CHAPTER XVII.

A WHOLESALE ROUND-UP.

"Patsy," said the detective, when they reentered the cabin, after

watching their punch consumed almost to the dregs, "this is about the

biggest capture I was ever in."

"But we are not through yet, chief," replied the assistant, stroking the

white beard he wore so naturally that Nick laughed aloud. "There are

sixteen more men at liberty yet, and we have got the whole bunch to tie

up. Don't forget that there are four men stationed at each of the

outside entrances to----"

"Oh, I haven't forgotten it. We will serve them in the same way. All we

have to do is to manufacture one more pail of punch. So here goes. And

as for tying them up, that will hardly be necessary."

"Why?"

"They are good for twelve hours of solid sleep at the very least. Many

of them will not waken in twenty-four hours."

"And maybe some of them will never wake up. How is that?"

"It is a chance that we had to take; but by restricting them to two

drinks each, I figured that there would be no danger. No; I think we are

all right. Now, help me make this extra pail of punch. After that we

will carry it through the cavern to the different parties of four each."

"Suppose they get suspicious, and won't drink it?"

"No danger of that, my lad."

When the punch was made, they divided it into two lots, each carrying

half, and, thus equipped, they again entered the cavern, this time just

as daylight was beginning to appear.

The first party they selected to serve was the one farthest away, and

the detective discovered that they were grumbling because they had not

been relieved.

But when he appeared with the pail of punch, and told them what had

happened--that every one had been served with the same thing--they

forgot their sorrows and had their share as the others had taken theirs.

And here, in order to make doubly sure, Nick had given each of the

drinks a larger dose of the sleeping draught than he had served in the

valley. As soon as the men had drunk what was given them, and had been

refused more, he left them, followed by Patsy, and returned through the

cave to another entrance.

And here again the operation was repeated in the same manner, an idea of

suspicion never once entering the head of any of the men; they were far

too eager for the drink which the thoughtfulness of their mistress had

provided for them.

"They'll be suspicious when they begin to feel drowsy all at once,"

suggested Patsy, as they moved away.

"Let them," replied Nick. "We won't be there, and not one of them will

be able to go very far before he drops in a stupor. I have fixed it, all

right."

They found the second party as eager as the first, and one of them

already the worse for too many drinks from a bottle he had had in his

pocket; but they took the medicine that Nick portioned out to them as

the others had done, and they in turn were left alone to drop off to

sleep as they would; for they had been awake all night, and now it was

broad daylight. They figured that they deserved some sleep.

At the third entrance the four men were already asleep--all but one of

them, and he was drowsing; and Nick, in his character of Handsome,

pretended to be angry at first. He pretended to refuse to give them the

punch that had been sent to them until they begged so hard that he

finally relented.

"Why," said Patsy, when they left them, and took their way toward the

fourth, and last, place--the hole under the Dog's Nose, near the place

where Handsome and Madge were prisoners, "it's all as easy as living on

a farm."

"And not half so interesting," laughed the detective.

They walked past the movable rock behind which the two prisoners were

confined without so much as devoting a glance to it, for they were both

intent upon accomplishing this last installment of capture through the

medium of the laudanum; and here they found the four men who were on

duty, just about ready to mutiny because they had not been relieved.

But the presence of Handsome--or the man they believed to be

Handsome--quieted them at once, for they stood in wholesome dread of him

and his anger; and when they understood what had been brought to them,

they were ready for anything.

And so it was that in their turns they took their medicine as the others

had done. When they had swallowed it, Nick said to them:

"Stretch out, now, you fellows, where you are. I'll let you sleep for a

while, at least. I'm going to sit here and smoke. I am tired myself.

Turner, sit down. We'll keep watch here for a spell."

The men did not require a second invitation, but speedily took advantage

of the permission--and it was surprising how soon the laudanum took

effect upon them.

Ten minutes had not elapsed before the four were sleeping soundly, and

snoring as if they never expected to awake again.

"I think we can go now," said Nick, at last, rising.

"What is the next trick to be done?" asked Patsy.

"Let me see," replied Nick. "It's thirty miles from here to Calamont.

How far is it to the railway track in a direct line? That is the way you

came, isn't it?"

"Yes."

"How far is it?"

"About four miles, possibly. I can make it in an hour."

"Then skip. This is the nearest point to start from. Get to the track as

soon as you can. Flag the first train that comes along, no matter what

it is. Get aboard it, and go to the first station. Get off there, and

use the telegraph operator. Have him wire to Mr. Cobalt, the president

of the road, exactly what has happened. Ask Cobalt to send a special

train to us from the nearest point. We will want about twenty officers

to take charge of all these prisoners, and he had better send along some

chains with padlocks on them. You can figure that out yourself. We will

want to make chain gangs of these men, so that they can walk to the

railway, but so that they are chained together and cannot escape. You've

got the idea?"

"Yes."

"Go, then, and see how quickly you can get the officers here, and we can

get this crew away from here."

"And you?"

"I'll stay here. Skip, now. Don't talk any more."

"Have I got to carry these whiskers with me?" grinned Patsy.

"You'd better not stop to remove them now. I put them on to stay. Go!"

And Patsy went.

Nick remained where he was for a while, thinking deeply, and altogether

satisfied with what he had accomplished; but after a little he rose, and

took his way back into the cave, intending to see what Handsome and

Madge were doing, and if they were making any effort to free themselves.

But after he had reentered the cave, and had covered the twenty rods

that intervened between it and the movable rock, he stopped in

astonishment and stared.

The rock was pushed wide open.

With a bound he darted forward and entered the place, but only to find

that Madge and Handsome had both disappeared. Their bonds were lying

upon the floor of the cavern, but they were no longer there themselves.

Nick did not wait to see more than that then.

He turned away on a run, and darted through the galleries with all the

speed he could summon under the circumstances--and he came out into the

valley, where the sun was shining, directly behind his two escaped

prisoners, for they had not preceded him by more than a minute,

evidently.

With one wild spring he was upon them, and as Handsome turned to defend

himself, Nick hit him with his fist, so that he sent him reeling across

the grass, where he fell senseless to the earth.

But in the meantime Madge had turned with a scream of rage, and when she

saw the real Handsome fall helpless, she broke into a run toward her own

cottage, for she had no weapon to use now, Nick having deprived them

both of their guns.

But the detective ran after her, and, just as she was about to leap upon

the porch, he succeeded in seizing her, and in pulling her back again

toward him.

She turned upon him then like a fury; but with a laugh he sprang under

her extended arms, and seized her around the waist; and then he lifted

her from her feet, and, still laughing, he ran across the grass to the

cabin in which Patsy had once been a prisoner, and in another moment he

had tossed her inside, closed the door and fastened it.

For a long time he could hear her storming in there, but he had to hurry

back to Handsome, who was still down and out when he got to him, but who

presently revived.

But he had all the fight taken out of him, and he allowed himself to be

bound again securely, after which Nick led him to Madge's cabin, and

tied him to one of the rustic chairs on the porch.

Including Black Madge and her first lieutenant, Handsome, there were one

hundred and two prisoners turned over to be dealt with by the law when

Patsy returned to the place in the hills, having piloted the officers

who were sent by special train to complete the capture.

Black Madge did not see the detective again to speak to him; but she

sent him a note, in which she said:

"I haven't done with you yet, Nick Carter. I will

never forgive you for fooling me as you did. I shall

manage to get my liberty again, somehow, some time,

and when I do, it will be for the purpose of

wreaking vengeance on you. And I will get even some

day, never fear."