CHAPTER XXIII. 

News of Importance 

"Don't be alarmed; he is not going to shoot," cried Paul. 

"Don't ye make too shure o' thet," ejaculated the cowboy. "Wot's he puttin' his hand into his pocket fer?" 

"He has something there I fancy he wishes to conceal," went on Paul. "Empty the pocket, please." 

"Let me go! This is highway robbery!" stormed Captain Grady. 

He struggled fiercely to regain his feet. But Blowfen was the stronger of the pair and he easily held the rascal down with one hand, while with the other he brought several letters from his inside pocket. 

Paul eagerly snatched the letters, in spite of the captain's protest. He glanced at them, with Chet looking over his shoulder. 

"Well, what do you make out?" asked Caleb Dottery. He didn't quite like the way matters were turning. 

"I think we will be safe in making Captain Grady a prisoner," replied Paul slowly. 

"Yes, make him a prisoner by all means," put in Chet. "He is a villain if ever there was one. If we can't prove it I think my Uncle Barnaby can." 

At the reference to Barnaby Winthrop Captain Grady grew pale. It was evident that his sins were at last finding him out. 

It did not take Jack Blowfen long to act upon Paul's suggestion. He disarmed the captain and made him march into the house, where he bound the fellow in very much the same manner as Dottery had bound Jeff Jones. 

While he was doing so Paul showed the letters taken from the prisoner to Caleb Dottery. Chet, while a second reading was going on, commenced to ransack the house. 
who confined him?
But Blowfen was the stronger of the pair and he easily held the rascal down with one hand,