ON TIME
Close around the electric auto crowded the members of the hold- up gang.Their eyes seemed to glare through the holes in their black masks.Instantly Tom thought of the other occasion when he was halted by masked figures.Could these, by any possibility, be the same individuals? Was this a trick of Andy Foger and his cronies?
Tom tried to pierce through the disguises.Clearly the persons were men--not boys--and they wore the ragged clothes of tramps.Also, there was an air of dogged determination about them.
"Well, are you going to shell out?" asked the leader, taking a step nearer, "or will we have to take it?""Bless my very existence! You don't mean to say that you're going to take the money--I mean how do you know we have any money?" and Mr.Damon hastily corrected himself."What right have you to stop us in this way? Don't you know that every minute counts? We are in a hurry.""I know it," spoke the leading masked figure with a laugh."I know you have considerable money in that shebang, and I know what you hope to do with it, prevent the run on the Shopton National Bank.But we need that money as much as some other people and, what's more, we're going to have it! Come on, shell out!""Oh, why didn't we bring a gun!" lamented Mr.Damon in a low voice to Tom."Isn't there anything we can do? Can't you give them an electric shock, Tom?""I'm afraid not.If it wasn't for that hay wagon we could turn on the current and make a run for it.But we'd only go into the ditch if we tried to pass now."The load of hay was down the road, but as Tom looked he noticed a curious thing.It seemed to be nearer than it was when the attack of the masked men came.The wagon actually seemed to have backed up.Once more the thought came to the lad that possibly the load of fodder might be one of the factors on which the thieves counted.They might have used itto make the auto halt, and the man, or men, on it were probably in collusion with the footpads.There was no doubt about it, the load of hay was coming nearer, backing up instead of moving away.Tom couldn't understand it.He gave a swift glance at the robbers.They had not appeared to notice this, or, if they had, they gave no sign.-"Then we can't do anything," murmured Mr.Damon.
"I don't see that we can," replied the young inventor in a low voice."And the money we worked so hard to get won't do the bank anygood," and Mr.Damon sighed."It's tough luck," agreed Tom.
"Come now, fork over that cash!" called the leader, advancing still closer."None of that talk between you there.If you think you can work some trick on us you're mistaken.We're desperate men, and we're well armed.The first show of resistance you make, and we shoot--get that, fellows?" he added to his followers, and they nodded grimly.
"Well," remarked Mr.Damon with an air of submission, "I only want to warn you that you are acting illegally, and that you are perpetrating a desperate crime.""Oh, we know that all right," answered one of the men, and Tom gave a start.He was sure he had heard that voice before.He tried to remember it--tried to penetrate the disguise --but he could not.
"I'll give you ten seconds more to hand over that bag of money," went on the leader."If you don't, we'll take it and some of you may get hurt in the process."There seemed nothing else to do.With a white face, but with anger showing in his eyes Mr.Damon reached down to get the valise.Tom had retained his grip of the steering wheel, and the starting lever.He hoped, at the last minute, he might see a chance to dash away, and escape, but that load of hay was in the path.He noted that it was now quite near, but the thieves paid no attention to it.
Tom might have reversed the power, and sent his machine backward, but he could not see to steer it if he went in that direction, and he would soon have gone into the ditch.There was nothing to do save to hand over the cash, it seemed.
Mr.Damon had the bag raised from the car, and the leader of the thieves was reaching up for it, when there came a sudden interruption.
From the load of hay there sounded a fusillade of pistol shots, cracking out with viciousness.This was instantly followed by the appearance of three men who came running from around the load of hay, down the road toward the thieves.Each man carried a pitchfork, and as they ran, one of the trio shouted:
"Right at 'em, boys! Jab your hay forks clean through the scoundrels! By Heck, I guess we'll show 'em we know how t' tackle a hold-up gang as well as the next fellow! Right at 'em now! Charge 'em! Stick your forks right through 'em!" Again there sounded a fusillade of pistol shots.
The thieves turned as one man, and glanced at the relief so unexpectedly approaching.They gave one look at the three determined looking farmers, with their sharp, glittering pitchforks, and then, without a word, they turned and fled, leaping into the bushes that lined the roadway.The underbrush closed after them and they were hidden from sight.
On came the three farmers, waving their effective weapons, the pistol shots still ringing out from the load of hay.Tom could not understand it, and could see no one firing--could detect no smoke.
"Are they gone? Did they rob ye?" asked the foremost of the trio, a burly, grizzled farmer.Bust my buttons, but I guess we skeered 'em all right!""Bless my shoe buttons, but you certainly have!" cried Mr.Damon, descending from the automobile, and wringing the hand of the farmer, while Tom, thrust the bag of money under his legs and waited further developments.The pistol shots rang out until one of the men called:
