ther shock, and Dexter started up, saw that he had run into
the boat ahead, and that one of the two sailors, who had been rowing,
had taken hold of the bows.

He saw that at a glance, but he also saw something else which seemed to
freeze the blood in his breast.

For there, seated in the stern of that large boat into which he had run,
were the Doctor, Sir James Danby, old Dan'l, and Peter.

CHAPTER THIRTY NINE.

BROUGHT TO BOOK.

Dexter did not pause a moment. It did not occur to him that he was
utterly exhausted, and could hardly move his arms. All he realised was
the fact that on the one side was the man whom he had half-killed with
the boat-hook, just about to stretch out his hand to seize him, on the
other, those whom he dreaded far more, and with one quick movement he
stepped on to the thwart of the gig, joined his hands, dived in, and
disappeared from sight, in the muddy water.

For a few moments there was the silence of utter astonishment, and then
the man who had pursued the boys down the river began to take advantage
of the general excitement by keeping hold of the side of the gig and
beginning to draw it away; but Bob set up such a howl of dismay that it
drew Peter's attention, and he too seized the boat from the other end,
caught out the chain, and hooked it on to a ring-bolt of the big boat in
which he sat.

"You drop that there, will yer!" cried the man. "It's my boat."

"How--ow!" cried Bob, in the most canine of yelps; and at the same
moment the gig was literally jerked from the man's hold, for the two
sailors had given a tremendous tug at their oars to force the boat in
the direction that Dexter was likely to take after his rise, and the
next minute a dozen yards were between the tub and the gig.

"For heaven's sake, mind! stop!" cried the doctor excitedly. "Don't
row, men, or you may strike him down."

The men ceased rowing, and every eye began to search the surface of the
water, but no sign of Dexter could be seen.

"He could not sink like that," cried Sir James. "He must rise
somewhere."

But must or no, Dexter did not rise, and the men began to paddle softly
down-stream, while the doctor stood up in the boat gazing wildly round.

"It was all my doing," he said to himself. "Poor boy! poor boy!"

A feeling of horror that was unbearable seemed to be creeping over the
occupants of the great boat. Even Dan'l, who looked upon Dexter as his
mortal enemy, and who had suggested, in