e moon was up in all her splendor, and objects on the water were
plainly visible for some distance. Lillian was seated in the bow,
facing the two boys at the paddles. Leander and Dink fell in the wake
of Sandy's skiff, about ten yards in the rear.

As the party reached the middle of the channel, a skiff came into view
from the bend, a short way above, and steered directly toward them.
With a cry, Lillian stood up:

"Oh, Gil, here come those two bad men that took me away."

The boys turned, and they, too, recognized Dennis Foley and Hildey as
the occupants of the approaching boat.

"Lie flat, little one," whispered Sandy, "an' don't move till I tells
yer."

The child obeyed, but already Foley and his partner had espied her, and
it was evident they were using all their efforts to catch up. Leander
now called:

"It's the same gang, Sandy, that came out of the creek. What shall we
do?"

"Paddle fer all ye're worth," was shouted back.

"Hold up, or we'll shoot," yelled Dennis Foley.

With that a pistol-shot was heard coming from the direction of the
pursuers, but the bullet went wide of its mark, and the boys sped on.

"Don't waste yer load unless yer have to," cautioned Sandy, "'cause yer
won't have time to put in 'nother, an' I don't want er draw their fire,
fer fear they might hit Lily."

The race had become one of life and death. The boys strained to the
utmost their strong young muscles, and, with paddles bent almost
double, drove their little craft like the wind before them. Down past
Turtle Creek they flew; Licking Banks were soon left behind, and
shortly, they were alongside the Sycamores. Dink looked back over his
shoulder, and whispered:

"We ain't gained on 'em a bit, an' they seem to be goin' strong."

When the Meadows were reached, Dink said again:

"They're comin' like everythin'."

"Don't weaken," urged Leander; "as long as we're between them and
Sandy's skiff, they'll have to kill us before they can get to Lillian."

The moon was casting its light on the waters like a great silvery path,
and the splashing of the paddles was the only sound that awakened the
echoes. Again came the sharp report of a pistol, and Dink dodged, as if
by instinct. He wheeled in his seat and shot point-blank at Foley, but
the ball imbedded itself in the side of the skiff behind and did no
further damage.

"That's tit for tat," said Dink, "but it wuz a mighty close call fer
me. When the bullet whizzed past my ear