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Instantly the men in the barn were on the alert.
What was that? cried Estrada sharply.
Nothing. A rat, I guess; old barns like this are full of them, rejoined Jared, striving to appear at ease, but glancing nervously about him.
A rat, bah! exclaimed Alverado, puffing out his fat jowls till he looked like a huge puff adder. That was not a rat, amigo, that was a spy. This barn is not as secret a meeting place as you led us to believe.
Come on, Merritt, whispered Rob, grab up everything and run for it. Theyll be out here in a minute.
Swiftly they gathered up their paste, brushes and bills, and crouching low ran toward what had been a smoke-house. Hardly had they darted within its dark and odorous interior when the conspirators in the barn came rushing out, looking in every direction. In Alverados hand something glittered in the sunlight. The two Boy Scouts peering out through a knot-hole had no difficulty in recognizing the object, with an unpleasant thrill, as an automatic revolver.
They now saw, too, something that they had been unable to perceive from the back of the barn. This was a big, red touring car drawn up close to the antiquated structure. But they had no time to waste in looking at the car. The movements of the searching party engrossed their attention too deeply.
Scatter in every direction, they heard Alverado order, we must find out if anyone has been here listening, or if our ears deceived us.
There was no doubt but that the search was to be a thorough one. Even the chauffeur of the car, which, the boys noticed in a quick, fleeting glance, bore no number, joined in the search. They rushed about like a pack of bloodhounds in every direction.
This is getting pretty warm, whispered Rob; its plain those chaps are thoroughly alarmed and dont mean to leave a stone unturned to find us.
Oh, that unlucky board! groaned Merritt remorsefully. Im a fine specimen of a Scout to make such a mistake as that, at such a critical time, too.
It was unfortunate; but accidents will happen, rejoined Rob quickly. But its no use crying over spilt milk.
What are we going to do?
Im trying to think.
Perhaps there is a chance that they will overlook us.
No danger of that, Im afraid. From what little I saw of Mister Alverado he appears to be a very painstaking gentleman.
Theyre searching the house now.
Yes, that will take them some time; but you can depend on it that when theyve finished theyll search the outbuildings.
Yes; and theyve left that chauffeur on guard outside, too. Not a chance of our getting out of here.
Unless theres another door.
Cracky! Maybe there is. Lets look. But weve got to hurry up. Hark!
Theyre coming out of the house and pointing over here, cried Rob the next instant.
Both boys desperately sought to find some way out of the old smoke-house other than by the door by which they had entered. But no exit offered. Suddenly Rob had an inspiration. The smoke-house was roofed like an inverted V. The roof was covered with shingles. Apparently they were rotten, for in places the light came through. One side of the roof faced toward the abandoned farmhouse; the other faced back upon some fields. Rob thrust his fist with some violence against the shingles on the side of the smoke-house roof that faced the fields. To his joy the shingles gave way almost like rotten cardboard.
Hurrah! Weve found a way out, he cried exultingly, although he was careful not to raise his voice much above a whisper. He rapidly enlarged the opening till it was big enough to crawl through. Luckily the search party had paused to examine a corn crib that lay between the smoke-house and the farmhouse, so that the boys had a few seconds grace.
Now then, through you go! breathed Rob as soon as he had pitched out the bills.
Merritt scrambled through with Rob close on his heels. The apex of the roof, of course, screened them from view of the party now approaching the old smoke-house. It was a drop of not more than three feet to the ground, for the walls were low, and Rob had, of necessity, punctured the roof near the eaves.
Ahead of them lay a meadow with a patch of woods beyond. Rank brush and tall weeds intervened. But they had to make a dash of some hundred feet across an open space. Somehow, just how they never knew, they got across it and plunged into the brush, making for the woods beyond.
At the same instant Alverado and the others entered the smoke-house.
CHAPTER VI
BASEBALL
Of course they guessed how we made our escape, Rob.
Merritt spoke as the two lads lay crouched in the thick brush far removed from harms way.
Naturally. The fresh breaks in the roof would show them that. But, beyond that, they are none the wiser as to our identity, of which I am heartily glad.
I can understand that. You dont like the look of things.
Merritt, Rob spoke very soberly, laying his hand on the others arm, it looks to me as if weve stumbled on a monumental plot against Uncle Sams canal. I dont know much of politics, but I do know enough to realize that there is a certain South American republic that thinks that the Canal Zone was stolen from her by trickery and deceit. Im sorry to say, too, that Ive heard that there are interests right here in the States that agree with her people who think that the opening of the canal will result in enormous losses to freight, and who would like to see the canal completion delayed at all costs.
I see. You think that the two dark men were representatives of that republic you mentioned.
I know one of them was, snapped Rob; he is its representative at Washington.
Wow! Say, Rob, this is a big thing weve stumbled upon. We must bring it to the attention of the proper authorities.
Thats our duty as Scouts.
Of course. But what steps do you propose to take?
I dont just know yet. We must see Mr. Mainwaring, of course, first. It will be for him to decide. But horrors, Merritt! weve forgotten all about Tubby. Hes asleep in the rig. Look, Jared and his friends are piling into the auto. If they go down that road they are sure to discover him. They may do him some injury.
But the next instant both the anxious lads drew a sigh of relief. Instead of taking the by-road, the auto struck off across lots along a barely perceptible and weed-grown track. In a few moments it was out of sight and the coast was clear. Then, and not till then, the two Boy Scouts set out to rejoin Tubby. They found that rotund youth blissfully sleeping, while the old nag cropped grass at the roadside. They awakened their stout comrade and soon took the lees of sleep out of his eyes by relating all that had passed within the last hour. Tubby heartily agreed that the first thing to be done was to put Mr. Mainwaring on his guard.
Naturally there was no more thought of bill posting, and filled with a sense of the duty that lay before them the three Boy Scouts drove rapidly back to Hampton. But there a disappointment awaited them. Mr. Mainwaring had been called away on business. He had gone west and would not be back for a week or more. So for the present the scene in the barn had to be forgotten, while more immediate matters were attended to. During the ensuing week nothing was seen of Jared, but the Saturday afternoon of the game found him warming up on the ball field with the orange and black of the Hampton team on his back.