ed the
group. The boys had unbound Link, and now they placed him on a large
hammock with a comfortable pillow under his head. As the jewelry
manufacturer approached, the sufferer opened his eyes and then struggled
to sit up.

"Hello! I guess he isn't hurt as much as we thought," remarked Shadow,
in a low tone.

"Maybe he's only playing 'possum," was Luke's comment.

"No, he was hurt, that's sure; the cut on his forehead shows it,"
answered Dave.

"Well, Merwell, so they have caught you; have they?" began Mr.
Wadsworth, as he stepped up in front of the youth. "I thought we would
get you sooner or later."

"I--I can't talk to you no-now," faltered the prisoner.

"I don't think it will be necessary to do much talking, Merwell," went
on the jewelry manufacturer. "We can do our talking later--possibly in
the police court."

"All right, have your own way about it," growled the prisoner. "You've
got me and I'm down and out, so you can do your worst." And with this he
rolled over on the hammock once more and again closed his eyes.

"Talk about nerve!" whispered Ben. "Doesn't that take the cake!"

"I'd like to know whether he is really hurt so much, or only shamming,"
added Phil. "He always was a sly one."

"Tell me how you came to capture him," said Mr. Wadsworth.

Thereupon Dave and Phil related how they had gone up the brook to the
vicinity of the cliff, and there heard the words between Link and the
so-called wild man.

"O dear! is that awful creature around here again?" cried Jessie.

"Yes," answered Dave. "And I wish he would keep away."

Then Dave and Phil related how Link Merwell had plunged over the cliff
and had been made a prisoner, and then how, later on, he had tried to
escape, struck his head on the tree root, and how all of the boys had
brought him to the bungalows.

"I am glad he didn't get away from you," said Oliver Wadsworth. "I think
he ought to be in prison to keep Jasniff company."

"How will you get him to jail?" questioned Phil.

"I don't know what we can do except to march him down to Carpen Falls.
But we can't do that to-day, for he seems too weak. Perhaps we can take
him down there to-morrow, or else some of us can go down and get an
officer to come up here and take charge of him."

The matter was talked over at some length, and it was finally decided
that nothing more should be done that day. Link Merwell did not join in
the discussion, nor even open his eyes to look at them. Bu