University of Virginia Library

CHAPTER IV.
TREED.

"MEBBE it's only a star!" suggested Josh. The idea was so ridiculous, that even Rooster laughed scornfully.

"Yes, I guess if it is, that star's been on a grand old time, that's what!" Hanky Panky exclaimed;

"because, just look how she jumps all over, now to the right, and then to the left; up and down. Star nothing! That there's a light somebody's aholdin' in their hand, a torch or else a lantern."

"Elmer, you've been raised down in this country, tell us what you think it can be?" asked Rod, as all of them remained there, watching the queer antics of the dancing star.

"Well, now, suh, believe me, I hardly know what to say," remarked the Southern lad. "I've gone out with others to hunt raccoons and 'possums in the night time, and we always carried lights with us on such occasions."

"That's it, sure as you're born!" cried Josh, with new enthusiasm; "because I just heard a little bark, like it might come from a dog."

"Listen to that, would you?" cried Hanky Panky, as a loud, distinct baying began to come down to their ears. "Josh guessed it first pop. Of course they're a lot of 'coon hunters. Who's afraid?"

"But hold on a little, suh," urged Elmer. "I surely ought to know the tone of a coon dog's yelp; and I give you my word that doesn't sound even a little bit like it."

"Where's the difference, Elmer?" inquired Rod, as though he might be on the track of an explanation and needed some more light.

"Why, suh, it's thisaway, you see," the other

continued, always willing to oblige when it lay in his power. "Most coon dogs are small active beasts, and they have a sharp yelp that tells the hunter when they've treed the game. You noticed, I reckon now, that when this dog gave tongue, it was a heavy deep sound, more like a hound, I should say."

"A rabbit hound, do you mean, Elmer?" asked Josh.

"I think I can give a pretty good guess," observed Rod, quietly, and at that they all turned toward him. "A little while ago I heard you tell how, when any of these black convicts escape from the gangs working on the roads they are hunted down, and brought back again. And am I right in thinking that this chase is carried on with bloodhounds, Elmer?"

"Oh!" exclaimed Rooster.

"Well, suh, I do believe that you've hit the right nail on the head, just as you nearly always do," remarked the Southern boy, enthusiastically; "we know there are a pair of convicts running at large around this region; and what more likely than that these hyah are the men hunting for the same? You see, they are following the road now, suh, and chances are we'll meet up with the same in a right smart short time."

"How about them hounds, Elmer; do they keep the same in leash, or let 'em swing around loose?

I'm only askin', not that I care much, because trees are handy 'round us here; but I've always read that they're such savage beasts, you know?" Hanky Panky was saying; and even Rooster looked less alarmed, now that it seemed likely they were about to meet with a visible danger, rather than one that had a ghostly aspect.

"I wouldn't like to say, suh, because, to tell you the honest truth, I never yet had the pleasure of seeing an escaped convict chased; but it seems to me it would be policy for them to let the hounds run free, because then they could chase the fugitives so hard they'd just have to take to the trees, where the dogs would hold them safe till the guards came along."

"That settles it, for me anyway," remarked Josh; "I never did take much stock in getting bit by a dog. Me to a tree, and I ain't ashamed to tell it neither."

"Everybody get up among the branches as quick as you can," cried Rod; "because I think I can hear the rush of the hounds right now."

"Whoop! where's my tree?" exclaimed Hanky Panky. "'Tain't fair the way you hooked it away from me, Josh Whitcomb. I saw it first, and you know it."

"Oh! quit your fussing and climb, Hanky; or else they'll get you. Here, gimme a hand, and I'll help you up. Hurry! hurry! I c'n see them aboundin'

right this way like hot cakes, and oh! my stars! but they are big ones, I tell you!"

Of course, after that Hanky Panky lost no time in scrambling up among the lower branches of the tree in which his more agile comrade had already sought refuge; nor did he disdain in the least to accept of such aid as Josh was willing to bestow.

Hardly had the last of the five motorcycle boys settled himself some six feet or more from the ground, when there was a swift patter of coming feet, and then two large tawny dogs began to leap upward at them, giving vent to the most terrible growls, and yelps, that struck terror to the heart of poor Rooster.

He chanced to be somewhat lower down than any of the others, and when one of the leaping animals actually touched the sole of his shoe it sent a thrill through the boy's whole body.

"Climb higher, Rooster!" called Josh; "you want to pick a better perch than the one you got; or mebbe that dog'll get a grip on you next time. Look out! there he tries it again! Get a move an, quick, can't you? Think I want to sit here, and watch him chaw you all up into little ribbons? Give him a yank, Rod, can't you? There never was such an old slowpoke as you, Rooster."

Thus urged on by the cries of Josh, Rooster managed to draw himself up still higher in the tree, so that there was no longer any apparent danger

of the hound fastening his teeth in his leggins, and dragging him down.

One of the pair of dogs was more agile than his mate and actually succeeded in managing to get some sort of hold with his forepaws in the crotch of the tree that was serving Josh and Hanky Panky as a harbor of refuge.

At that Josh uttered a whoop, and boldly attacking the beast, caused him to relax his hold, so that struggling desperately, and uttering short, savage snarls, he fell back to the ground again.

"There come the men!" called out Elmer, from his place of refuge.

"And I'm glad of it," declared Hanky Panky; "because, when they found they couldn't grab us, I really believe these hungry dogs'd pretty soon start to chawing up our motorcycles. Hey! this way, and hurry up, 'less you want your hounds shot all to pieces!"

"Listen to our Hanky Panky, would you?" burst out Josh; "and us with never a gun to our name. But then, perhaps he expects to just point his finger at 'em and say 'hocus pocus' or such thing, when bang! goes a shower of bullets. A fellow who can get loose after I tied him up could do most anything."

Three men were now seen hurrying along, one of whom swung a lighted lantern, the same whose glimmer had in the first place aroused the alarm of

Rooster, and attracted the attention of the entire five motorcycle boys.

It could be seen that the men carried guns, and they also seemed to be attired in some sort of uniform; from which it was easy to guess that, just as Elmer and Rod had surmised, they must be guards hunting for the two escaped convicts.

When they came closer, and discovered the numerous motorcycles parked near the still burning camp-fire, they gave evidences of more or less surprise, not to mention bitter disappointment. Evidently they had heard the loud baying and yelping of the hounds, and expected to find one or both of the black fugitives perched aloft, trying to keep out of reach of those cruel exposed fangs of the dogs.

But the presence of the machines told them that such was not to be their good fortune; and that once more had the dogs treed the wrong persons.

"Welcome, strangers!" called out the unabashed Josh. "We're right glad to see you, believe me; and would you be so kind now, as to whistle off the dogs, so that we might come down from our perch, and occupy our camp?"

The three men looked up among the branches of the several trees, and seeing the faces of the five boys at first frowned, then burst into a roar of laughter, as the humor of the thing struck them.