At that critical moment for Dick the gardener and the footman came
on the scene and sprang to the boy's assistance. The gardener seized
Bulger and the footman nabbed Parker, compelling them to release Dick.
The boy then assisted the gardener in securing the escaped convict,
and they had their hands full doing it. The butler was able to subdue
Parker alone. Bulger was bound with the rope, and he was furious at his
capture, not to speak of the loss of the money he believed he had come
into. The young New Yorker then called the attention of the butler and
the gardener to the bags of money lying on the ground.
"They came out of the roots of that tree, and as this property is mine,
the money is mine, too, unless somebody can establish a mighty strong
claim to it. It has evidently been hidden there for a great many years.
The person who put it there is doubtless dead, else he would have
reclaimed it long ago. I shall take charge of it by right of ownership
in the property," said Dick, who at once set about gathering together
the six bags Bulger had brought to light, while the ruffian hurled
imprecations at him as he watched him. Dick then hunted for more, and
found six additional bags. The weight of the whole was more than even
the three of them could carry, had they not been embarrassed by the two
prisoners, so Dick told the men to take the rascals to the house and
lock them up while he would remain in charge of the money.
Then came a fresh difficulty. Bulger refused to walk.
"Return to the house, William, and get Mr. Mason to telephone to the
village for the constables," said Dick. "I'll see that Parker doesn't
get away."
So the butler departed on his errand. He was back in twenty minutes,
accompanied by Mr. Mason and a neighboring farmer, who had called at
the house. The prisoners were taken to the road where the automobile
stood. Then the twelve bags of money were carried and put in the
vehicle. Leaving the two servants to walk, the rest of the party
proceeded to the house in the vehicle. Bulger and Parker were locked up
in an outhouse to await the arrival of the constable, while the money
was taken into the house and displayed before the astonished eyes of
the ladies.
The money-bags were then opened and found to contain gold eagles of
a date about the time of the War of the Rebellion, and being counted
footed up $120,000.
"What a lucky boy you are!" Madge said to him, after supper.
"I hope I am," he replied.
"Hope!" she exclaimed, in surprise. "Why, you are, with all that money."
"There is something better than money. Something I'd rather have than
all the gold I have come in possession of."
"What is that?"
"It's your love, Madge," he replied earnestly.
"Oh, Dick!" she cried blushingly.
"Have I got it, or have I dreamed in vain?"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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