CHAPTER XXVIII. THE CONSPIRATORS ARE DISGUSTED.

Less than an hour later found Robert at Herman Wenrich's modest home. A ring at the door bell brought Nettie Wenrich, who smiled pleasantly upon seeing our hero.

"My father is much better, thank you," said the girl, in reply to Robert's question concerning her parent's health. "I was afraid he would not get well before, but now I am sure he will."

"I am glad to hear that," answered the boy.

"Those men were here again," went on Nettie. "They are very anxious to get the map, and they offered my father fifty dollars for it."

"They offered two hundred dollars," came from the bedchamber, for Robert and Nettie were ascending¹ the stairs, and old Herman Wenrich had overheard the talk. "The fifty dollar offer was only their first."

The old lumberman shook hands cordially.

"But you have the map, haven't you?" questioned Robert eagerly.

[Pg 237]

"To be sure I have, my lad. Herman Wenrich's word is as good as his bond."

"You know I am authorized³ to give you a hundred dollars," went on Robert.

"And didn't I say I didn't want a cent from Felix Amberton?" cried the old man. "All I want is that order, to make certain that I am not going astray—not but what you look honest enough."

"Here is the order, just received by mail," and Robert handed it over.

Herman Wenrich had his daughter bring spectacles and he perused⁴ the paper with great care.

"That's all right—I know Amberton's signature well—saw it on many a check he gave me. You shall have the map. Nettie, bring me my tin box."

"I will, father," answered the daughter, and left the room.

"What did those men have to say when you told them that I had said they were not working for Felix Amberton's interest?" asked Robert while she was gone.

"I didn't tell them anything about it. I merely told them to hold off for a day or two, and I would consider their offer."

"They'll be mad when they learn the truth."

[Pg 238]

"I shall show them this order for the map. They probably know Amberton's signature as well as I do."

"Perhaps so."

"I suppose you are going to send that to Timberville by the first mail."

"I am going to take it up myself. Mr. Marden wants to come up."

"You will find it a wild section of the country—a good bit different from around here."

"I shan't mind that—in fact, I think I'll rather like the change."

"It's a good place for a fellow who is strong and healthy. There are fortunes in the lumber² business."

"I've no doubt of it."

"I went into the district a poor man, and worked at cutting lumber at a dollar and a half a day. Inside of fifteen years I came out something like twelve thousand dollars ahead. Of course that isn't a fortune, but you must remember that I lost about ten thousand dollars by two spring freshets which carried off nearly all I at those times possessed⁵. If I had remained there I would have been better off. But I came to Chicago and speculated, and now my fortune amounts to very little, I can tell you that."

[Pg 239]

By this time Nettie came back with a long tin box painted black. It was locked, and the key was in a pocketbook under the sick man's pillow. Soon the box was opened and Herman Wenrich took out a paper yellow with age.

"This is the map," he said. "If I were you I would be very careful of how I handled it, or it may go to pieces. Nettie, haven't you a big envelope in which to place it?"

"I think I have, father," she replied, and went off to hunt up the article.

During her absence Robert looked over the document, and found that it contained not only a map but also a long written description of several lumber tracts⁶, including that which Felix Amberton had once purchased from a man named Gregory Hammerditch.

"This must be some relative to the Hammerditch I met," said our hero.

"It was an uncle. The trouble started through this Gregory Hammerditch and the Canadian, Jean Le Fevre. They claimed the land was never paid for, I believe."

At that moment came a ring at the front door bell.

"It is those two men!" cried Nettie, who stood close to the window.

[Pg 240]

"You mean the Canadian and the Englishman?" asked Robert.

"Yes."

"Do you wish to meet them?" questioned Herman Wenrich. "If so, I have no objection."

"I would like to hear what they have to say, sir."

"You can go into the back bedroom, if you wish."

The idea struck Robert as a good one, and while Nettie went below to let the visitors in our hero entered the rear apartment, leaving the door open several inches.

Soon he heard Hammerditch and Le Fevre ascending the stairs.

"Good-morning," said both, as they came in and sat down close to Herman Wenrich's bedside.

"Good-morning," replied the old lumberman shortly.

"Well, I trust you have decided⁷ to sell us the map," continued the Englishman.

"I have decided not to do so."

"Indeed." The faces of both men fell. "The map is of no use to you, Mr. Wenrich," went on Hammerditch.

"That may be true."

[Pg 241]

"And it is no more than right that we should have it."

"Dat is so," said the Canadian. "Ze map should be ours."

"You said Mr. Amberton had sent you for the map," said Herman Wenrich.

"So he did," answered Hammerditch, and Le Fevre nodded.

"Did he give you a written order?"

"He did not. He didn't think it was necessary."

"I have received a written order—or rather, a written request, for it."

At this both of the visitors were dumfounded.

"A written order?" gasped⁸ Hammerditch.

"Yes."

"By mail?"

"No, a young man brought it."

"Ze order must be von forgery⁹!" came from the French Canadian.

"Certainly it must be a forgery," added his companion.

"It is no forgery, gentlemen."

The voice came from the rear doorway¹⁰, and Robert confronted them.

"Who are you?" demanded Hammerditch roughly.

[Pg 242]

"My name is Robert Frost."

"I never heard of you before."

"I am a friend to Mr. Richard Marden, the nephew of Felix Amberton."

"And you come for ze map?" queried¹¹ Jean Le Fevre.

"Yes."

"It's an outrage¹²!" burst out Hammerditch. "The map belongs to us."

"No, it belongs to Mr. Wenrich."

"What do you intend to do with it?"

"I intend to turn it over to Mr. Amberton and Mr. Marden."

"It will do them no good."

"I think it will."

"Amberton shall never have that timber land."

"How will you stop him?"

"Never mind, he shall never have it."

"We haf ze other map," said Le Fevre.

"There isn't any other map," put in Herman Wenrich.

"Yes, there is," said Hammerditch.

"Perhaps it's one you had made down to Cresson & Page," said Robert, mentioning the firm of mapmakers, to whom he had applied¹³ for a situation.

Both Le Fevre and Hammerditch were amazed.

[Pg 243]

"What do you know of that?" demanded the Englishman.

"He haf played ze part of a spy!" hissed¹⁴ the French Canadian.

"I have spied upon nobody. I was at Cresson & Page's place when you came there, and I couldn't help overhear what you said about the map."

"Bah, he is a spy, sure enough," ejaculated Hammerditch, in disgust. "Jean, we have played into the hands of our enemies."

"Zat is so, but it shall do zem no good," answered the Canadian. "We haf better git back to Timberville as soon as possible," he added, in a whisper.

"I reckon you are about right," said Hammerditch. He bowed himself toward the door.

"You are going?" asked Herman Wenrich.

"Yes, we are going. You have played us for a pair of fools," replied the Englishman.

He ran down the stairs, with Le Fevre at his heels. Soon both were outside and stalking up the street rapidly. Robert began to laugh.

"They are a pair of rascals," he remarked. "I am awfully¹⁵ glad I outwitted them."

"So am I glad," answered Herman Wenrich.

"And I am glad, too," said Nettie, with a[Pg 244] bright smile. "But if I were you I wouldn't lose any time in getting to Timberville with the map."

"I will leave this afternoon," answered the boy.

1 ascending   

adj.上升的，向上的

参考例句：

• Now draw or trace ten dinosaurs in ascending order of size.现在按照体型由小到大的顺序画出或是临摹出10只恐龙。

2 lumber   

n.木材，木料；v.以破旧东西堆满；伐木；笨重移动

参考例句：

• The truck was sent to carry lumber.卡车被派出去运木材。
• They slapped together a cabin out of old lumber.他们利用旧木料草草地盖起了一间小屋。

3 authorized   

a.委任的，许可的

参考例句：

• An administrative order is valid if authorized by a statute.如果一个行政命令得到一个法规的认可那么这个命令就是有效的。

4 perused   

v.读（某篇文字）( peruse的过去式和过去分词 )；（尤指）细阅；审阅；匆匆读或心不在焉地浏览（某篇文字）

参考例句：

• I remained under the wall and perused Miss Cathy's affectionate composition. 我就留在墙跟底下阅读凯蒂小姐的爱情作品。 来自辞典例句
• Have you perused this article? 你细读了这篇文章了吗？ 来自互联网

5 possessed   

adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的

参考例句：

• He flew out of the room like a man possessed.他像着了魔似地猛然冲出房门。
• He behaved like someone possessed.他行为举止像是魔怔了。

6 tracts   

大片土地( tract的名词复数 )； 地带； （体内的）道； （尤指宣扬宗教、伦理或政治的）短文

参考例句：

• vast tracts of forest 大片大片的森林
• There are tracts of desert in Australia. 澳大利亚有大片沙漠。

7 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

8 gasped   

v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要

参考例句：

• She gasped at the wonderful view. 如此美景使她惊讶得屏住了呼吸。
• People gasped with admiration at the superb skill of the gymnasts. 体操运动员的高超技艺令人赞叹。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

9 forgery   

n.伪造的文件等，赝品，伪造（行为）

参考例句：

• The painting was a forgery.这张画是赝品。
• He was sent to prison for forgery.他因伪造罪而被关进监狱。

10 doorway   

n.门口，(喻)入门；门路，途径

参考例句：

• They huddled in the shop doorway to shelter from the rain.他们挤在商店门口躲雨。
• Mary suddenly appeared in the doorway.玛丽突然出现在门口。

11 queried   

v.质疑，对…表示疑问( query的过去式和过去分词 )；询问

参考例句：

• She queried what he said. 她对他说的话表示怀疑。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• \"What does he have to do?\" queried Chin dubiously. “他有什么心事？”琴向觉民问道，她的脸上现出疑惑不解的神情。 来自汉英文学 - 家（1-26） - 家（1-26）

12 outrage   

n.暴行，侮辱，愤怒；vt.凌辱，激怒

参考例句：

• When he heard the news he reacted with a sense of outrage.他得悉此事时义愤填膺。
• We should never forget the outrage committed by the Japanese invaders.我们永远都不应该忘记日本侵略者犯下的暴行。

13 applied   

adj.应用的；v.应用，适用

参考例句：

• She plans to take a course in applied linguistics.她打算学习应用语言学课程。
• This cream is best applied to the face at night.这种乳霜最好晚上擦脸用。

14 hissed   

发嘶嘶声( hiss的过去式和过去分词 )； 发嘘声表示反对

参考例句：

• Have you ever been hissed at in the middle of a speech? 你在演讲中有没有被嘘过？
• The iron hissed as it pressed the wet cloth. 熨斗压在湿布上时发出了嘶嘶声。

15 awfully   

adv.可怕地，非常地，极端地

参考例句：

• Agriculture was awfully neglected in the past.过去农业遭到严重忽视。
• I've been feeling awfully bad about it.对这我一直感到很难受。