“The lock on the door’s smashed,” he announced in a whisper, as he pushed the door open and followed by the others stepped softly into the store. “For the last time, will you tell us where that money is?” The words came to them plainly, even through the closed door at the back of the store. At the sound, Bob gave a sudden start. There was something strangely familiar in the sound of that voice. He sat the child down in a chair by the big stove, and, motioning to the others with his light, he ran for the back of the store. For just a second he hesitated. Then, with a shout, he flung open the door. CHAPTER X THE BOYS TO THE RESCUE The room was fairly well lighted from a large lamp on a table near the center. A glance was all that was necessary for them to take in the situation. In a chair to the right sat the wife of the storekeeper, tied hand and foot. The storekeeper himself was similarly placed on the opposite side of the room. His feet were bare and one man was holding one of them, while it was evident that the other was about to apply the flame of a candle, which he held in his hand, to the sole of the foot. The man holding the candle, Bob noticed, was a hunchback. As the door burst open the two men turned. With an oath the larger dropped the storekeeper’s foot and reached for his hip pocket. He did not, however, have time to draw his gun, for, with a yell, Bob was upon him. It was, as Rex afterward declared, a beautiful tackle. Bob dove for the man’s legs and they came to the floor in a heap. But the man was a powerful brute, and shaking off the boy’s hold he was on his feet again almost instantly. Bob too sprang to his feet. For a second the two, man and boy, stood facing each other. Then, with a roar like an angry bull, the man sprang. Bob neatly sidestepped and the blow merely grazed his cheek. Smack! Before the man could regain his balance Bob had turned and driven his fist with all his strength against his jaw. The blow staggered the man, but he did not fall. “I’ll get you,” the man hissed through his teeth. “Better be quick while the getting’s good,” Bob taunted. As far as brute strength went, Bob well knew that he was no match for his opponent, but the boy was a skillful boxer, while as he knew from past experience the man knew nothing of the art. Again the man rushed and again the boy dodged the blow, and, as before, landed a heavy one in return. This time the blow caught the man fairly on the nose and brought a stream of blood from the nostrils. The pain of the blow maddened the man to the point of frenzy, and throwing caution to the winds he rushed in and threw his powerful arms about the boy’s neck, heedless of the blows that Bob showered on him. Back and forth they swayed for a moment.