rowing with one hand he shook himself quite
clear of the garment, so as to be unencumbered when he began to swim,
for that was his intention as soon as the man overtook them, and his
peril became great.

"He wants most of all to get the boat," he thought to himself; and soon
after he opened his heart to Dexter.

"Lookye here!" he said, "he wants to get the boat; and if he can get
that he won't come after us. Let's row pretty close to the bank, and
get ashore and run."

"What! and leave the boat?" cried Dexter. "That I'm sure I will not."

Dexter pulled all the harder after hearing this proposal, and Bob
uttered a moan.

All that morning the flight and pursuit were kept up, till on both sides
it became merely a light dipping of the oars, so as to keep the boats'
heads straight, the tide carrying them along.

It was plain enough now that they were getting toward the mouth of the
river, which was now quite broad. Houses were growing plentiful, barges
lay at wharves or moored with other boats in the stream, and care had to
be exercised to avoid coming in collision with the many obstacles in
their way.

But they kept on; and though at Bob's piteous suggestion they wound in
and out among the many crafts in the hope of shaking off their pursuer,
it was all in vain, for he kept doggedly on after them, with the
matter-of-fact determination of a weasel after a rabbit, sure of its
scent, and certain that before long the object of the pursuit would
resign itself to its fate.

On still in a dreary mechanical way. Dexter could hardly move his arms,
and Bob was, in spite of his long experience, almost as helpless.

"It's of no use," the latter said at last; and he ceased rowing.

"No, no, Bob; don't give in!" cried Dexter excitedly. "We shall soon
tire him out now. Row! Row!"

"Can't," said Bob drearily. "I haven't another pull in me."

"Then give me the other scull, and let me try."

"Yah! you couldn't pull both," cried Bob. "There, I'm going to try a
hundred more strokes, and then I shall swim ashore. I ain't going to
let him catch me."

"Pull, then, a hundred more," cried Dexter excitedly. "Oh, do make it
two, Bob! He'll be tired out by then."

"I'm a-going to pull a hundred," grumbled Bob, "and then give it up.
Now then!"

The sculls splashed the water almost together, and for a few strokes the
boys pulled vigorously and well; but it was like the last bright flashes
of an expiring candle, and long