Part 18 (2/2)

Pedro and the little brown man, caught in the astonishment, bolted after their leaders.

Joe could not get away from the tree to which he was bound, but he stood there grinning with cool enjoyment. In another moment he felt a lively sound at his back. Then Halstead whispered in his ear:

”I'm cutting you loose, old fellow! Bolt with me!”

Dawson, straining at the cords while Tom slashed at them, was quickly free.

”Come along,” begged Tom. ”Never mind stopping to leave cards or writing a note of regret. Hustle-this way!”

Halstead led in the swift flight in the direction that he judged the roads to lie. They tried to go noiselessly, but they had not gone far when a shout behind showed them that their flight had been detected.

”Sprint, old chum!” floated back over Halstead's shoulder.

In looking back, the young skipper stumbled. Joe had to pause long enough to drag his comrade to his feet. That lost them a few precious seconds, but they dashed onward once more. As they ran they heard the feet of the pursuers behind. From greater familiarity with the ground some of those in chase were gaining on the fugitives.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Tom Remembered the Toy Pistol, Just in Time.]

Joe now led in the chase, with Tom at his heels. They, came to what appeared to be the wooded slope leading down to the road. Joe ran up against a wall almost sooner than he had expected. He nearly fell over it, but recovered and jumped. Halstead landed in the road beside him.

There was another flying figure in the air, and Pedro was beside them, reaching out. Behind were French and Don Emilio.

”Yo better stop, fo' shuah!” called Pedro, parting his lips in a grin of huge enjoyment. ”Dere ain't no use in tryin' to git away from me.”

CHAPTER XIII-A CAPTURE IN RECORD TIME

”Look out! He's mine!” shouted Joe.

But Tom Halstead had sprung in the same instant at Pedro. The result was that the combined a.s.sault of the boys bore the fellow to the ground, and Tom, remembering, just in the nick of time, the toy cap pistol that Jennison had handed him, and which had escaped discovery a few minutes before, hauled that ridiculous ”weapon” out, pressing it against the temple of the black man.

”Don't you stir, if you know what's best for you,” warned the young skipper sternly.

Joe, seeing the lay of the land, leaped up to meet Captain French, who was just reaching that wall.

At that moment the noise of a speeding auto was borne to them, while around the bend whizzed the machine, sending its strong searchlight ray ahead to illumine the scene.

The yells of its occupants caused the other pursuers of the boys to halt in confusion. Before they had time to think what to do the automobile was racing up to the spot and stopping. Alvarez and his two companions bore away up the wooded slope as fast as their alarm could spur them.

”What's this going on here?” demanded Constable Jennison, as he leaped out into the road.

”You'll find some of the rascals up there among the trees,” replied Tom, coolly. ”I have one of 'em here, but he's tame now.”

Pedro, in fact, in his dread lest he be shot, was lying on his stomach, his face between his crossed arms, while Halstead stood over him, holding that wholly useless ”pistol.”

”Just move that car a few yards ahead, will you?” begged Tom of the chauffeur, fearing that in the strong light, Pedro might steal a look sideways and find out what a comical ”weapon” had scared him.

”There are three of the crowd up there,” added Joe. ”They were chasing us, but your arrival scared them off.”

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