"No, he was hurt, that's sure; the cut on his forehead shows it," answered Dave. "Well, Merwell, so they have caught you; have they?" began Mr. Wadsworth, as he stepped up in front of the youth. "I thought we would get you sooner or later." "I--I can't talk to you no-now," faltered the prisoner. "I don't think it will be necessary to do much talking, Merwell," went on the jewelry manufacturer. "We can do our talking later--possibly in the police court." "All right, have your own way about it," growled the prisoner. "You've got me and I'm down and out, so you can do your worst." And with this he rolled over on the hammock once more and again closed his eyes. "Talk about nerve!" whispered Ben. "Doesn't that take the cake!" "I'd like to know whether he is really hurt so much, or only shamming," added Phil. "He always was a sly one." "Tell me how you came to capture him," said Mr. Wadsworth. Thereupon Dave and Phil related how they had gone up the brook to the vicinity of the cliff, and there heard the words between Link and the so-called wild man. "O dear! is that awful creature around here again?" cried Jessie. "Yes," answered Dave. "And I wish he would keep away." Then Dave and Phil related how Link Merwell had plunged over the cliff and had been made a prisoner, and then how, later on, he had tried to escape, struck his head on the tree root, and how all of the boys had brought him to the bungalows. "I am glad he didn't get away from you," said Oliver Wadsworth. "I think he ought to be in prison to keep Jasniff company." "How will you get him to jail?" questioned Phil. "I don't know what we can do except to march him down to Carpen Falls. But we can't do that to-day, for he seems too weak. Perhaps we can take him down there to-morrow, or else some of us can go down and get an officer to come up here and take charge of him." The matter was talked over at some length, and it was finally decided that nothing more should be done that day. Link Merwell did not join in the discussion, nor even open his eyes to look at them. But by close observation, Dave became satisfied that the prisoner was listening intently to every word that was said. "What will you do with him to-night?" asked Roger. "We might lock him up in one of the rooms in the bungalow," suggested Dave. "I don't think we'll give up one of our rooms to that fellow!" put in Mr. Wadsworth. "I think a bunk in the woodshed will be plenty good enough for him." "Oh, Pa, wouldn't that be rather hard on him?" questioned Jessie, who did not want to see even a rascal like Merwell suffer physical discomfort. "I dare say he has been putting up with worse than that in the woods here and while he was on Cave Island and in the far West," returned her father. "We'll place an old couch and some blankets in a corner of the shed, and that will be plenty good enough for him." "But somebody will have to watch him," answered Dave. "I'll do it if you want me to."