young captain did not need to be told this, for he saw Gabe Werner
just ahead of him. He made a flying leap forward, and was barely able to
catch Werner by the tail of his coat.

"You can't get away! You might as well give it up," he said, and as the
bully kicked out savagely, he caught Werner by the foot and sent him
headlong.

"Oh, Jack! Jack! Do be careful!" cried Ruth in increasing alarm, and
then she set up a call for assistance.

"I'm not afraid of Gabe Werner, and he knows it," answered the young
captain.

"I'll fix you for this!" roared Werner. "I owe you a lot for the way
you've been treating me." And with these words he scrambled to his feet
and aimed a blow at Jack's face.

The young captain moved to one side so that the blow struck him on the
shoulder. He came back quickly with one on Werner's right ear, and
followed this up with another on the bully's nose, which made that organ
bleed profusely.

By this time there was more noise in the under-brush, and Andy and
Spouter could be heard calling.

"This way! This way!" answered Ruth.

While she was calling, and while Andy and Spouter were doing their best
to brush aside some thorny bushes which held them back, the struggle
between Jack and Werner continued. The bully landed on Jack's shoulder
again and then on his chest, and in return received a crack on the chin
which all but keeled him over.

"I said I'd get you, Jack Rover, and I will!" spluttered Werner, after
this last attack. And then, as Jack made a move as if to strike him
again, the bully stepped around to one side, bringing himself once more
close to Ruth. His right hand had gone down into his coat pocket, and
now he brought out something in a small paper bag.

"I said I'd fix you, and this is how I'm going to do it! Look there, if
you dare!" called out Werner, and pointed to a tree limb just over their
heads.

Fearing some trick, Jack gave only the faintest of glances upward, but
Ruth, more innocent, gazed wide-eyed at the limb pointed out. As he
spoke, Werner broke open the paper bag and hurled its contents forward.

"There! Take that, Jack Rover!" he shouted triumphantly. "Take that, and
see how you like it!"

It was a package of pepper which Gabe Werner had carried. As it was
thrown forward a small portion of it went in Jack's face, but the most
of it was sent in a spray over the young captain's shoulder and hit poor
Ruth.

"Oh! Oh!" screamed the girl. "Oh, I am blinded! He thr