again came in sight of the
runner ahead.

Yet the pursuit had not reached its finish. The fugitive suddenly dived
through a fringe of bushes, going out of sight.

Mr. Farnum reached the spot, then halted, looking undecided, almost
bewildered.

There was now no sound to guide the pursuer.

"Confound him, if he has gotten away," muttered the boatbuilder,
impatiently, to himself. Yet he did not dare risk running forward in
any direction, for fear of getting further from his quarry.

Don Melville halted, too, chuckling softly to himself.

"Oh, you!" snorted Farnum, glancing backward over his shoulder in high
disgust.

Don chuckled again.

Just then the sound of stealthily moving feet came to the boatbuilder's
ears. Don, in his glee, had lost the chance to make so much noise with
his own feet that the other boy could steal softly away undetected.

Without a word, now, the boatbuilder sprang forward. As he advanced, he
heard the running of the uniformed boy plainly enough, and, a moment
later, came in sight.

Now, Jacob Farnum, though not much given to making empty threats, decided
to try the effect of a ruse.

"You! You ahead!" he shouted. "Stop, or I'll send some lead after
you. Do you want me to fire?"

Swift as thought Don Melville, again in pursuit at the rear, yelled:

"Don't mind him, Benson! Scoot! He hasn't any gun."

"If some fairy only would take care of that snake-in-the-grass behind
me!" quivered Mr. Farnum, silently.

Having the uniformed boy plainly in sight, though some hundred or more
feet ahead, Farnum by no means felt like giving up the race. All the
same, the boatbuilder, long out of practice in athletics, was beginning
to feel severely the effects of this chase over rough ground and through
bushes.

"I've got to die or get him!" muttered Farnum, doggedly, between his
teeth. "Oh, for a little light on this cloudy night! If I could be
sure the fellow is, or isn't, Benson, I might be more willing to drop
this pace!"

Putting on a better spurt, as a last, desperate resort, Farnum did all
in his power to overtake the uniformed boy.

He seemed likely enough to do it--would have done it, no doubt, but for
a new trick on the part of the enemy.

Don Melville, seeing how matters were going, and being in much better
training, increased his own burst of speed, running as softly as
possible.

Then, with an exultant cry, Don leaped upon the back of Jacob Farnum,
catching him arou