"ralph! oh, my son!" cried mr. rexworth, as he saw the peril in which the brave lad stood. and the boy turned and looked at his father.
"i cannot hold on here much longer, father," he said. "i shall have to drop, and take my chance with the dogs."
"wait—wait a moment, ralph!" answered the agonized man. "let me get down and attract their attention, and then you will have a chance."
"don't, don't father," implored ralph. "what chance will you have with them with your arm hurt? i may manage it."
"i will do it," volunteered mr. charlton; "i am uninjured. you stay here, sir."
"don't either of you do it!" cried ralph, shifting his position a little so as to avoid the smoke if he could. "i am going to try and creep back a bit. i may find a better place."
"it is useless, ralph," was his father's answer. "the wall is cracking behind you. i can see the smoke coming through. oh, if we only had a rope!"
[pg 287]
"a rope!" cried mr. charlton. "if a rope can aid in such an extremity, i can supply that; for i have kept a long one on my person in case i might be in need of it to escape from my own enemies."
as he spoke he threw off his coat and waistcoat, and there, wound round his body, was a long but fine line, one quite long enough to serve the purpose of reaching to where ralph clung, though he could not see of what avail it would be.
but mr. rexworth saw. and, shouting to ralph to keep up his courage and to look out, he threw one end of the rope—not to the boy—but up over another branch of the tree that was some height above them. then he caught this end as it fell, and gave the other to mr. charlton, bidding him give one turn round the trunk and hold on with all his might. the other end he whirled round his head, and, with practised aim, he sent it to ralph, who gripped at it with one hand, having to risk falling to earth as he did so.
with practised aim, he sent the rope to ralph
"with practised aim, he sent the rope to ralph, who gripped it
with one hand." p. 287
but, having got it, the rest was easy. he was able to swing across that fiery gulf which separated him from safety, and the next moment was safely beside his father, while the dogs ran to the tree and leaped against its trunk in vain rage. and almost at that moment the wall to which he had been clinging collapsed and fell in fiery ruin. a few moments sooner, and it would have carried the brave boy with it to his death.
safe so far, but still held prisoners by those dogs;[pg 288] and still with the flame and smoke blowing upon them. if the walls fell in their direction death might claim them after all.
"if we only had some weapon to beat these brutes off with," said mr. charlton, as he looked down. but mr. rexworth replied—
"we had better remain here. the fire is sure to be seen, and help will arrive soon."
help! yes, help for ralph and his father. but what would that help mean to poor mr. charlton—what but being taken prisoner again? he sighed, but said nothing. he had done his best to help the boy who had helped him, and if that must be the price paid he would pay it.
but ralph had little idea of remaining perched in a tree. he saw that there was a weapon, and one which, in skilful hands, would prove very effective—one which he excelled in the use of.
the rope was coiled in his hands, and a running noose was formed at one end. he crawled far out on the branch, and got a firm hold with his legs; then he gave his rope a whirl, and sent it flying downwards. and soon one of those great dogs was jerked into mid-air, and when it touched earth again it was dead—its neck was broken.
they hauled it up and loosened the noose, letting the body fall heavily to the earth. and ere long the second animal had shared its fate, and there was nothing to hinder them from descending.
[pg 289]
nothing! no, that was not quite right. there was a desperate man, who had remained hidden, to see the result of his wicked work—a man whose face was dark with wrath, and whose heart was maddened with fear. for if these escaped unscathed, it meant the ruin of everything for him.
mr. charlton and ralph had helped mr. rexworth to the ground, and either from weakness, or from the reaction of feeling, mr. rexworth staggered and sunk half swooning at the foot of the tree; while the other two bent over him anxiously.
that was the chance. lord elgert and his brutal follower suddenly dashed from the shelter of the trees and rushed upon them. the man was armed with a rugged stick, and lord elgert had a heavily-loaded whip. it seemed as if the others were at their mercy; but ralph's quick ear caught the sound of their approach, and with a cry of warning he started up. the others were almost upon them, and they were unarmed. the lad glanced around; at his feet one of the dead dogs lay; he seized it, he put out all his strength, and sent the heavy body direct at the pair, who, quite unprepared for such an unexpected assault, received it full in their faces.
the man fell heavily, lord elgert turned and fled. and ralph, with an eager cry, darted after him, rope in hand. the man who had treated his father thus should not escape him now.
but now through the growth there came the crashing[pg 290] of heavy bodies, and loud shouts were raised. the fire had attracted attention, and people were rushing from crab tree village to see what was the cause.
and not only villagers, but policemen—policemen who had patiently waited and watched, feeling sure that the man they wanted was still hiding in the locality. it was a constable who grabbed hold of ralph's arm, and, pulling him up with a sudden jerk, demanded what he was doing and what had occasioned the fire.
ralph struggled. it was maddening to think that he was stopped while lord elgert was escaping. he did not stop to think that escape was next to impossible. he was accustomed to the ways of the wild plains, and there, if a man once got away, it was almost certain that no one would catch him again.
"it was lord elgert who did it, and he is running away!" he cried. "my father is there. you know how he was missing, and we thought he had been murdered. lord elgert had him. he is here."
"whatever are you talking about, young man?" the constable demanded, perplexed at such a dramatic statement. but the sergeant, who had come up with a horse-constable interposed—
"don't stand there talking, man, see what is amiss!" the constable had let go of ralph, and the mounted man had jumped from his horse. ralph caught sight of a trap being driven at full speed over the moor. he had no need to ask who was in that. lord elgert[pg 291] was making good his escape. with a shout of anger and defiance, ralph had sprung into the empty saddle and was off before a single man there could get over his surprise and hinder him.
"there he goes, there he goes!" he shouted, pointing after the trap. "that is lord elgert, but i will ride him down!" and away he went, leaving the men open-mouthed.
they found the two dead dogs, they found mr. rexworth, and alas! they found poor, patient mr. charlton. he might have attempted to escape, but he would not leave the injured man. besides, it was no use now; there was nowhere else to hide, and he must be taken sooner or later.
and after the galloping mare went ralph, riding hard. it was like the old life once more—this wild gallop. he had ridden the half-wild broncho steeds of texas, and he had no difficulty with this well-trained horse.
on he went; on, on, near and nearer to the flying man in front. he saw lord elgert look back at him. a man against a boy! surely the man need have no fear in such a contest! and yet lord elgert did fear. he had feared this boy from the very first time he had seen him in stow wood. he had feared him from the moment ralph had cut that bullet from the tree, and from the time when he had heard him declare that he would never rest until he had solved the mystery of his father's disappearance. that mystery[pg 292] was solved, all his wicked devices were brought to naught, and now he was fleeing for life and for liberty, being hunted just as he had made the police hunt mr. charlton. the tables were being turned indeed!
nearer and nearer ralph drew, and fiercer and more cruelly did the man lash the sides of his faithful little mare. ralph stood up in his stirrups, and lord elgert looked at him over his shoulder. the boy had the rope in his hands. ah, the very first thing he did when he had come to the place was to rope his black bull! now he was going to serve him in the same way—to serve him as he had served the two dogs!
lord elgert saw the arm of the boy sweep round his head, and he ducked.
but ralph had not aimed at him, he had a better plan than that. the noose settled over the little mare. ralph pulled up, and braced himself for the shock which he knew would follow—a shock which nearly pulled him from his saddle. the mare went down, the trap was shattered, and lord elgert, totally unprepared—not even looking where he was going—was sent flying through the air to fall heavily, striking his temple against a rugged stump.
ralph was at the spot in a moment. the man was stunned and at his mercy. the rope had done its duty as a lasso, and was now used to bind lord elgert. ralph felt no remorse or compunction about that. he must take this man to his father, and his father must declare what should next be done.
[pg 293]
"he isn't much hurt," he muttered; "nor are you, you poor thing," he added, turning to the plunging mare. "there you are"—as he cut her free from the ruin of the trap. "now i reckon that you can find your own way home, and, in the meantime, i will wait here."
he placed his hands to his mouth, and gave his old wild call, and from the distance it was answered by his father. they would soon be here now. ralph tethered the horse, and seated himself on the grass. lord elgert opened his eyes, and looked at him with an expression of the deepest hate; but ralph little heeded that. his father was safe, and that was all he thought of then. ralph rexworth felt happier at that moment than he had done for many a day, and, paying no attention to his fallen foe, save to take care that he did not get free, he waited until the police, people, and mr. rexworth arrived upon the scene. yes, the tables were turned now; and had he but known it, they were turned at school also.
