Jode Lenning’s experience with Shoup and Geohegan, his recovery of the stolen mail bags, and his rescue of Colonel Hawtrey from the runaway ore car were topics of discussion in that part of Arizona for a good many days.
Geohegan, it developed, was the cracksman who, on a former occasion, had helped Shoup break into the safe at the cyanide works and make off with four bars of bullion. Hawkins had been hunting for Shoup and Geohegan on the score of that attempted robbery, and he had about given up finding the rascally pair, when they dropped into his hands through that holdup in the cañon.
Shoup, although a young fellow, was a drug fiend. He had gone from bad to worse, until now he had committed a crime which, in all likelihood, would have to be expiated in some government prison.
In the confession which Geohegan made, it appeared that the two thieves had blundered upon Lenning entirely by chance. Taking his clothes and his horse was a plan of Shoup’s. After hiding the mail bags in the cañon, the two robbers had gone into the gulch. Here they discovered some of Hawkins’ posse, and fled to escape them. They were followed relentlessly, and finally captured.
Two drafts for twenty-five thousand dollars each, one for the professor and one for Mrs. Boorland, were found in one of the stolen mail pouches. Thus the matter of the mine in the Picketpost Mountains was wound up, and nothing further remained to delay the departure of Frank and his chums from southern Arizona.
311
The one thing Frank had wished for with all his heart—the reconciliation between Colonel Hawtrey and Lenning—had been accomplished. The lad now felt that he could leave Ophir with a cheerful spirit.
Among the first to pay Lenning a visit in the Ophir bunk house and congratulate him on his brightening prospects were Clancy and Ballard.
“Don’t congratulate me, fellows,” said Lenning. “Give Merriwell the credit. He was my friend when every one else had turned against me. Whenever I needed a boost in the right direction, I could always count on him to give it. I’ll never forget Chip, and I’ll never cease to be grateful to him.”
“Chip is all to the mustard,” said Clancy loyally, “and I can only find fault with him about one thing.”
“What is that?”
“He wouldn’t let Pink and me go along with him and Blunt when they answered that mysterious call from Dolliver. See what a lot of excitement we missed!”
“That was a case, Clancy,” smiled Lenning, “where two of you were company and four would have been a crowd.”
“All right,” assented Ballard cheerfully, “we’ll leave it that way. Going to Gold Hill to live, Jode, as soon as that broken pin is mended?”
“No,” replied Lenning, “I’m going to stay right here and work for Mr. Bradlaugh and Mr. Burke. The colonel ha............