mbles along the declivity and flung himself
upon the assailant.

There was a short, sharp tussle; a second shot, but this time the weapon
discharged its leaden pellet harmlessly. Then the ghost, taking
advantage of the hillside, flung Gus aside and before the boy had time
to leap upon his foeman again, the white figure, his habiliments torn
off, had backed away and threatened Gus with the pistol. There was no
mistaking the voice that uttered the threat:

"Keep off, or you'll get punctured! You needn't think anybody's going to
get me. I'm going to vanish. If you try to follow me now, I'll kill
you!"

This sounded desperate enough and Gus had reason to believe the fellow
meant it. But in spite of that and driven by righteous anger, he would
again have tackled the enemy had not the voice of Grace Hooper checked
him:

"Oh, let him go; let him go!" she begged. "He'll shoot, and you--you
must not be killed! No; you shall not!"

And then, as the rascal turned and fled over the brow of the hill, Gus
turned to the girl, sitting on the ground.

"How did you come here--what--?"

"I knew something was going to happen, and I thought I might prevent it
some way. Then he fired, and I saw how desperate he was,--and he shot--"

"Yes--we must do all we can for poor George, if anything can be done.
But are you hurt?"

"Not very much; he meant to hurt me. I dodged when he struck and only my
shoulder may be--bruised."

"Then you should bathe it in hot water. Can I help you up? No, you must
not go home alone--but I must see about poor George. I heard him groan."

"I'd better go down with you."

"It might be--too horrible--for a girl, you see. Better stay here."

Gus had extended his hand to give her a lift; she took it and came
slowly to her feet; then suddenly crumpled up and lay unconscious before
him, her face white against the dark sod, her arms outflung. Gus stared
at her a few long seconds, as foolishly helpless as any boy could be. He
told Bill afterward that he never felt so flabbergasted in his life.
What to do he knew not, but he must try something, and do it quickly.
Perhaps Grace had only fainted; should he go to George first? He might
be dying--or dead! Then the thought came to him: "Women and children
first."

Gus dashed down the hill, dipped his cap, cup fashion, into the water of
the dam and fled up with it again, brimming full and spilling over. He
was able to dash a considerable quantity of reviving water