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About half…past two o'clock the train came to an unexpected halt。
Looking out of the window Joe saw that they were in something of a cut； close to the edge of a woods。
The delay continued； and presently one passenger after another alighted； to learn the meaning of the hold…up。 Joe did likewise； and walked through the cut toward the locomotive。
The mystery was easily explained。 On one side of the cut the bank had toppled over the tracks； carrying with it two trees of good size。 A number of train hands were already at work； sawing the trees into pieces； so that they might be shifted clear of the tracks。
Joe watched the men laboring for a few minutes and then walked up the bank； to get a look at the surroundings。 Then he heard a whistle and saw a train approaching from the opposite direction。 It came to a halt a few hundred feet away。
As the delay continued our hero walked along the bank of the cut and up to the newly…arrived train。 The latter was crowded with passengers； some of whom also got out。
〃Did that train stop at Snapwood？〃 he asked of one of the passengers。
〃It did；〃 was the answer。
〃Did you see anybody get on？〃
〃No； but somebody might have gotten on。 I wasn't looking。〃
〃Thank you。〃
〃Looking for a friend？〃
〃No；〃 said Joe； and moved on。
Without delay our hero ran to the front end of the newly…arrived train and got aboard。 As he walked through he gave every grown passenger a close look。
At the end of the third car he came upon two suspicious…looking individuals； who were gazing at a bit of paper in the hands of one。 Joe came closer and saw that the paper was a mining share。
〃Caven and Malone； as sure as fate！〃 he murmured to himself。 〃What had I best do next？〃
While Joe was trying to make up his mind； Caven chanced to glance up and his eyes fell upon our hero。 He gave a cry of dismay and thrust the mining share out of sight。
〃What's the matter？〃 asked Malone in a low tone。
〃Look there； Pat！ That boy！〃
〃No！〃
〃But it is！〃
〃How did he get on this train？〃
〃I don't know。 But it's unpleasant enough for us。〃
〃Do you suppose Vane is around？〃 asked Malone； nervously。
〃He may be。〃
The two men stared around the car。 Only some women and children were present； the men having gone out to learn the cause of the delay。
〃Perhaps we had better get out；〃 went on Malone。
〃All right〃
They arose； and； satchel in hand； started to leave the train。
〃Stop！〃 cried Joe； and caught Caven by the arm。
〃Let go of me； boy！〃 ejaculated the rascal； and tried to pull himself loose。
〃I won't let go； Gaff Caven。〃
〃If you don't； it will be the worse for you！ I am not to be trifled with！〃
〃You must give up that satchel。〃
〃Bah！〃
〃If you don't； I'm going to have you arrested。〃
〃Who is going to arrest me here？〃 sneered the man who had robbed Maurice Vane。 〃Don't you know we are miles away from any town？〃
〃I don't care。 Give up the satchel； or I'll call the train hands。〃
〃I'll give up nothing； boy！ Stand out of my way！〃
Gaff Caven gave Joe a violent shove which sent our hero up against a seat。 Then he turned and ran from the car； with Pat Malone ahead of him。
〃Stop them！〃 cried Joe； as soon as he could recover。 〃Stop the thieves！〃
Others took up the cry； but before anything could be done Caven and Malone were out of the car and on to the tracks。 Both stared around in perplexity for a second。
〃Come on； we can't afford to waste time here！〃 cried Caven； and ran for the bank of the cut； up which he scrambled hastily； with his confederate at his side。
Joe saw them make the move and was not slow to follow。 Near at hand was a tall； western young man； with bronzed features and a general outdoor manner。
〃Say！〃 cried our hero。 〃Will you help me to catch those two men？ They are thieves and I want them arrested。 If you'll help me catch them I'll pay you well for your trouble。〃
〃I'll go you； stranger！〃 answered the western young man； readily。 〃You are certain of your game？〃
〃Yes。 That satchel has their plunder in it。 They robbed a friend of mine。〃
〃This suits me then； friend。 We'll round 'em up in short order。〃
By this time Caven and Malone had gained the woods。 Looking back they saw Joe coming behind； accompanied by the westerner。
〃He's after us； and he has got somebody to help him；〃 ejaculated Malone。
〃Well； I reckon we can run as fast as they can；〃 answered Gaff Caven。 〃Come ahead！〃
He led the way along a trail that ran through the woods and came out on a winding country road。 Beyond was another patch of timber。
〃This way； Pat；〃 said he。 〃We'll have to take to the woods again。 They are too close for comfort。〃
〃Can't we climb a tree； or hide in a hollow？〃 questioned the confederate。
〃We'll see；〃 said Caven。
They pushed on harder than ever； and passed in among some tall trees。 Then they came to a tree that was bent over。
〃Up you go；〃 cried Caven； and gave his confederate a boost into the tree。 Then he hauled himself up。
〃Now climb to the top；〃 he went on； and Malone did as requested。 Caven followed suit； and both hid themselves among the thick branches。
〃They won't find us here；〃 said Malone； after ten minutes had passed。
〃Don't make a noise；〃 whispered Caven。
After that they remained silent。 From a great distance came a shouting； and the whistling of locomotives。 The trees were being hauled from the car tracks。 A little later they heard more whistling and then the two trains passed on their way。
〃The trains have gone；〃 whispered Malone。 〃Do you think the boy got aboard one of them？〃
〃No； I don't；〃 answered his companion。 〃He is too determined a lad to give up so easily。 He must be still looking for us。〃
CHAPTER XXVIII。
FROM OUT OF A TREE。
Caven was right； Joe and his newly…made friend were still in the woods； doing their best to locate the two rascals。
They had found the trail but lost it in the patch of tall timber； and were gazing around when they heard the trains leaving the cut。
〃There goes our outfit； friend；〃 said the westerner。 〃And there won't be another train along for several hours。〃
〃It's too bad； but it can't be helped；〃 answered our hero。 〃But I'll pay you for all time lost； Mr。〃
〃Plain Bill Badger is my handle； stranger。〃
〃My name is Joe Bodley。〃
〃What about these two varmin you are after？〃
〃They were trying to rob a friend of mine of some mining shares；〃 answered Joe； and gave a few details。
〃Well； I vow！〃 cried Bill Badger 〃That mine is close to one my dad owns。 They say it ain't of much account though。〃
〃Mr。 Vane thinks it is valuable。 He has had a mining expert go into the matter with great care。〃
〃Then that's a different thing。 Were you bound for the mine？〃
〃Yes； and so was Mr。 Vane。 We were on the train together when he was robbed。〃
〃I see。 I was going out to my dad's mine。〃
〃Then perhaps we can journey togetherafter we get through here；〃 said Joe。
〃I'm willing。 I like your looks。 Shake。〃 And the pair shook hands。
Although a westerner； Bill Badger knew no more about following a trail than did our hero； consequently they proceeded on their hunt with difficulty。
〃Reckon we've missed 'em；〃 said Bill Badger； a while later。 〃Don't see hide nor hair of 'em anywhere。〃
〃It's too bad if they got away；〃 answered Joe。 〃PerhapsWhat was that？〃
The cracking of a tree limb had reached their ears； followed by a cry of alarm。 A limb upon which Pat Malone was standing had broken； causing the fellow to slip to another branch below。
〃Hush！ don't make so much noise！〃 said Caven； in alarm。
〃Gosh！ I thought I was going to tumble； out of the tree to the ground；〃 gasped Malone； when he could catch his breath。
〃They are comingI can see them；〃 whispered Gaff Caven。 〃Be as quiet as a mouse。〃
In a moment more Joe and Bill Badger stood directly under the tree。
〃I think the noise came from near here；〃 said Joe。
〃I agree；〃 answered the westerner。
At that moment our hero looked up and saw a man's arm circling a tree limb far over his head。
〃They are up there！〃 he shouted。
〃Sure？〃
〃Yes； I just saw one of them。〃
〃Then we've got 'em treed；〃 came with a broad grin from Bill Badger。 〃What's the next turn of the game？〃
〃We have got to make them both prisoners。〃
〃All right。 Have you got a shooting iron？〃
〃No； but I can get a club。〃
〃Then do it； and I'll use this； if it's necessary；〃 and the young westerner pulled a pistol from his hip pocket。
〃I wish we had some ropes； with which to tie them；〃 continued Joe。
〃Here's a good big handkerchief。〃
〃That's an idea。 My handkerchief is also good and strong。〃
〃You do the pow…wowing and I'll do the shooting； if it's necessary；〃 said Bill Badger。
Joe looked up into the tree again but could see nobody。
〃Caven！〃 he called out。 〃I know you are up there and I want you to come down。〃
To this remark and request there was no reply。
〃If you don't come down we may begin to fire at you；〃 went on our hero。
〃Oh； say； do you think he'll shoot？〃 whispered Malone； in sudden alarm。
〃No； shut up！〃 returned Caven。
〃Are you coming down or not？〃 went on Joe。
Still there was no reply。
〃I'll give 'em