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Prim was explaining to Burton, "and that this Oskaloosa Kid is with her, and another man and a foreign looking girl. He told a wild story about seeing them burying a dead man in the woods back of Squibbs' place. I don't know how much to believe, or whether to believe any of it; but we can't afford not to run down every clew. I can't believe that my daughter is wilfully consorting with such men.
I'd like to lay my mits on him. I'll bet there won't be no more Oskaloosa Kid when I get done wit him." The boy drew Bridge's ear down toward his own lips. "Let's go," he said. "I don't hear anything more downstairs, or maybe we could get out on this roof and slide down the porch pillars." Bridge laid a strong, warm hand on the small, cold one of his new friend. "Don't worry, Kid," he said.
"But we have no cups!" exclaimed The Oskaloosa Kid, in sudden despair. Bridge laughed. "Knock an end off your egg and the shell will answer in place of a cup. Got a knife?" The Kid didn't. Bridge eyed him quizzically. "You must have done most of your burgling near home," he commented. "I'm not a burglar!" cried the youth indignantly.
I wouldn't trust that vanishing chin of yours as far as I could throw Beppo by the tail." "Wait!" exclaimed The Oskaloosa Kid. "I have it!" "What have you?" asked Bridge. "Listen!" cried the boy excitedly. "This boy has been offered a hundred dollars for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the men who robbed and murdered in Oakdale last night.
"I was particular to mention cow, which, in this instance, is proverbially less dangerous than the male, and much better eating. "'We kept a-rambling all the time. I rustled grub, he rustled rhyme "'Blind baggage, hoof it, ride or climb we always put it through. Who's going to rustle the grub?" The girl looked at The Oskaloosa Kid.
Case Jr., opened his mouth and eyes so wide that there was little left of his face. "But that's nothing," bragged The Kid. "I shot a man, too." "Last night?" whispered the boy. "Yep," replied the bad man, tersely. "Gosh!" said the young Mr. Case, but there was that in his facial expression which brought to The Oskaloosa Kid a sudden regret that he had thus rashly confided in a stranger.
"We seen The Oskaloosa Kid this evenin'" volunteered one of the newcomers. "You did?" exclaimed the girl. "Where?" "He'd just pulled off a job in Oakdale an' had his pockets bulgin' wid sparklers an' kale. We was follerin' him an' when we seen your light up here we t'ought it was him." The Oskaloosa Kid shrank closer to Bridge. At last he recognized the voice of the speaker.
"How do you know he ain't?" queried The General. "Youse was knocked out when these guys picks you up. It's so dark in here you couldn't reco'nize no one. How do you know this here bird ain't The Oskaloosa Kid, eh?" "I have heard both these men speak," replied the girl; "their voices were not those of any men I have known. If one of them is The Oskaloosa Kid then there must be two men called that.
The Oskaloosa Kid peeled a five dollar bill from his roll and proffered it to the farmer. "I'm ever so much obliged," he said, "and you needn't mind about any change. I thank you so much." With which he took the several packages and pails and turned toward the road. "Yew gotta return them pails!" shouted Mrs. Case after him. "Oh, of course," replied The Kid. "Gosh!" exclaimed Mr. Case, feelingly.
Another came running toward them. It was Soup Face, so thoroughly terrified that he would gladly have embraced a policeman in uniform, could the latter have offered him protection. A boy accompanied the newcomers. "There he is!" he screamed, pointing at The Oskaloosa Kid. "There he is! And you've got Miss Prim, too, and when do I get the reward?" "Shut up!" said one of the men.
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