Part 12 (2/2)

He stared about him in bewilderment The others did likewise But the two mentioned could not be seen With an exclaed ”I'll bet Bob decided to go for the felloho burned his plane and take it out of his hide When that boy gets angry, he wants action”

He started striding hastily doard the beach, alongside the wire fencing The others pressed at his heels Presently, they caught the glint of water through the trees, and then, so out frorove onto the sands on the opposite side of the fence Jack increased his pace, but even as he did so two other figures stole from the woods on the heels of the first pair

Involuntarily, Jack cried out The second pair leaped upon the backs of the first and bore theround The next ures rolled on the sands

”Co into a run, and dashed ahead

He broke from the trees and discovered the boundary fence carove It was here Bob and Frank, he felt sure, had

For so he interpreted what he had seen

As he caht ended It had been bitter but short Frank was astride Higginbotha his opponent's face into the sand to ss about the city ruffian and the latter, whose curses had split the air, lay face upperht Bob knelt upon hi:

”You want to be careful whose airplane you burn”

An exclaures in the iazed in the direction in which the other was pointing Soe of Starfish Cove, a half dozen objects of strange shape and design were drawn up on the sand They were long, shaped soht

Not a soul was in sight The moonlit stretch of beach was empty except for them

”What in the world can those be?” asked Captain Folsom

”They are lea as whales Can they be some type of torpedo-shaped boat controlled by radio?”

”This is luck,” exclaimed Captain Folsom ”That's just what they are

Probably, those two scoundrels were co down here from their radio station Coerly Jack was a step behind him An inarticulate cry from Tom Barnum smote Jack's ears, and he spun about

The next instant he saw afor his head with a club He tried to dodge, to avoid the blow, but the club clipped hiround His senses reeled, and he struggled desperately to rise, but to no avail

A confused sound of shouts and cries and struggling filled his ears, then it seeulfed him, and he lost consciousness

When he recovered his senses, Jack found hi in darkness He tried to move, but discovered his hands and feet were tied He lay quiet, listening A faint moan came to his ears

”Who's that?” he whispered

”That you, Jack?” came Frank's voice in reply, filled with anxiety

It was close at hand

”Yes Where's Bob?”

”He's here, but I'et any sound from him”