how I can tell. At our camp the light wagon made a curve, for the spirited horse shied at the blaze we had. So I knew which wheel marks they were, and also found that one of them was bound with some heavy wire, as though the steel tire had become loose, and needed the attention of a wheelwright. Here it is, you notice, and here, and here again."

"Sure as you're born," declared Josh, who had been listening to what was said, and now bent down to examine the wheel prints, where the road-bed consisted of heavy mud, owing to the shade of a big patch of trees that had prevented its drying out after the recent storm.

"And then I began to take notice of the track left by that car carrying Colonel Pepper and his friend," Rod went on to say. "There were a number of cars went along here since the rain, but his was the only one that passed after Ambrose whipped up his horse. Get the idea, boys?"

"I believe I do, suh, most certainly," Elmer hastened to admit; "that would show, beyond all doubt, that those prints were made by the Colonel's car."

"Well, here they cross the wagon tracks again," Rod observed, stopping as he made the remark, to point down at his feet; "and by looking closely you can find certain peculiar features connected with them, that would stamp the same on your memory. I firmly believe that if it ever became necessary for me to pick out the trail of that same car again I could do so."

"All of this is mighty interesting," remarked Hanky Panky; "even if the time never comes when you could make use of it. I like to hear you explain such things, Rod. And I hope I'm going to profit by it, somehow or other."

"Whee! when d'ye think we c'n mount our machines, and get a move on that'll count for somethin'?" Rooster wanted to know.

"I think I can see ahead where the road gets better," replied the other.

"Yes, and you know those two gents told us it would," observed Hanky Panky.

"And I'm agoin' to notice now, when we pass the next cabin that happens along, if the dogs howl at us, the chickens fly into the trees for shelter, and the kids start to cryin'," announced Josh; "because if they do, we're hoodoos for sure."

"Oh! you might expect something like that, because

such a collection of motorcycle fellows never before came along this road, chances are," Rod went on to say; "but that doesn't explain, first the suspicion of those two sharp-looking gentlemen; second, the fright of old Ambrose Frazer, known to be a bad man in this section; and last but not least, the hurry shown by Colonel Pepper and his friend to cut past our camp in their car; for they had no horse to prance, and want to take the bitt in its mouth."

A short time later, and Rod's words turned out to be true, for the road did show decided signs of improvement, so that there was no longer any necessity for them to go afoot, and trundle their weighty machines along.

"And don't I hope that it'll be some time before we have to do that push act again," Rooster sighed, as he got himself ready to straddle his wheel, and make a delightful start.

Elmer had not said a word all this while, and Rod knew just why. The Tennessee boy was now amidst familiar scenes, that doubtless aroused memories that had long lain dormant. He must have led a fairly happy life down here during his earlier boyhood days, and old recollections were beginning to crowd in upon him, so that he found no time for ordinary conversation.

Then again, it was only natural that he should be laboring under considerable of a strain, in connection with the strange mission that had drawn

him back here, after several years' absence. The one question was ever before his mind -- would he really find the precious papers which had been long lost, and the absence of which made so great a difference in the happiness and welfare of the Overton family; or was he fated to meet with a great disappointment?

After they were all mounted, and moving swiftly along the road, headed almost in a direct south line, many were the exclamations of satisfaction. Why, it almost seemed as though they had passed through days since last they were given a chance to make a proper use of their motorcycles.

Elmer still led, and once he made gestures with his arm as though trying to call their attention to something away off in the distance. Upon casting a glance in that quarter Rod found that he could catch a glimpse of some high point or peak, with a frowning front; which he more than suspected must be the battlements off the famous Lookout Mountain, where Hooker had engaged in his Battle above the Clouds, in those old tempestuous days when this whole region rocked under the tread of armed hosts, as the North and South met in fierce strife, now but a sad memory.

Possibly, later on, if so be their odd mission turned out well, the motorcycle boys might think it proper, while down in this celebrated region where history was made so fast in those stirring days, to

visit the bustling city at the foot of Lookout Mountain; and also take in the battlefields near by, as well as walk through the National Cemetery where the dead soldiers have been laid away by thousands.

But Rod immediately dismissed all this from his mind just then. Until his close chum had settled his business, one way or another, none of them would think of such a thing as pleasure. They had promised to back Elmer up in his quest, and did not mean to allow anything to come between.

What was the use of having a lot of chums if they could not make themselves useful in time of need? Warm-hearted and impulsive Elmer would exert himself to the limit, should any one of them require assistance, and he be in a position to render first aid to the injured. And so Rod only voiced the full intentions of the other three boys when he was saying all this to himself, while riding along in the wake of the pace- maker.

So a short space of time went on. At any moment now Rod expected that Elmer would announce the fact that he had sighted his old home, for they must be drawing very close to the same. When he himself caught fugitive glimpses of what appeared to be a very substantial building, set among a splendid bunch of trees, he suspected that this might prove to be the place.

Hence Rod was not at all surprised when he saw Elmer throw up his hand, and in this way give the

signal that he meant to stop. A couple of minutes later, the other trio of motorcycle boys had arrived also, and the entire five were bunched together.

It was then that Elmer pointed toward the place Rod had already picked out, and in tones that vibrated from intense feeling, if nothing more, despite his efforts to conceal the fact that he was shaken by the sight, announced:

"Over yondah, fellows, you will see my old Southern home. Around here I spent the happiest days of my life; and now I feel ashamed to think that necessity compels me to enter that same house with a lie on my lips; but I've considered it all well, and there's going to be no drawing back now. I must know the truth about those papers, come what will, and believe me, suh, I'm still full of hope, and faith."