The darkness deepened until the night became as black as Egypt. There was no moon, and even the stars were obscured by clouds that heavily veiled the sky. The night was chill, and the boys b.u.t.toned their coats tightly about them as they sat waiting for developments.

They had perhaps an hour to wait, but it was not known but that some of the robbers would be on the ground at an earlier time than had been set, and every sense was on the alert as all strained their ears for the slightest sound and peered into the darkness on the chance that they might catch glimpses of shadowy forms. After the first few moments they had not ventured to talk for fear that they might be overheard. But this did not debar them from thinking, and they thrilled with excitement as they pictured each to himself the struggle that seemed about to take place on the road.

The minutes dragged along interminably, and in the intense silence the lads could almost hear the beating of their hearts. Then at a little distance a twig cracked and sent the blood racing madly through their veins.

Soon footsteps were heard approaching, and the lads crouched still lower in their hiding place. The sounds came nearer, and they could detect the tread of two men. They were approaching without any excessive degree of caution, as they had no reason to believe that their plans had been discovered. As they drew closer, the boys could hear them conversing in low tones.

"I tell you it's all right," said a rough voice, which they recognized as that of Black Donegan. "All the fellows are tipped off and know just what they've got to do. Jake and Toppy will do the holding up, and then the rest of us will jump in if the driver cuts up rough. If he does, there'll be one more dead driver."

The boys waited for the answer that seemed to be long in coming. What they heard finally was a whistle that made them jump. They had heard that whistle before!

"Ca.s.sey!" whispered Bob to Joe. "Ca.s.sey, as sure as you're born!"

The next instant his belief became a thrilling certainty.

"It-t-t-t isn't the d-d-driver." The voice came out, with an explosive quality. "It's the g-g-guards he may have w-w-with him. The p-p-police are getting pretty l-l-leary about all the robberies t-t-t-that have been taking place around here lately, and they've g-g-g-," again came the whistle, "g-got to do something or lose their jobs. At any rate t-t-this is the last thing we're g-g-going to pull off around here----"

"I guess he's right about that," Joe whispered to Bob.

"----and j-j-just as soon as we're through with this, w-w-we'd better p-pull up stakes and try somewhere else."

The voice was now so close at hand that if the boys had reached out of the thicket they would almost have touched the speaker. At this thought Jimmy and Herb, especially, felt a thrill of excitement.

CHAPTER XXV

AN EXCITING STRUGGLE

"I think myself that we've hung round this neck o' the woods about long enough," agreed Donegan. "And I ain't any too well pleased to have that radio inspector snooping around the woods. He ain't up to any good if you ask me. But brace up, Ca.s.sey, for this last haul. You ain't generally chicken-hearted."

"You'll f-f-find that I have my n-n-nerve with me when the pinch comes,"

replied Ca.s.sey. "I'd rather be k-k-killed by a bullet than g-g-g-go back to prison."

The voices receded as the men went on, and soon the sound of their footsteps ceased. It was evident they were searching for the most advantageous place for the crime that they contemplated.

"I told you that I had a hunch that that villain would be here,"

whispered Jimmy, when they felt that it would be safe to speak.

"Good thing, too," said Bob grimly. "Ca.s.sey'll get to-night what's coming to him."

Half an hour pa.s.sed--an hour--an hour and a half. Then far in the distance the boys heard the hum of a motor engine and the rumble of a heavy truck.

"There it comes!" e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed Joe, throwing caution to the winds in his excitement.

The rumbling grew louder, and soon the boys knew that it must be close to the bridge. Then they saw the lamps of an auto truck sending out their beams of light a hundred feet in advance, and could just discern above them the ma.s.sive body of the truck.

It came on at a moderate rate of speed, slowing up somewhat as it struck the bridge.

Suddenly shots rang out and the boys could see two dark figures standing on the bridge and waving their hands at the driver, as they bellowed out orders to stop. At the same time, as though the shots had been a signal, three other figures came rushing from other directions.

It was impossible for the boys to keep still, and they too sprang to their feet and started for the scene of the hold-up, running at the top of their speed.

Just as they left their covert there was a blinding flash that made the whole bridge as bright as day. A searchlight had been turned on from the top of the truck full in the faces of the robbers. They staggered as though they had been struck, and at the same instant there came a volley of shots and the police were upon the hold-up men.

There was a wild melee of struggling men, as they swayed back and forth in a desperate struggle. The robbers had been taken completely by surprise and were outnumbered two to one. There were shouts and the crack of revolvers, and the thud of pistol b.u.t.ts.

But the battle, though fierce, was of short duration. In a few minutes the robbers had been subdued. One lay stunned on the bridge and another lay by him wounded. Two more were held in the grasp of officers.

One, however, tore himself away from the officer who had grappled with him, and came rushing in the direction of the radio boys. In the glare from the searchlight they recognized Ca.s.sey.

He saw them, too, and fired his revolver at them. The shot went wild. He pressed the trigger again but with no result. Then, realizing that his weapon was empty, he hurled it at Bob, who was nearest to him.

Bob dodged, and the next instant grabbed at Ca.s.sey's legs. The expertness that had made him the star of his football team stood him in good stead. His arms closed round Ca.s.sey in a flying tackle, and they came heavily to the bridge together.

Ca.s.sey struggled desperately to rise, but Bob held him in an unbreakable grip, and a second later his comrades had come to his a.s.sistance and the scoundrel was overpowered and delivered over to the police, who came rushing up.

The robbers were securely bound and bundled into the auto truck that they had planned to rob. Then in high spirits the party drove back to Barberton. The chief was jubilant, and the praises he heaped upon the radio boys made their ears burn. They stayed long enough at his office to see the prisoners safely jailed and then, though the hour was late, rode back to their quarters in the woods with Mr. Brandon.

They slept long and late after their exciting experience, and it was almost noon the next day when they awoke. Bob was somewhat surprised to find a letter waiting for him. It bore no stamp, and had evidently been brought there by one of the lumbermen.

He opened it curiously and glanced at the signature. Then he gave a shout that brought his comrades quickly to his side.

"What do you think of this, fellows?" he cried. "Buck Looker's writing to me."

There was a chorus of wondering exclamations.

The last paragraph caught Bob's eye and he read it aloud:

"As for Bob Layton and those other chumps, all we've got to do is to stand pat. No one saw us put the stones in the s...o...b..a.l.l.s, and if we just deny it, they can't pin anything on us. They'll have to pay for the window, and that'll even up things for what they did to us at Mountain Pa.s.s.

"Yours,

"Buck."

Bob was utterly dumbfounded. Then he glanced at the heading of the letter and let out a whoop.

"Oh, this is too rich!" he cried, almost choking with laughter. "This letter is directed to Carl Lutz. You know he went home two or three days ago. Buck has written two letters, one to Lutz and the other to me--probably a roast--and he's put them in the wrong envelopes. Oh, how he's given himself away!"

Bob's comrades were fairly convulsed, and Jimmy grew so purple in the face that they had to slap him vigorously on the back. They had scarcely got him into a calmer frame, before he threatened to go off again, for he saw Buck Looker strolling along the road.

"Probably's come along to see how you were bearing up under the roast,"

chuckled Joe.

Bob ran over toward Buck, followed by his comrades. Buck looked alarmed and put himself in a posture of defense.

"Oh, we're not going to hurt you," said Bob. "I only wanted to tell you that I got your letter."