Part 5 (1/2)
”Huine you can scare me in that fashi+on? You haven't any pistol, and I know it If you had you would have drawn the weapon long ago”
At this dick bit his lip ”Don't be too sure,” he said steadily, as the boats drifted still closer together ”The ht a pistol in Cedarville” This was the strict truth, but dick did not add that the weapon lay at that moment safe in the bottom of his trunk at the Hall
”Got afraid I'd co prepared Noill you--”
dick did not have ti the front end of the pistol, Dan Baxter pulled the trigger twice and two reports rang out in quick succession One bullet buried itself in the seat beside Toh the bottom, near the stern
”You villain!” cried dick, and in his excite the fellow across the fact with such force that the bully's nose began to bleed The shock made Baxter lose his hold on the pistol and it went over the side of his craft and sank immediately to the bottom of the lake
”My, but that was a close shave!” h the seat ”A little closer and I would have got it in the stoirls, all of whom had heard the pistol shots They were too far away to see the result of the shooting and feared both Tom and dick had been killed or wounded
As quickly as he could recover from the blow of the oar, Dan Baxter picked up his own blades, and without paying attention to the blood which was flowing froain to pull for the shore
”Coone!” shouted dick, and then his face fell ”Confound it, I've throay oes!” And he pointed some distance to their left
”That isn't the worst of it!” groaned Tom ”Look at that hole in the botto in just as fast as it can”
There was small need to call attention to it, for the water in the bottom of the boat was already an inch deep dick started in perplexity, then, struck by a sudden idea, drew a lead pencil fro It fitted very well, and the water ceased, to come in
”Noe'll have to bail out and pick up that other oar,” said Tom
”It was foolish to throw it away, dick”
”I don't know about that It deprived Baxter of his pistol
Paddle over, and I'll pick it up” Tom did so, and the blade was speedily recovered
But Dan Baxter had ood use of the precious moments lost by the Rover boys, and hardly were the latter into shape for rowing once more than they saw the bully beach his craft and leap out on the shore ”Good-by to you!” he cried ly ”I told you that you couldn't catch me The next time we meet I'll make you sorry that you ever followed me,” and he started to run off with all possible speed
Torined to answer him, and pulled forward to the shore in silence They ran the craft into some bushes and tied up, and then started after Baxter, as now e of Nelson
When the highway skirting this portion of Cayuga Lake was gained Dan Baxter was a good five hundred feet ahead of the the bend they discovered that he had disappeared frohed dick
”If that is so we ive the hunt up,” answered his brother ”It would be worse than looking for a pin in a haystack, for ouldn't knohat direction he had taken”
”I wish I had a bloodhound hich to trail hiht to be run down, To near and see what can be done”
They ran on to the spot where they supposed Baxter had left the highway On both sides were dense thickets of cedars with heavy underbrush All in all, the locality for on by the tiained the nearest farmhouse
Here they found three men, to whorimly