Quincy Allen

“ Any man who can outwit that head warden of the penitentiary, and backed up by a couple of trained hounds, at that, is no slouch, in my opinion."
"Well, it happened that in a paper we had wrapped around some of our things I found an account of that escape. It was interesting to me," said Frank.
"Why?" asked Jerry eagerly.
"For one thing, because it was a thrilling story. Another thing lay in the fact that all sorts of strange possibilities flashed before my mind, for, Jerry, the name of the escaped convict was familiar to me, and will be to you." ”

“ I could prove it if I hadn't fallen over that log before I thought of my camera," avowed Will.
"What strange things we see when we haven't got our gun," jeered Jerry, who did not seem to fully believe the story of the others.
"You appear to doubt their words," said Frank, turning on his chum questioningly.
"Oh, I don't think they're faking. That pigeon egg on Bluff's noble brow proves that he was scared nigh to death, and banged into a tree for keeps; but I don't believe in ghosts. They saw something—yes, but I've got a little suspicion that somebody's putting up a fine old joke on the crowd." ”

“ Wasn't that word 'help'?"
"It sure sounded like it," declared Bluff, looking with startled eyes at his two chums.
"Come on, Bluff, with me. Jerry, you stay by the wagon, and keep your eyes on the lookout all the time. Nobody can say what we might run up against in these Sunset Mountains. If there are ghosts, there may be other things."
"All right, I'll stay," replied Jerry, though the disappointed look on his face told plainly enough that he would much rather accompany them.
Frank and Bluff ran down the rough road at a fast clip. The nearer they came to the bottom the louder grew the cries. ”

“ In the long run matters even up, you know," admonished Frank.
"Yes, I guess you're right there. That was a great day and night I had when we were camped up in the woods above Lumber Run. Things happened then, all right, what with my getting that deer, being treed by the wild dogs, afterward sniffed at by a bear in whose hollow tree-trunk I had taken refuge from the storm; and last, but not least, rescuing poor Andy from under the fallen tree. I hang up my hat. It will be a long time before any one of you beat that record," smiled Jerry. ”

“ Heads were appearing at all the windows, and now shrieks began to be added to the clamor.
Bluff wondered if he were dreaming. Had all Centerville gone crazy? There was an asylum over at Merrick, but since when had its inmates broken loose and taken up quarters in Centerville?
If he had not been gripping his gun and that package of shells, Bluff might have rubbed his eyes to find out if he were really and truly awake.
"Run! run!"
It sounded as though a dozen people were shouting that word. Why should they want to get others to run? ”

“ Your father is a lawyer, too," observed Frank, quite as filled with horror as his chum, though not as demonstrative.
"And I'm going to put it up to him. Dad will stand back of this poor chap, and see he has his rights. He must be taken away from old Dobson and put in the care of a decent farmer, who will treat him white," continued Jerry, waxing enthusiastic over the situation.
The boy sprang over to him, and his whole expression was one of gratitude.
"Thank you! Oh! thank you! That is all I want. I mean to do the right thing, but I'm only a poor, weak boy, and he wants me to do a man's work. ”

“ The trouble was, as a rule, his object proved to be a vindictive one, rather than worthy of praise.
"Oh, I don't pretend to be a hero," said Bluff, as he gave the other boy look for look, "and I'll put you wise to that right here. But when it comes to a pinch, and some mighty mean fellows are trying to play tricks on me and my chums, I can hold my own, all right. This gun may be unlucky about getting out of order too often, but she can scatter the shot, and is all to the good. You want to fight shy of her, Pet, that's all." ”

“ Then, after all, what he and Jerry had suspected bade fair to prove true—the escaped convict was hiding in Sunset Mountains, and Andy had come up to join him, for some strange purpose or other.
It began to look as though the chains might be tightening around Thaddeus Lasher, and that before long he would find himself once more in the clutches of the law.
"There's Will shouting again, I declare! Wonder what is up now? He can't be trusted to go off by himself alone any more. You don't think he's in another quicksand, do you, Frank?" exclaimed Bluff just then. ”

“ What odds if it is as tough as an old cow? It's game! That ought to settle it. Imagination can make even bear meat seem as tender as spring lamb," declared Jerry.
"And there's the skin. That will make a bully old rug for my den!" exclaimed Bluff, looking boldly at Frank, as though challenging him to dispute his claim.
"You're welcome to it, seeing that I have several already, but I'm afraid you'll find it a pretty poor specimen at this season of the year. The pelts are never good for much until fall sets in. The beast has hardly stopped shedding last winter's coat of hair," laughed Frank. ”

“ As Frank happened to look up to the side of the mountain he caught sight of a flare that came and went several times, as though it might be a signal, after which he saw it no more.
"That was strange," he muttered uneasily, "and the more I see of things the stronger I feel that something mighty queer must be going on up in this region. What with a ghost roaming about, and a posse of officers searching for an escaped convict, anything is liable to happen at any time. ”

“ Frank! Where are you?" whooped the exultant artist, capering around in his pajamas, as he hugged his camera to his breast.
"Here," answered the sentry, appearing at that juncture.
"A pretty guard, you are, old boy, to let all those chaps creep up on the camp while we slept in unconscious innocence," said Bluff, in pretended indignation.
"Unconscious innocence is good! Tell me about that, will you? Take a good look at Bluff, fellows. He's expecting to sprout wings soon."
"I was awake, and watching all the time, boys, believe me. I saw the farmer as he crept up, followed by his man. ”

“ Sheriff. I'm not asking favors of any man—now!" replied the other.
Frank was amazed. He thought that if ever a poor fellow had cause for mourning his hard luck, Thaddeus Lasher was the one. He had escaped from prison, and eluded the authorities for nearly three months, only to have this miserable fall, that in a measure was responsible for his being retaken.
And yet he even smiled, back of the lines of physical pain on his face.
Another man stood in the entrance to the grotto, one of Mr. Dodd's deputies; in fact, the same fellow who had spent the night in camp with the boys. ”

“ If it is a game, depend on it, the one responsible for the deception is a smarter man than any of our old enemies."
"A game! Do you think that ghost wasn't real?" asked Bluff.
"Of course I do. Why, if I believed in such supernatural appearances, do you imagine for a minute I'd come up here hunting experiences? No, sir! I'd stay safe at home. Surely there must be some sort of reason for this party to play at ghost. I'm trying to put things together. Why should any one want to make people keep away from Oak Ridge?"
The others began to comprehend what Frank had in mind. ”

“ Never was there a cleaner, brighter, more manly boy than Frank Allen, the hero of this series of boys' tales, and never was there a better crowd of lads to associate with than the students of the School. All boys will read these stories with deep interest. The rivalry between the towns along the river was of the keenest, and plots and counterplots to win the championships, at baseball, at football, at boat racing, at track athletics, and at ice hockey, were without number. Any lad reading one volume of this series will surely want the others. ”

“ Isn't there some sort of a ghost story going the rounds about it?" asked Frank, smiling.
"Tell me about that, will you?" burst out Jerry, bristling up. "Bluff isn't content with the laurels he's already won, but sighs for more. First it was the wild man we rounded up, and now he hankers after laying a real genuine ghost by the heels. Count me in, if you decide to go. I'm always eager to have a share in all kinds of excitement, you know."
"Sandy says Caleb, the canal lockkeeper, saw the ghost really and truly. ”

“ Some of the rest of us will take a turn at blowing up those rubber mattresses. Save yourself for to-morrow," said Frank, glad to know that Bluff could put his recent experience out of his mind, for he had heard of cases where it had proved a haunting fear for a long time, men even waking out of a sound sleep with loud cries, as they imagined they were once more going through all the horrors of drowning.
Will soon came back with the canoe, while Jerry kept on further, desirous of exploring the shores of the lake while about it. ”

“ Jerry was as eager as ever to examine things. He could not wait until morning came, now that a bear had actually issued forth from the crevice in the rocks.
"There may be another in there," suggested Bluff meaningly.
"All right, then. Something is due to fall to my gun, I guess. Don't you think for a minute that everything is going to come your way. Better save your wind for blowing up your bed a little later. You'll probably need it all," remarked Jerry, who had been sore ever since the preceding night, when his rival had come in just a trifle ahead in the great wind act.
Frank hesitated. ”

“ Bluff was for dropping his gun and rushing out in the water to the assistance of his imperilled chum. It did his heart credit, this impulsiveness, but just then, no doubt, it was well that he had a comrade near by possessed of a cooler head, or there might soon have been a pair of them in the quicksand.
"Stop! None of that, Bluff!" said Frank, clutching him by the arm.
"But, look! The poor fellow will be drowned if we don't help him mighty fast!" expostulated the rash boy, struggling to break away. ”