CHAPTER XIX.--DEFEAT.
"Look out! He's going to shoot again," cried one of the officers. "Down,quick!"
Jones was standing aft in the launch and had levelled his revolver indeliberate aim. But before he could pull the trigger, there was anunexpected move in the boat.
The third member of the party of conspirators--the young man whose facewas so strangely familiar to Shirley--suddenly sprang to his feet, andbefore Jones could realize his intention, had wrested the revolver fromhis hand with a quick move. Jones turned upon him angrily, and theygrappled.
For several moments they swayed unsteadily in the boat, causing it torock violently; and then Jones, putting forth a strenuous effort, senthis opponent hurling overboard and by another and more strenuous effort,succeeded in regaining his own balance just as it seemed that he, too,must tumble into the water.
"Slow down!" cried Shirley to the fisherman. "We must pick him up."
The owner of the boat complied, and steered the craft to where theunfortunate youth's head showed above the water at that moment. Leonardstretched forth his unwounded arm, and succeeded in dragging the victimaboard, where he sank to the bottom of the boat panting.
Shirley took one look at the bedraggled youth, and then exclaimed aloud:
"Dick!"
Their erstwhile opponent looked at her in surprise. It was plain that hedid not recognize her.
"Don't you know me?" asked Shirley, half laughing.
"No," returned the youth somewhat sullenly.
"Then I'll refresh your memory," said Shirley. "Do you remember a streetfight in Cincinnati one night not long ago, when your own friends turnedon you because you befriended a strange youth, who later turned out tobe a girl?"
Dick's face took on a reddish hue.
"And do you remember escorting the girl home?" continued Shirley, "anddisappearing before she had an opportunity of thanking you? Do youremember me now?"
Dick hung his head sheepishly.
"Yes, I remember," he said.
"And how is it," demanded Shirley, "that I find you mixed up in thisaffair? How do you happen to be on such friendly terms with thatscoundrel Jones?"
"Well, it's a long story," returned Dick in some confusion.
"I didn't think it of you, Dick," said Shirley. "You proved such avaliant champion, that I believed I should always find you fighting onthe side of the right."
"And so you shall," responded Dick, lifting his head, "if you havefurther need of me. I didn't really know who Jones was when I got mixedup with him. And had I known he was plotting against you I would havehad nothing to do with the affair. I am ready to help you, if you canmake use of me."
"I knew I couldn't be wrong," said the girl with a bright smile, "and Iam glad to have you on our side. Perhaps you can tell me why Jones haskidnapped Jimmy?"
"He is planning to keep him from riding in the Derby. He says thatwithout Jimmy, Gabriel cannot possibly win."
"I see," said Shirley. "It's just as I thought. And where is he takinghim now?"
"I do not know," was the reply. "He has some safe place in view,though."
While the _Sybil_ paused to pick up Dick, the other launch forged ahead,and now had disappeared from view around a bend in the creek.
Shirley turned to the owner of the boat.
"Can we catch them?" she asked anxiously.
"Just leave it to me," returned the man grimly. "If they stay in thewater we'll come up with them before long."
Rounding the bend they again came in sight of the other launch, and asthey did so Shirley uttered a cry of dismay.
Close into the shore the pursued launch rode gently upon the water. Herengines had been stopped, and she had been deserted. There was not asoul aboard.
"Where do you suppose they have gone?" demanded Mabel.
"They have taken to the woods," replied Shirley, "and the chances are wehave lost them altogether."
Jenkins, for as such the owner of the _Sybil_ introduced himself, ranhis launch close beside the other, and all stepped quickly ashore. Inthe soft mud, footsteps leading toward the woods nearby were plainlyvisible, showing that the fugitives had gone in that direction.
"We'll follow them, if you give the word, Miss Willing," said Dick.
"And Mabel and I will go too," said Shirley.
Dick looked at young Wolfe somewhat dubiously.
"It is hardly girls' work," he replied.
"Right you are," agreed Leonard. "You girls stay here by the boat."
"But we want to go," Mabel pouted. "We are more interested in this thanany of you."
"The young men are right," said Jenkins firmly. "Jones must be adesperate man. You girls are safer here."
"We do not wish to be obstinate," said Shirley. "We know that you aredoing this for us, and if you tell us to stay here, we shall do so, ofcourse."
Jenkins and the two young men breathed a sigh of relief, as did the twopolicemen.
"You wait here until we return then," said Leonard. "Come on, men."
The five disappeared in the woods, leaving the two girls beside the boatalone.
"I hope they get them," said Shirley grimly.
"So do I," agreed Mabel.
"I am glad Dick is with us," said Shirley slowly. "Somehow I have a lotof confidence in him. You know I have seen him in action and know whathe can do."
"He is a likeable boy," declared Mabel. "It's too bad he has mixed withsuch bad companions."
"I am going to see if I can't get father to help him," said Shirley."Maybe he would be willing to work on the farm."
"From the way he looked at you," said Mabel, "I should say that he wouldbe glad to work any place where you might be."
"The idea, Mabel," said Shirley, but nevertheless her face grew red.
Suddenly both girls were startled by a stealthy tread behind them. Theywheeled about, and looked into the sneering countenance of Jones.
And beside him was Briggs, and between the two, his hands bound and agag in his mouth, was Jimmy.
"So," said Jones, with an evil smile, "we have captured two more of theenemy, eh?"
Neither girl replied.
Jones motioned toward the launch.
"Climb aboard, there, quick!" he commanded.
Both girls hesitated.
"You hear me?" demanded Jones, taking a step forward. "I am not to betrifled with. Move now!"
Shirley and Mabel thought better of their hesitancy, and without a wordclimbed aboard the _Sybil_. Jimmy was shoved aboard after them, and thencame Jones. Briggs stopped to shove the boat off and then clamberedaboard.
"Straight down the creek," ordered Jones, as Briggs stooped over theengine.
The launch moved off slowly.
"You see we gave your friends the slip," smiled Jones. "Now we'll justleave them behind."
"What are you going to do with us?" demanded Shirley.
"Never mind," returned her captor. "You'll find out soon enough."
At that moment there came a shout from the shore, and turning, the girlssaw their friends rushing down toward the water. Jones muttered tohimself.
"Why couldn't we have had a little better start?"
Shirley rose in her seat and waved to her friends.
"Sit down there," said Jones harshly, half rising.
Shirley obeyed, for she knew that she had been seen, and felt certain ofspeedy relief.
Ashore, the five were hurriedly piling into the other boat, the oneoccupied by Jones when the chase had started, and soon it was comingafter them. But the _Sybil_ was much faster, as already had been proven,and it seemed that there was little likelihood of the pursuers catchingup with them.
The _Sybil_ gained rapidly and it was plain she would soon run away fromthe pursuer.
Jones, sitting a few feet from Shirley, drew a pipe from his pocket, andfilled it calmly.
"I hope you young ladies do not object," he said, and struck a match.
Suddenly Shirley jumped to her feet and rushed at Jones, thin
king tocatch him unprepared and push him into the water. But Jones was tooquick for her. He stood up, stepped aside, and it seemed a miracle thatShirley did not go overboard.
Jones smiled.
"I wouldn't try it again if I were you," he said quietly. "I am not tobe caught napping."
He sat down again, and Shirley resumed her seat.
Now the _Sybil_ lost sight of her pursuer around a bend in the stream.From this point on the creek wound about more frequently, and it wasplain to Shirley that the pursuers were hopelessly outdistanced.
Then Jones spoke to Briggs.
"Run ashore," he commanded.
Briggs obeyed without a word, and a few moments later, they all steppedout upon the bank.
"Come," said Jones, "let's get out of sight before our friends arrive."
He motioned the two girls to precede him along what they found to be anarrow path.
"Briggs," said Jones, "you go back and start the launch down the creekby itself. Then they won't know where we are."
Briggs hastened to obey, and a moment later the _Sybil_ was moving outof sight around another bend.
"They won't find us now," said Jones.
Taking advantage of a moment when Jones was not looking, Mabel quietlyhung her white handkerchief upon a bush. It was in plain view of thecreek.
Shirley saw her friend's action, but dared not show she had, by even theslightest change of expression.