one man
go down under a terrific blow from the doughty, one-armed officer,
while Frank leaped in under the arm of a second desperado, upraised to
fire, and brought him crashing down with a flying tackle.

"As pretty as I ever saw," muttered Bob. "Old Frank ought to make the
All-American team for that."

Quick as thought, having felled his man, Captain Folsom stooped down
and wrenched a revolver from his grasp, then spun about on his knee
and fired just as a third rounded the corner. The man toppled forward.
By this time Bob and Jack had reached the scene. But the attack from
the rear had spent its force. The three most daring evidently had
taken the lead. And the way they had been disposed of deterred the
others. A half dozen in number, they hung uncertainly in a group along
the wall of the radio station.

Captain Folsom helped them make up their minds as to which direction
to take by sending several shots over their heads. Without even
waiting to reply, they ran for cover toward the trees and bushes at
the edge of the clearing.

The man whom Frank had tackled capitulated without a struggle, seeing
the fight had gone against him. Frank took his revolver. From the
fellow whom Captain Folsom had shot, and who proved to be wounded only
in the thigh, Bob obtained a revolver. All except Jack were now armed,
and he had the butcher knife which Frank had carried away from the
Brownell house, although he laughed as he flourished it.

"The way you fellows treat our friends," he said, "I expect none of
them will come close enough to give me a chance to use this."

"Look here," said Captain Folsom, approaching the boys, after having
ascertained first that the man whom he had shot had only a flesh
wound; "we aren't out of the woods yet. These fellows are determined
scoundrels, and they know they can't afford to let us escape. Finding
they can't rush us, they will next try to work around through the
trees and attack us from this side. I think we had better make a dash
around Tom Barnum's corner and get into the radio station."

"But how about my going to the beach to meet Lieutenant Summers?"
asked Jack.

"Our position ought to be evident to him," said Captain Folsom. "He
can understand what is going on, and come up cautiously. I can't risk
having any of you lads run the gauntlet. I've reproached myself a
hundred times already for leading you into danger."

"Nonsense, Captain," said Jack. "We volunteered. And we're safe s