glancing at his watch.

"If I could get away from here immediately, I could make it--wire the
story to the _Recorder_ with instructions to communicate with the
police--to-night, I mean. The paper doesn't go to press until after
three-thirty. But there's no time to lose."

"Hey, 'bo!" called McCorquodale sharply. "Here comes the torchlight
parade. Get a wiggle on. Looks like they was goin' to set the woods
on fire!"

All three sprang to their feet in consternation. For the time being
they had forgotten all about the McIvor gang.

CHAPTER XXIII

THE FIGHT

Kendrick joined McCorquodale on the run. It needed but a glance over
the rock to observe two members of the gang approaching the base of the
hill through the woods, one carrying a flaring pine-knot torch, the
other a piece of white canvas tied to a stick. They were coming for a
parley.

Phil summoned his little party around him for a hasty council of war.
It looked to be as good an opportunity as they were likely to have for
attempting to reach the river. Unless somebody had a better suggestion
to offer, let Miss Lawson, Svenson and Jimmy slip away, while
McCorquodale and he talked to these fellows on the opposite side of the
hill.

"We'll jolly them along as well as we can to give the rest of you as
much time as possible. How does it strike you, Miss Lawson? Is the
ankle bothering you at all?"

The girl was quite sure of herself. The ankle was all right and she
could handle the canoe. When she got to the section shanty she would
have Thorlakson get out the handcar and run her down to the nearest
telegraph operator and that was all there was to it.

"In that case I can be of greater service as a rearguard," said
Kendrick. "Svenson's canoe is plenty large enough for the three of you
without overcrowding. It's really built for four, isn't it, Svenson?"

"You bet you life Ay ben smart fallar," grinned the big Swede. "Das
ben gude yob, y'batcha. Das har canoe, she ride avay vith seven, den
take nodder vun. Yaw, das' rite, alrite."

"What about you and Mr. McCorquodale?" asked Cristy.

"Don't worry about us. We'll try to follow you as soon as possible,
but on no account are you to wait for us, once you reach the river. We
may be--delayed somewhat. If you watch your step and get any kind of
an even break on the luck, you'll get through O.K.

"Svenson, listen to me carefully, now. You are to make it your first
business to protect