vancing he caught the youth who had helped to rob Mr.
Wadsworth's jewelry works by the arm.

"You let me go, Phil Lawrence! If you don't it will be the worse for
you!" bawled Link, and tried to wrench himself loose.

"Here, none of that!" broke in Dave, quickly, and stepping forward, he
caught the evildoer by the other arm. "You just march along with us!"

"I won't go!" bawled the boy who had gotten himself into trouble. "Let
go of me, I tell you!"

He started to struggle, and for a minute or two Dave and Phil had all
they could do to hold him. Then, in sudden viciousness, Link kicked
out, taking Dave in the shin.

"Oh, so that's your game, is it?" cried Dave, his anger rising. And
then, as Link kicked out once more, he caught the foot and gave the
youth a shove that sent him sprawling on his back. Before Link could
arise, Dave rushed in and sat down heavily on him.

"Oh!" grunted the fallen one. "D-don't cru-crush my ribs!" he panted.
"L-let u-up!"

"I won't let up until you promise to behave yourself," answered Dave,
sternly. "For two pins, Link, I'd give you the thrashing of your life.
You deserve it. What right had you to send me that note and call me a
'poorhouse nobody'?"

"That's right, Dave. Pitch into him! Give him what he deserves!" agreed
Phil. "Maybe a good licking would knock some common-sense into him."

"D-don't you dare to--to t-touch me," panted the boy under Dave. "If
you--you do, I'll ha-have the l-law on you!"

"Don't talk about the law!" cried Dave. "The law will take care of you.
When I caught you down on Cave Island, and you said that you were sorry
that you had joined Jasniff in that robbery and that you were going to
reform, I felt sorry for you. But you are a faker, Merwell, and I don't
believe you ever will reform, and that's the reason I'm going to do my
best now to place you in the hands of the law."

"You--you--you let me u-up!"

"I won't let you up until you promise to behave yourself and come along
with us."

"A-all right, I pro-promise."

"Very well, then, you can get up," answered Dave, arising. "But
remember, you have given us your word, and if you break it, I'll
guarantee that Phil and I will come down on you like a ton of bricks.
Now, if you know when you are well off, you'll do exactly as we tell you
to."

"I've got a scheme, Dave," broke in Phil, bringing out an extra piece of
fishline from his pocket. "Let's tie his hands behind him with this.
Then I don't thin