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〃Are you coming down or not？〃 went on Joe。
Still there was no reply。
〃I'll give 'em a shot to warn 'em〃 said Bill Badger； and fired into the air at random。
〃Don't shoot me！〃 roared Pat Malone。 〃Please don't！ I'll come down！〃
〃Well； you come down first。 Caven； you stay up there for the present。〃
After this there was a pause； and presently Pat Malone came down out of the tree looking sheepish enough。
〃Up with your hands！〃 cried Bill Badger； and confronted by the firearms the hands of the rascal went up in a hurry。
Then Joe took his handkerchief and stepped up behind Malone。 The hands were lowered and crossed and our hero tied them firmly together at the wrists。
〃Now back up to that tree yonder；〃 said our hero。 〃And don't you dare to move。〃
〃I'll do just as you say；〃 whined Malone。 〃Only don't shoot me。〃 He was a coward at heart。
〃Now； Caven； you come down！〃 shouted Joe。
〃I don't think I care to；〃 answered that rascal； coolly。
〃If you don't come down I'll come up after you with my pistol；〃 broke in Bill Badger。
〃Maybe I can do a little shooting myself；〃 went on Gaff Caven。
〃I'll risk that。〃
More words followed； but in the end Caven thought it best to descend and did so。 Yet his face still wore a look of defiance。 He was compelled to turn around； and his hands were also tied behind him。
〃Now I want those mining shares； Caven；〃 said Joe。
〃I haven't got them。〃
〃Where is the satchel？〃
〃I threw it away when you started after me。〃
〃Down at the railroad tracks？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Don't you believe that；〃 broke in Bill Badger。 〃At least； not unless he emptied the satchel first。〃
〃Show me the way you came；〃 said Joe。
〃Make him point out the satchel； or make him suffer；〃 went on Bill Badger。
〃I've got an idea！〃 cried our hero； suddenly。 〃Perhaps he left the satchel in the tree。〃
〃That's so。 Well； if you want to climb up and look around； I'll watch the pair of 'em。〃
〃Don't let them get away。〃
〃If they try it； they'll go to the hospital or the graveyard；〃 replied the western young man； significantly。
〃The satchel ain't in the tree；〃 growled Caven； but his tone lacked positiveness。
〃I'll soon know for certain；〃 said our hero。
He climbed the tree with ease； having been used to such doings when living with the old hermit。 As he went from branch to branch he kept his eyes open； and presently saw a bit of leather sticking out of a crotch。 He worked his way over and soon had the satchel in his possession。
〃How are you making out？〃 called up Bill Badger。
〃I've got it！〃 shouted our hero； joyfully。
〃Got the papers？〃
〃Yes；everything；〃 said Joe； after a hasty examination。
〃Hang the luck！〃 muttered Gaff Caven； much chagrined。
Our hero was soon on the ground once more。 Here he examined the contents of the satchel with care。 Everything was there； and； locking the bag； he slung the strap over his shoulder。
〃Now； what's the next move？〃 queried Bill Badger。
〃We ought to have these men locked up。 How far is it to the nearest town？〃
〃Ten or twelve miles； I reckon。 I don't know much about the roads。〃
〃Why can't you let us go？〃 asked Malone。 〃You've got what you want。〃
〃If I let you go you'll be trying to make more trouble for Mr。 Vane and myself。〃
〃Don't talk to them；〃 growled Caven。 〃If you want to lock us up； do so！〃
He was in an ugly humor and ready for a fight。
〃We'll march 'em along；〃 said Bill Badger； and so it was agreed。
CHAPTER XXIX。
THE FATE OF TWO EVILDOERS。
〃Are you going to let them arrest us？〃 whispered Pat Malone； as the whole party moved through the woods towards a wagon road which ran nearly parallel to the railroad tracks。
〃Not if I can help it；〃 Caven whispered back。 〃We must watch our chances。〃
Half a mile was covered and they came out on the road。 It was growing dark and there were signs of a storm in the air。
〃It's going to rain；〃 said Joe； and he was right。
〃See here； I don't want to get wet to the skin；〃 growled Caven。 〃I'll catch my death of cold。〃
〃There is a barn just ahead；〃 said Bill Badger。 〃Let us get inside。〃
Joe was willing； and soon all were in the barn。 It was now raining at a heavy rate and they were glad to be under shelter。
〃With a barn there ought to be a house；〃 remarked our hero。 〃But I don't see any。〃
It grew still darker； and the rain came down in perfect sheets。 The roof of the barn leaked； and they had to move from one spot to another； to keep out of the drippings。
While this was going on Gaff Caven was working at the handkerchief that bound his wrists and soon had it loose。 Pat Malone also liberated himself。 Caven winked suggestively at his confederate。
〃Watch me；〃 he whispered。 〃When I give the signal we'll knock 'em both down and run for it。〃
〃But the pistol〃 began Malone。
〃I'll take care of that。〃
In moving around the old barn Caven spotted a club and moved close to it。 Suddenly he snatched the weapon up and hit Bill Badger on the arm with it。 The pistol flew into a corner and went off； sending a bullet into a board。
〃Run！〃 yelled Caven； and leaped for the open doorway。 Malone came beside him； and both ran off through the rain as fast as their legs could carry them。
Joe was startled and made after the pair。 But at a groan from Bill Badger he paused。
〃Are you badly hurt？〃 he asked。
〃He gave me a stiff crack on the arm；〃 growled the young westerner。
Joe ran for the corner and caught up the pistol。 Then he leaped for the open doorway。
〃Stop； both of you！〃 he called out。 〃Stop； or I'll fire！〃
〃Don't you dare！〃 shrieked Pat Malone； and ran faster than ever； behind the nearest of the trees。 Joe aimed the weapon； but before he could pull the trigger both of the bad men were out of sight。
〃Go after them； if you want to；〃 said Bill Badger。 〃I'll go too。〃
〃You are not badly hurt？〃 queried our hero； sympathetically。
〃No； but if I catch that fellow I'll give it to him good；〃 grumbled the young westerner。
Both now left the barn and made after Caven and Malone。 Once they caught sight of the rascals； moving in the direction of the railroad tracks。
〃They are going to catch a train if they can！〃 cried our hero。 〃I hear one coming。〃
〃It's a freight most likely；〃 was Bill Badger's answer。
He was right； and soon the long line of freight cars hove into sight around a bend and on an upgrade。 Far in the distance they beheld Caven and Malone scooting for the train with all speed。
〃They are going to make it；〃 sighed Joe。 〃Too bad！〃
They continued to run； but before they could get anywhere near the tracks they saw Caven leap for the train and get between two of the cars。 Then Malone got aboard also； and the freight train passed out of sight through the cut。
〃That ends the chase；〃 said Joe； halting。 〃They were slick to get away。〃
〃If we only knew where they would get off we could send word ahead；〃 suggested his companion。
〃Well； we don't know； and after this they will probably keep their eyes wide open and keep out of sight as much as possible。 Anyway； I don't think they'll bother Mr。 Vane any more。〃
〃It's not likely。 I'm a witness to what they were up to；〃 answered the young westerner。
Both Joe and Bill Badger were soaked from the rain and resolved to strike out for the nearest farmhouse or village。 They kept along the railroad tracks； and presently came to a shanty where there was a track…walker。
〃How far to the nearest village？〃 asked our hero。
〃Half a mile。〃
〃Thank you。〃
〃How is it you are out here in the rain？〃 went on the track…walker。
〃We got off our train and it went off without us。〃
〃Oh； I see。 Too bad。〃
Again our hero and his companion hurried on； and soon came in sight of a small village。 They inquired their way to a tavern； and there dried their clothing and procured a good； hot meal； which made both feel much better。
〃I am going to send a telegram to Mr。 Vane；〃 said Joe； and did so without further delay。 He was careful of the satchel and did not leave it out of his sight。
They found they could get a train for the West that evening at seven o'clock and at the proper time hurried to the depot。
〃I'm glad I met you；〃 said Joe； to his newly…made friend。 〃Now； what do you think I owe you for what you did？〃
〃As we didn't land the fellows in jail you don't owe me anything；〃 said Bill Badger； promptly。
〃Oh； yes； I do。〃
〃Well then； you can pay the extra expense； and let that fill the bill。〃
〃I'll certainly do that；〃 said Joe； promptly。
As they rode along Bill Badger told something of himself and of the mine his father owned； and then Joe told something of his own story。
〃Did you say your name is Joe Bodley？〃 asked the young westerner； with deep interest。
〃Yes。〃
〃And you are looking for a man by the name of William A。 Bodley？〃
〃I am。〃
〃It seems to me I know a man by that name； although the miners all call him Bill Bodley。〃
〃Where is this Bill Bodley？〃
〃Out in Montana somewhere。 He worked for my father once； about three years ago。 He was rather a strange man； about fifty years old。 He had white hair and a white beard； and acted as if he had great trouble on his mind。〃
〃You do not know where he is now？