, I
guess."

At that the sheriff thrust out a long, brown and sinewy hand.

"That's white of ye, my lad," he said. "We appreciate such neighborly
kindness, don't we, men?" and he turned to his companions, both of whom
were lean looking, dark-faced fellows, heavily armed, and each holding
one of the hounds by a strong leather leash.

"Yuh bet we does, Sheriff. I'm nigh tuckered out with hunger. And
thet thar coffee, my! but she do smell orful fine," with which remark
he proceeded to fasten the end of the leather thong to a sapling close
by.

Jack noticed immediately that both dogs seemed uneasy. They would
sniff the air and whine and pull at their collars, always in the
direction of the big live oak. He really believed that they had caught
the scent of the negro, who had been close by during the night. But
the men were not smart enough to understand this, and imagined that the
animals were only acting strangely because they scented something to
eat.

"I hope they don't get a chance to wander over to that tree," was what
Jack had passing through his mind about that time. "Because if they do
they'll soon give tongue, and the men will know they've struck a fresh
trail."

He devoted himself to entertaining the sheriff and his posse with
accounts of the various adventures that had fallen to the lot of
himself and comrades during their race for the Dixie cup.

"It's a great little job, this heah race of youahs, boyees," the
sheriff remarked, after he had heard about the contest; "but you-all
was saying somethin' 'bout a brace of bank robbers that bothered you.
What happened to the same, if you are in a position to say? As an
officer of the law I'm interested in all such doings, you understand,
suh."

So Jack told of that night when the two escaping thieves, having their
own motor boat smashed by a collision on the rocks, attempted to take
possession of the little _Tramp_. He had the three men listening
breathlessly until he announced the delivery of the two rascals into
the safe keeping of the officers who came out to meet the boat from
Covington.

"Shake again, young feller," the sheriff said, as he held out that lean
hand.

"I will, if you'll promise not to squeeze quite so hard. You see I've
got lots of use for that hand before this trip's done," laughed Jack.

Then he showed the few lines which had been given by the officer, in
case the boys had any need to prove their honesty further down the
ri