“You’re not going to really torture him?” asked the white-lipped Billy.
Carson was worn out with lack of sleep and exhaustion. When Clancy dragged him to the fireplace, took a burning brand from the fire, and approached him, he let out one frightened yell.
The red-haired chap knew that he could not carry out his bluff, but he held so desperate a countenance that Carson was overborne. Even Billy himself half thought that Clancy meant to put his bluff into effect.
Clancy drew a long breath of relief, but did not let Carson see it.
“Where’s Chip Merriwell?” he demanded grimly.
“Don’t burn me!” yelled Carson frantically. “Give me a drink!”
“You’ll drink when I get ready, and not before,” roared Clancy. “Where’s Chip Merriwell? Hurry up, you galoot!”
“He’s at the Brundage Farm, on the other side of Orton,” gasped Bully. “For Heaven’s sake, give me a drink!”
The bully had given in completely and absolutely. None the less, he knew that since it was getting on toward noon, all hope of getting to Fardale for the game must now be over.
“Get up,” and Clancy kicked him to his feet. “Billy, take him out to the car and you take the wheel. I’ll come along in the _Hornet_. Make him guide us to this Brundage place, and do it quick!”
“You’ll drink when you get there, not before. Jump lively!”
With a groan, Carson followed Billy. The fellow was in a pitiable plight, but at thought of Chip, Clancy lost all pity.
He soon ascertained from Billy Mac that Brundage was a farmer living on one of the Carson farms, just outside Orton, but on the opposite side of the town from where they were at present. Also, Carson loosened up with the story.
He confessed to having lured Chip away, and stated that both he and the driver of his machine were being held at the farm in question, in order that Chip should be detained from the Franklin game. At this Clancy climbed into the _Hornet_ with a groan of despair.
“The harm’s done, now!” he reflected bitterly. “Billy, Chip, and I will be out of the game for certain. That means that Franklin will have a walk-away, unless old Fardale comes up to the scratch, or a miracle happens.”
Billy, driving Carson’s car with the owner huddled in the tonneau, shot out on the road, while Clancy followed in the _Hornet_. Poor Carson was almost in a state of collapse, but Billy allowed him no sleep.