Part 27 (2/2)

In the meantime Wash Crosby sprang half into the carriage.

He made a grab at Harry's gold watch chain.

The chain broke from the b.u.t.tonhole and along with it came Harry's beautiful timepiece.

”I'll keep this to remember you by!” cried Wash Crosby in derision, and away he sped across the highway and down a side road, with Si Peters at his heels.

CHAPTER XXII.

ANOTHER BOAT RACE.

The horses now demanded all of Harry's attention. One of them was bound to run away, and the youth had all he could do to hold the animal in check.

But the lad knew what he was doing and presently held them under complete control.

Then our hero staggered out of the bushes with his hand on his neck, where a big lump was rising.

”Where are they?”

”Gone! Did they rob you, Jerry?”

”No.”

”Then you are in luck.”

”What do you mean, Harry?”

”Crosby took my gold watch and chain.”

”Never!”

”He did. Jerry, those two chaps have turned nothing but common thieves,”

went on Harry, bitterly.

”It certainly looks so, Harry. What shall we do now?”

”Jump in and we'll go after them.”

Jerry was soon beside Harry, and they turned up the side road taken by the fugitives. The moon was out full, making the way as light as day, yet nothing was to be seen of the rascally pair.

This was not to be wondered at, for after running along the road but a few hundred feet, Si Peters and Wash Crosby had taken to an open field.

Crossing this, they came out upon a railroad track. A freight train was coming along slowly, around the bend of the lake, and they had had small trouble in boarding this. Inside of an hour they were many miles away from the vicinity.

Jerry and Harry searched for the pair until midnight, and then gave up the hunt and returned to Lakeview. Once again the authorities were notified, and the detectives started on a fresh hunt for the evil-doers. Yet it was destined to be a long time before Si Peters and Wash Crosby were heard of again.

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