FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   91   92   93   94   95   96   97   98   99   100   101   102   103   104   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115  
116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   >>   >|  
e of this?" whispered Roger, looking at Dave in wonder. "I have an idea, Roger," answered our hero. "Nat knows that man; in fact, he is well acquainted with him. I think he is going to try to make him a prisoner." "A prisoner? Oh, I see; for the glory of it, eh?" "No, to get him back to some sanitarium as quietly as possible. I think Nat would like to do it without anybody around here being the wiser." "Oh! Then maybe the fellow is some relative of the Pooles." "Possibly, or a close friend. But come on, let us see what happens. We ought to try to capture the man ourselves." "To be sure. But I don't see how we are going to do it. We are unarmed, and they say crazy folks are fearfully strong." "We'll have to watch our chances." The cabin had a window as well as a door, and to the former the two boys crawled. Peering through a vine that grew over the opening, they saw that the wild man had seated himself on a rude bench which he called his throne. It was covered with a tattered carpet and some cabalistic signs in blue chalk. Nat had placed his valise on the ground and was opening it. He brought out the crown and also the rope, but took care to conceal the latter under his coat. "Now you must close your eyes and sit perfectly still while I place the crown on your head," said the money-lender's son. "I will have to do it from behind, for that is the way they do it in England and Germany." "Do they do it in Russia that way, too?" demanded the wild man, and his eyes took on a glowing look as he gazed at the brass crown. "Of course." "Then let it be so." And the wild man sat back on the bench and closed his eyes, and stroked his straggly beard. Quickly Nat stepped behind the man, and while he fumbled with the crown with one hand, he brought out the rope with the other. He was greatly excited and his hands trembled. "Now sit perfectly still while I count fifty," said the money-lender's son. "Then when I----" He did not finish, for at that instant the wild man let out a sudden yell and leaped to his feet. He ran to the doorway; and the next moment came face to face with Dave and Roger. CHAPTER XXI SOMETHING OF A CLEW "Ha! ha! you are the army sent to capture me, are you? But I am not to be captured! Take the cannons away! Bring up the artillery! Forward the light brigade! Victory for the King of Sumatra! Oh, if only I had a company of trained monkeys I would show you how to fight
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   91   92   93   94   95   96   97   98   99   100   101   102   103   104   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115  
116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   >>   >|  



Top keywords:

capture

 

opening

 

prisoner

 
brought
 
perfectly
 

lender

 
stepped
 

Quickly

 

straggly

 

closed


stroked
 

fumbled

 

Germany

 

England

 

Russia

 
demanded
 

glowing

 

cannons

 

artillery

 
captured

Forward

 
trained
 

company

 

monkeys

 

brigade

 

Victory

 

Sumatra

 
finish
 

trembled

 

greatly


excited

 

instant

 

sudden

 

CHAPTER

 

SOMETHING

 

moment

 

leaped

 

doorway

 

called

 

relative


Pooles

 

Possibly

 

fellow

 

friend

 

answered

 

whispered

 
acquainted
 

sanitarium

 

quietly

 

unarmed