Part 9 (2/2)

”We're heading for the water, fellows!” he exclaimed, as well as he was able, while being tugged along by the erratic rushes of Kaiser.

Nearly everyone knew what he meant. It was that the abductors of Bones meant to duck him in the river, and treat him so harshly that he would be in no condition to play in the morrow's game.

Still, that did not surprise anyone. They might easily have expected just such an ending to the affair, knowing as they did what conscienceless scamps were in all probability engineering the kidnapping affair.

The dog had led them in almost a bee line for the river. Several hundred yards had already been covered, without the least sign being seen of those whom they fully believed must be ahead somewhere.

”Ain't this fierce?” gasped Buster, as he held on to the rope with a desperate clutch; indeed, but for the sustaining hand of the more agile Frank, the fat boy must have fallen flat on his face more than once as he tripped over obstacles in the way.

”Kaiser'll eat 'em alive if he gets half a chance! Listen to him growl, will you? Don't let him loose, Frank, on your life, or he'll just murder some of them!” exclaimed Jack Eastwick, who was running alongside the two who gripped the leash.

”If Buster ever falls flat I'll never be able to hold on alone. Be ready, somebody, to take hold!” was what Frank cried in return, as he was dragged along by the furious rush of the dog, more eager now than before.

But no one appeared to be particularly anxious to extend a helping hand. The appearance of Kaiser was not at all rea.s.suring, and none of the boys fancied being ”liked,” as Buster admitted he was.

”Listen!” called Molly Manners, suddenly.

Everyone strained his ears. It required some effort to catch any sound from beyond. Kaiser was making such terrible noises as he ran, and the rush of many feet over the ground rather deadened anything else. Still, between times they caught what seemed to be boisterous laughter, accompanied by a loud splas.h.i.+ng, as of somebody being cast into the river, to be hauled out again, only to have the operation repeated.

”They're ducking Bones, that's what!” coughed Buster, in real indignation.

Just then he struck some sort of obstacle that caused him to fall flat on his stomach with a fierce grunt. Of course, the rope was torn from his hands. And as the shock was too much for Frank to stand, he, too, was compelled to release his clutch in order to save himself from a bad tumble.

There was a furious burst of savage satisfaction from the tugging dog at the end of the leash, and then he vanished from their sight, running like mad!

CHAPTER VIII

THE LINE-UP WITH CLIFFORD

”Oh, won't they get it now!” cried Jack Eastwick.

”Keep on running, fellows. Some of them may be half killed, if that dog gets hold of them! Faster, boys; faster!”

Frank himself increased his speed. He had no love for the miserable cowards who, in order to gratify their private spite, would cripple their school team until the enemy must have an easy victory on the morrow. And yet he did not like to imagine what terrible things might follow if Kaiser got in among the boys who were treating his master so shamefully.

Perhaps they deserved whatever befell them; but Frank was himself a boy, and in a position to understand the true meaning of such a prank as was now being pulled off.

There had come a decided change in the racket ahead. No longer was it hilarious shouting and jeering, such as indicated sport for the boys, but something else to the human frog. True, the sounds had even grown in volume, but they were of a more serious nature.

”Listen to 'em howl, would you?” cried Lanky.

”The shoe's on the other foot, now. Wow! ain't they getting nipped hard, though?” shouted Herman Hooker, hardly knowing whether to be pleased or frightened.

”Faster!” gritted Frank, between his teeth, for he did not like those shouts.

Possibly the boys had picked up clubs, and were trying to beat Kaiser off, in order to continue their cruel sport of tossing poor Bones into the water, and pulling him out again by means of a rope fastened around his ankles.

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