Seeing this, Matt, as soon as he had freed himself, leaped to his partner's a.s.sistance. He caught the ruffian by the shoulders, and with a sharp jerk sent him sprawling flat upon his back on a number of sharp stones.

"Go at them with stones, Andy," shouted Matt, as he himself stooped to pick up a small rock which lay at his feet. "We ought to show them no mercy!"

"That's true," panted his partner as he followed the suggestion by arming himself with several handy missiles. "They are a set of cowards in my opinion."

"We'll show you if we are!" cried the fellow who had first attacked Matt. "Come on, Barberry, we must make them prisoners!"

And once more he sprang forward, while the fellow on his back, with a groan of pain, staggered up to lend his a.s.sistance in the struggle.

But now came help for Matt and Andy from an unexpected quarter. There was a crashing through the brush, and a tall form the thieves did not recognize burst into view. It was Ramson, the mountaineer.

"Wot's a-going on here, anyway?" shouted the mountaineer in a tone of wonder. "Fighting worse nor a lot of bears, I declare! Wot's it all about?"

"Help us, won't you?" cried Matt. "These are the fellows who stole the turn-out, and they will not give it up."

"Won't, hey? Well, it's your'n, ain't it?"

"It certainly is, and if you will help us you shall have that reward,"

put in Andy. "This is the main thief, and the other two are helping him," and he pointed to Paul Barberry.

Without more ceremony, the tall mountaineer strode forward and caught Barberry by the shoulder and gave him such a twist about that the pretended doctor howled with pain.

"These two young men are honest fellows, I take it," he said. "And if you imagine you can do them out of their rights you are mistaken, at least so long as I am around. Now just you stand still while I attend to your helpers, and I'll--hullo! if they ain't gone and run away!"

Ramson was right. Hardly had he made his little speech than Paul Barberry's two companions had taken time by the forelock and made a rush for the brush. Matt and Andy dashed after them, but it was useless, for a few seconds later they disappeared in the darkness.

CHAPTER XXVIII.

BACK TO THE VILLAGE.

"Never mind, let them go," said Andy, as he saw the mountaineer make a movement as if to follow the retreading pair. "I do not think that they have any of the stolen things in their possession."

"But they ought to be locked up," insisted Ramson. "Such thieves ought never to be allowed their liberty."

"I agree with you, but as matters stand, we cannot bother to follow them just now."

"Maybe this fellow will tell us who they were. I didn't get a square look at them," went on the mountaineer, who felt sore to think the pair had gotten away thus easily.

"Yes, I imagine we can learn from Barberry who they are," put in Matt, as he caught the pretended doctor by the arm. "Don't you try to run,"

he added.

Paul Barberry appeared greatly disconcerted. He had not expected this sudden turn of affairs, and he knew not what to say or do.

"March him up to the wagon and light the other lantern," said Andy. "I see the fire is going out."

"I'll soon fix that," returned Ramson, and he threw on some dry twigs, causing the fire to blaze up merrily. "They were making themselves quite at home."

"What are you going to do with me?" asked Barberry sullenly, as he found himself surrounded, with no hope of escape.

"Before we answer that question we wish to ask a few on our account,"

returned Andy. "Now tell us who your companions were."

"A couple of tramps I picked up in Phillipsburg."

"Tramps?"

"That is what I call them. They were bound for Easton to sell prize packages of toilet soap."

"Fakirs, like yourself," put in Matt. "How did you come to pick them up? Were you afraid to steal the outfit alone?"

"I didn't say I stole the outfit."

"No, but you did, nevertheless. Now, how did you happen to fall in with those fakirs?"

"Will you let me go if I tell you?"

"Certainly not," cried the boy. "We intend to put you where you will not be able to steal any more for some time to come."

"Arrest me?" exclaimed Paul Barberry, in great alarm. Evidently he had not thought such a thing at all likely.

"Yes," put in Andy. "And unless you do as we wish you to it may go mighty hard with you."

"But I'll stick to it that I bought the turn-out," returned the corn salve doctor, trying to put on a bold front. "You'll have to prove that you didn't make the sale. I won't be bulldozed."

"Get a rope and bind him, Matt," said Andy, paying no attention to the last remark. "We'll take him to the nearest police station. I suppose there will have to be some papers made out before he can be taken back to New Jersey."

The young auctioneer sprang into the wagon and soon brought forth a long and stout rope. Paul Barberry watched these preparations with an anxious face, and when Ramson stepped forward to aid in making him a close prisoner he began to wilt.

"See here," he said, addressing Andy and Matt, "I don't want to be locked up. It would injure my reputation to a great extent. I am willing to admit that I have done wrong, but I--I--did it by mistake.

I haven't felt well for several days, and my head has been affected, that's the whole truth of the matter. When I get those spells I don't know what I am doing."

"He's a good one at crawling," remarked Ramson in disgust. "He'll get over the spells when he's locked up."

In spite of his protestations and pleadings, Barberry was tightly bound and fastened to the rear of the wagon. Then Billy, who had had quite a rest, was harnessed up once more, and with Matt on the seat and Ramson going on ahead to pick the way, they started off for the village, Andy keeping in the rear to see to it that their prisoner should not escape.

The way was dark and uncertain, but the tall mountaineer proved a good and careful guide, and at the end of an hour and a half the worst part of the journey was over. They entered the village just as the town clock was striking one.

"If you want the man arrested you had better take him directly to Justice Harwig's house," said Ramson. "He does all the law business in these parts."

So to that individual's cottage they turned, and Matt sprang from the wagon and used the old-fashioned knocker vigorously. A long silence followed, and then a window upstairs was raised and a head adorned with a nightcap was thrust out.

"What's wanted?"

"We've got a criminal for ye, judge," called out Ramson. "The fellow as run away with that auction turn-out."