“What’s the meaning of this? Where did you find them?” exclaimed Tom, as soon as he had found his tongue.
Before speaking Ralph stepped to the end of the log and pointed to the hollow in it. Then he picked up a bush that appeared to have been lately cut, and laid it across the opening.
“That’s the way it was when I came along here a few minutes ago,” said he. “I stumbled against something, and when I looked to see what it was I found that I had kicked this bush away and exposed the opening. As I was searching for that blackberry-patch, and nothing else, I was about to pass on, when something glittering caught my eye. It was the buckle on this gun-case. That’s my answer to your second question, Tom. In reply to your first, I say: It means that you need have no further trouble with Matt Coyle, and you needn’t ask your father for that money.”
“Do—do you think these are the stolen guns?” stammered Tom.
“Of course they are,” said Loren, confidently. “That one by the log is a Winchester, and I see the name Lefever on this. I tell you, old fellow, you are in luck.”
“For once in my life I believe I am,” said Tom, taking the double-barrel from his cousin’s hand and giving it a good looking over. “Seen any signs of the berry-patch, Ralph?”
“And you won’t see any in this part of the country, either,” answered Tom. “We missed our way, and that was a very fortunate thing for me. I’ve got the weather-gauge of Matt Coyle now. Let’s eat our lunch and start back for our old camp.”
So saying Tom shouldered the Lefever hammerless and turned his face toward the creek, Loren following with the Victoria case in his hand, and Ralph bringing up the rear with the Winchester. They had many a hearty laugh at Matt Coyle’s expense, but when they sat down to lunch they began to look at the matter seriously.
“You’ve got the upper hand of him now, and you want to keep it,” said Ralph. “I don’t think it would be quite safe for you to defy him.”
“By no means,” replied Tom. “I have no intention of doing any thing of the sort. I shall have an interview with him at the earliest possible moment, and tell him when he produces the guns I will give him his money. I can’t be expected to fill my part of the contract until he fills his; and that’s something he can’t do, thanks to Ralph. Why, boys, I feel as if I had got rid of an awful load.”