"Look out! He's going to shoot again," cried one of the officers. "Down,
quick!"
Jones was standing aft in the launch and had levelled his revolver in
deliberate aim. But before he could pull the trigger, there was an
unexpected move in the boat.
The third member of the party of conspirators--the young man whose face
was so strangely familiar to Shirley--suddenly sprang to his feet, and
before Jones could realize his intention, had wrested the revolver from
his hand with a quick move. Jones turned upon him angrily, and they
grappled.
For several moments they swayed unsteadily in the boat, causing it to
rock violently; and then Jones, putting forth a strenuous effort, sent
his opponent hurling overboard and by another and more strenuous effort,
succeeded in regaining his own balance just as it seemed that he, too,
must tumble into the water.
"Slow down!" cried Shirley to the fisherman. "We must pick him up."
The owner of the boat complied, and steered the craft to where the
unfortunate youth's head showed above the water at that moment. Leonard
stretched forth his unwounded arm, and succeeded in dragging the victim
aboard, where he sank to the bottom of the boat panting.
Shirley took one look at the bedraggled youth, and then exclaimed aloud:
"Dick!"
Their erstwhile opponent looked at her in surprise. It was plain that he
did not recognize her.
"Don't you know me?" asked Shirley, half laughing.
"No," returned the youth somewhat sullenly.
"Then I'll refresh your memory," said Shirley. "Do you remember a street
fight in Cincinnati one night not long ago, when your own friends turned
on you because you befriended a strange youth, who later turned out to
be a girl?"
Dick's face took on a reddish hue.
"And do you remember escorting the girl home?" continued Shirley, "and
disappearing before she had an opportunity of thanking you? Do you
remember me now?"
Dick hung his head sheepishly.
"Yes, I remember," he said.
"And how is it," demanded Shirley, "that I find you mixed up in this
affair? How do you happen to be on such friendly terms with that
scoundrel Jones?"
"Well, it's a long story," returned Dick in some confusion.
"I didn't think it of you, Dick," said Shirley. "You proved such a
valiant champion, that I believed I should always find you fighting on
the side of the right."
"And so you shall," responded Dick, lifting his head, "if you have
further need of me. I didn't really know who Jones was when I got mixed
up with him. And had I known he was plotting against you I would have
had nothing to do with the affair. I am ready to help you, if you can
make use of me."
"I knew I couldn't be wrong," said the girl with a bright smile, "and I
am glad to have you on our side. Perhaps you can tell me why Jones has
kidnapped Jimmy?"
"He is planning to keep him from riding in the Derby. He says that
without Jimmy, Gabriel cannot possibly win."
"I see," said Shirley. "It's just as I thought. And where is he taking
him now?"
"I do not know," was the reply. "He has some safe place in view,
though."
While the _Sybil_ paused to pick up Dick, the other launch forged ahead,
and now had disappeared from view around a bend in the creek.
Shirley turned to the owner of the boat.
"Can we catch them?" she asked anxiously.
"Just leave it to me," returned the man grimly. "If they stay in the
water we'll come up with them before long."
Rounding the bend they again came in sight of the other launch, and as
they did so Shirley uttered a cry of dismay.
Close into the shore the pursued launch rode gently upon the water. Her
engines had been stopped, and she had been deserted. There was not a
soul aboard.
"Where do you suppose they have gone?" demanded Mabel.
"They have taken to the woods," replied Shirley, "and the chances are we
have lost them altogether."
Jenkins, for as such the owner of the _Sybil_ introduced himself, ran
his launch close beside the other, and all stepped quickly ashore. In
the soft mud, footsteps leading toward the woods nearby were plainly
visible, showing that the fugitives had gone in that direction.
"We'll follow them, if you give the word, Miss Willing," said Dick.
"And Mabel and I will go too," said Shirley.
Dick looked at young Wolfe somewhat dubiously.
"It is hardly girls' work," he replied.
"Right you are," agreed Leonard. "You girls stay here by the boat."
"But we want to go," Mabel pouted. "We are more interested in this than
any of you."
"The young men are right," said Jenkins firmly. "Jones must be a
desperate man. You girls are safer here."
"We do not wish to be obstinate," said Shirley. "We know that you are
doing this for us, and if you tell us to stay here, we shall do so, of
course."
Jenkins and the two young men breathed a sigh of relief, as did the two
policemen.
"You wait here until we return then," said Leonard. "Come on, men."
The five disappeared in the woods, leaving the two girls beside the boat
alone.
"I hope they get them," said Shirley grimly.
"So do I," agreed Mabel.
"I am glad Dick is with us," said Shirley slowly. "Somehow I have a lot
of confidence in him. You know I have seen him in action and know what
he can do."
"He is a likeable boy," declared Mabel. "It's too bad he has mixed with
such bad companions."
"I am going to see if I can't get father to help him," said Shirley.
"Maybe he would be willing to work on the farm."
"From the way he looked at you," said Mabel, "I should say that he would
be glad to work any place where you might be."
"The idea, Mabel," said Shirley, but nevertheless her face grew red.
Suddenly both girls were startled by a stealthy tread behind them. They
wheeled about, and looked into the sneering countenance of Jones.
And beside him was Briggs, and between the two, his hands bound and a
gag in his mouth, was Jimmy.
"So," said Jones, with an evil smile, "we have captured two more of the
enemy, eh?"
Neither girl replied.
Jones motioned toward the launch.
"Climb aboard, there, quick!" he commanded.
Both girls hesitated.
"You hear me?" demanded Jones, taking a step forward. "I am not to be
trifled with. Move now!"
Shirley and Mabel thought better of their hesitancy, and without a word
climbed aboard the _Sybil_. Jimmy was shoved aboard after them, and then
came Jones. Briggs stopped to shove the boat off and then clambered
aboard.
"Straight down the creek," ordered Jones, as Briggs stooped over the
engine.
The launch moved off slowly.
"You see we gave your friends the slip," smiled Jones. "Now we'll just
leave them behind."
"What are you going to do with us?" demanded Shirley.
"Never mind," returned her captor. "You'll find out soon enough."
At that moment there came a shout from the shore, and turning, the girls
saw their friends rushing down toward the water. Jones muttered to
himself.
"Why couldn't we have had a little better start?"
Shirley rose in her seat and waved to her friends.
"Sit down there," said Jones harshly, half rising.
Shirley obeyed, for she knew that she had been seen, and felt certain of
speedy relief.
Ashore, the five were hurriedly piling into the other boat, the one
occupied by Jones when the chase had started, and soon it was coming
after them. But the _Sybil_ was much faster, as already had been proven,
and it seemed that there was little likelihood of the pursuers catching
up with them.
The _Sybil_ gained rapidly and it was plain she would soon run away from
the pursuer.
Jones, sitting a few feet from Shirley, drew a pipe from his pocket, and
filled it calmly.
"I hope you young ladies do not object," he said, and struck a match.
Suddenly Shirley jumped to her feet and rushed at Jones, thinking to
catch him unprepared and push him into the water. But Jones was too
quick for her. He stood up, stepped aside, and it seemed a miracle that
Shirley did not go overboard.
Jones smiled.
"I wouldn't try it again if I were you," he said quietly. "I am not to
be caught napping."
He sat down again, and Shirley resumed her seat.
Now the _Sybil_ lost sight of her pursuer around a bend in the stream.
From this point on the creek wound about more frequently, and it was
plain to Shirley that the pursuers were hopelessly outdistanced.
Then Jones spoke to Briggs.
"Run ashore," he commanded.
Briggs obeyed without a word, and a few moments later, they all stepped
out upon the bank.
"Come," said Jones, "let's get out of sight before our friends arrive."
He motioned the two girls to precede him along what they found to be a
narrow path.
"Briggs," said Jones, "you go back and start the launch down the creek
by itself. Then they won't know where we are."
Briggs hastened to obey, and a moment later the _Sybil_ was moving out
of sight around another bend.
"They won't find us now," said Jones.
Taking advantage of a moment when Jones was not looking, Mabel quietly
hung her white handkerchief upon a bush. It was in plain view of the
creek.
Shirley saw her friend's action, but dared not show she had, by even the
slightest change of expression.