edly. "If they left there this afternoon, we may stand a chance of
overtaking them to-night. You needn't take the horse out, Mr. Kenniston,
for we will start right off again."

"Do you think there is any chance of overtaking your horses, even if
they haven't had any grain, with this poor old nag of the farmer's,
whose greatest speed has been shown in front of a plow?"

And Bob laughed gleefully at the idea.

"It is the best horse I can get just now," said George, fretfully; for
he could not see anything very comical in the fact of being thus
hampered in the pursuit.

"There's where you are mistaken, my dear boy," replied Bob, in his old,
lofty way. "My horses are as fast, and I'm inclined to think a little
faster, than yours. When Jack told me what he had seen, I thought there
was a chance to pay off old scores. So I harnessed into the light double
wagon, put in some blankets, and come here. While I have been waiting
for you, I have got a good-sized lunch from Mrs. Kenniston, a bag of
grain from the farmer, and now we are ready to start, even if we drive
to the lake."

"Bob, you are a good fellow," exclaimed George, as he grasped the
moonlighter by the hand, and made a mental vow that he would never speak
harshly to him again.

While they had been talking, Farmer Kenniston had backed Bob's horses
out of the shed, where their master had left them, that the journey
might be commenced as quickly as possible, and the boys got into the
wagon at once, George and Ralph on the back seat, and Bob in front.

That the chase would be an exciting one, in case they should get within
sight of the thieves, was shown by the way Bob's horses started off,
and, for the first time since he was convinced of his loss, George began
to have some hopes of regaining his property.

"There is one danger in our chasing those fellows in the night," said
Bob, after they had started, "and as to whether you will take the risk,
you must decide. They will probably spend this night as they did last
night--in the woods. Of course, we could not see in the dark if an
ox-cart had driven into the woods, and we run every chance of driving
past them. Then again, if we wait until morning, we are just so much
further behind. Now, what will you do?"

"I hardly know," replied George, after considerable thought. "What is
your advice?"

"Well," and Bob spoke like one who has already decided the matter in his
own mind, "my idea is that they won't stop this s