Jack Wright and His Electric Stage | Page 8

yourself with the State Government against the outlaws, and
you may not only recover the stolen money, but you stand a mighty
good chance of winning the standing reward of five thousand dollars
for the arrest and conviction of the James Boys."
"The money is no temptation to me whatever," asserted Jack. "I don't
need it. But you must consider that I was greatly chagrined and
mortified when I discovered what a clever game had been played upon
me, and I am very anxious to even matters up with those villains.
Besides, I rather like the wild, exciting adventures in view if I run after
those outlaws."
"You must not forget that it may cost your life."
"Oh, I am aware of that! And say---"
"Well?"
"How would you like to accompany us?"
"First-rate. I would be of great help to you, too, as I am familiar with all
parts of the State."
"That settles the matter then. You go with us."
"When will you depart?"
"I'm going to write to the Governor of Missouri, and I'll go just as soon
as I get a reply from him."
"I'll write him at the same time then, and I feel confident that we won't

be there long before we break up that gang of outlaws, and have the
James Boys behind the bars."
CHAPTER IV.
OFF FOR MISSOURI.
The sheriff resolved to remain in Wrightstown, and start from there on
the Terror, with Jack and his two friends.
While awaiting a reply from the Governor of Missouri he put up at the
Sea Spider house, and went daily to the young inventor's workshop to
help get the engine ready.
Jack had to purchase many necessary articles to equip the electric
engine, and while they were stocking her, he said one day to
Timberlake:
"As you are the sheriff of Clay County, Missouri, I cannot understand
what, right you had to desert your post of duty there, and go off on a
chase after the James Boys all the way to New York."
"That mystery can easily be explained," replied Timberlake with a
smile. "I was taking a vacation, to which I am entitled, when I learned
of their proposed trip to the metropolis to see the sights. Instead of
taking a rest, I became excited into a longing to capture them, and
started in pursuit as a detective would have done."
"Oh, that accounts for it!"
"You see I always carry with me a warrant for the arrest of the James
Boys and their gang, and therefore was prepared to take them had luck
favored me."
Just then Tim stumped up to them, and proffering a plug of tobacco to
the sheriff he asked:
"Have a chew?"

"No, I never use plug."
"Yer werry welcome, said Tim, and he took a bite.
"Don't mention it," laughed the sheriff.
"I've been havin' a awful hard time o' it, Timberlake."
"You don't say, Tim! What has happened?"
"Oh, 'twuzn't nuthin' wot occurred lately."
"To what do you refer then?" asked the perplexed sheriff.
"A leetle incident wot happened ter me when I wuz aboard o' the ole
frigate Wabash in ther navy."
"Indeed! Was you in the navy?"
"A good many years, sir. Whar else did I git this leg blowed off?"
"You was just going to mention something that happened."
"Ay, ay. So I wuz. Yer see, it happened this way. We wuz a coastin'
through ther Red Sea one brilln' arternoon, watchin' ther monkeys an'
crocodiles on ther Arabian shore when all at onct I noticed a queer
yaller-redness in ther sky on ther Afriky shore. It wuz caused by a
simoom. Great clouds o' sand, driv' by the wind, wuz a-rushin' acrost
ther desert toward ther ship, an' as it came out toward us, we seed we
wuz doomed."
"You were in a mighty tight box," observed the sheriff, interestedly.
"Keel haul me if we wuzn't," agreed Tim, with a nod. "Waal, sir, we
knowed that ther minute them ere clouds o' red-hot sand came down on
ther ship, it would bury us an' bake us ter death. All my messmates wuz
skeered ter death, an' droppin' down upon thar marrer bones about ther
deck, they begun ter pray like sons of guns. Did I give away ter ther
general panic? Not much.

"Cause why? I'll tell yer. A way ter save ther ship an' crew occured ter
me. Wot wuz it? Yer'll see. Yer know as crocodiles is reckoned ther
fastest swimmers in ther water. Waal, sir, as soon as I seed that ere
storm abarin' down on us I knowed as our only chance to save
ourselves laid in runnin' away from it. Now thar wuzn't wind enough
for ther sails ter do it, so wot does I do but gits