CHAPTER XX.
BOB AND JACK RETURN FROM THE HUNT.
As Bob saw the farmer coming, he had to do some pretty quick thinking,for it was evident that he was hostile to him for some unknown reason,and he did not intend to fall into his power if he could help it.Fortunately, he had left his motorcycle standing in the road, aboutten feet away in the opposite direction from which the farmer wasapproaching. Giving the man he was holding a powerful shove, whichsent him sprawling into the ditch by the roadside, he made a quickrush for the wheel, snapped up the rest and, giving the handle aslight turn, vaulted into the saddle. But he was just a fraction of asecond too late, for as he started off, the farmer caught him by thecoat tail. He had presence of mind to turn off the power before thewheel fell over sideways, and springing to the side, stood facing thefarmer.
"Now, you young cub, what does all this mean?"
Bob had a habit of acting on the impulse of the moment, and before thefarmer had time to put up his hands, biff! he was lying on his backin the middle of the road. By this time the younger man had pickedhimself from the gutter, and hastily running forward, bent over thefallen man, who Bob thought was probably his father.
"I'll have the law on yer for this," he shouted. "I guess yer'vekilled him."
"Will, eh?" said Bob, stepping forward.
His fighting blood was now at red heat, and he felt able to fight adozen men. "Well, if you feel like taking the law into your hands,come on, and I'll give you one of the most interesting little picnicsyou ever saw. I was only playing before."
But he had evidently had enough, for he made no move toward reopeninghostilities.
"All right then, guess I'll be going. By the way, your father'll comeround all right in a minute. I didn't hit him very hard."
Just then the farmer gave a groan and opened his eyes, saying feebly:
"Laws amighty, did a mule kick me?"
Bob waited no longer, but, picking up his wheel, rode off unmolested.Just as he reached the corner where the road joined the main highway,he met Jack trudging along pushing his wheel.
"Well, old man," he shouted, "How'd you make out? Did you get it?"
"Did I get it?" repeated Bob, reaching his hand in his pocket, andpulling out the cap. "What do you say to this?"
"I say it's great luck."
"You may think so, but quite considerable of a fight had a good dealto do with it. Look at my nose. But," he laughed, "you ought to seethe other fellow."
By this time he had screwed the cap in place.
"Come on," he said, "let's ride back a little way. Something back hereI want to show you."
"What is it?" asked Jack as they mounted and started back.
"Oh, nothing much, only the road jumped up and hit a fellow on theback of the head a few minutes ago and I want to see how he's gettingalong. There are two of them, but I don't think there's much fightleft in either."
He explained what had happened, as they rode along, and as hefinished, they came in sight of Bob's late antagonists. The older manwas just staggering to his feet, and riding up to within about twentyfeet, Bob said pleasantly:
"Came round all right, did he?"
He turned and let out such a string of oaths as the boys had neverbefore heard. When he stopped for lack of breath, Bob said:
"If that's the way you feel about it, I guess the less said thebetter, and we'll bid you good night. Come on, Jack."
They turned and rode slowly away turning their heads just in time tosee both men shaking their fists at them.
"Well, that chapter is ended," remarked Jack, as they rode off."Wonder what the next one will be like. We've certainly had someexcitement since we made those cells."
"That's so," agreed Bob, looking at his watch. "It's after three now,and we'd better make tracks for home. You know mother will begin toworry about four o'clock if we're not there."
The road to Skowhegan, five miles down the Kennebec, was very sandy,and it was impossible for them to make good time. It was four-fifteenwhen they crossed the bridge in Skowhegan, but they made up for losttime on the run up to the lake and reached the cottage just as theclock was striking four-thirty.
All the folks were on the porch, including their father and Uncle Ben,who had come up from town in the car, a short time before. The storyof the day's adventures was soon told, and Mr. Golden declared that onthe morrow they would get some officers and visit the log house in thewoods.
"Well, I declare!" said May. "You two boys do beat all when it comesto getting into scrapes and getting out of them again. It must be lotsof fun. Wish I was a boy."
"That's all right as long as you do get out all right," remarked Jacka little dryly, "but there wouldn't have been so much fun to some ofthe messes we've been in lately if they hadn't turned out as they did.Please excuse me."
"Come on, Bob," shouted Jack, "that lake looks good to me. We've gotjust time for a good swim before supper."
The girls both declared it would be just the thing, and all fourrushed into the house and upstairs, to reappear in an incredibly shorttime clad in bathing suits. The girls could both swim nearly as wellas the boys, and soon they were having a splendid time in the clearwater of the lake. They swam and dived, ducking each other wheneveropportunity offered, until Mrs. Golden called that it was time to getdressed for supper.
The next morning, while they were at breakfast, the telephone rang andMr. Golden went into the front room to answer it.
"What's that you say?" they heard him ask, "Mercy, is that so? I'llcome right down, be there in less than a half hour."
When he returned to the dining room, his face was pale and his voicetrembled, as he said:
"Bob, get the car out as soon as possible; the bank has been robbed."
"Robbed!" cried Mrs. Golden, as they all sprang to their feet. "Howmuch did they get?"
"I don't know, I don't suppose they can tell yet, but Riggs said itwas a large amount."
By this time the boys were at the garage, only a short distance fromthe house, and shouting to Sandy, the chauffeur, had the car out bythe time their father and Uncle Ben were ready.
"Can we go?" asked Bob.
"Why, yes, I suppose so, but you'll get there sooner if you take yourwheels. You coming, Ben?"
"Guess I will," replied the latter, and telling the women that theywould 'phone as soon as they could, they were off, the boys leadingthe way on the motorcycles.