st of all, surround her."

"That sounds good as far as she goes. What next?"

"We must try and knock that nasty thing out of her hand by a sharp blow
on the arm," continued Elmer, who strangely enough seemed as cool as a
cucumber, while both of his companions showed the effect of the mad
pace.

"I tumble to it, Elmer," gasped Lil Artha, "and I'm the fellow to give
that lovely little tap. I made Red drop his stick seven times when we
were having a bout with long sticks, and which we pretended were the
old-style quarterstaves."

Even the long-legged Lil Artha must see now that the distance separating
the pursuers from the fugitive had been greatly shortened. Another five
minutes would see them overhaul the woman, unless something not down on
the bills came to pass.

Five minutes--why there would surely be ample time to bring this result
about, judging by the way they were covering two yards to her one.

The woman knew it, too.

She was becoming more and more anxious. This was shown by the way she
kept turning her head from time to time as she ran.

Elmer knew what was apt to happen. For himself he found that he had
need of both his eyes with every step forward he took through that
tangle, where trailing vines lay in wait to trip him up, and branches
hung low as if seeking to catch in his hair, to make him another
Absalom.

Already had Lil Artha gone down with a thud, but as he said himself, his
"dander" was aroused, and no little things like this could be allowed to
interfere with his pursuit.

So he had hastily scrambled to his feet and followed at the heels of his
more fortunate chums, a sight calculated to excite wild laughter among
the rest of the troop, with his blood-flecked face.

At any rate Lil Artha was game to the backbone, and Elmer often
remembered it afterward when "trying out" his scouts.

The closer they drew to the fleeing woman the greater her fright seemed
to become.

Whenever he saw her looking backward over her shoulder Elmer would make
pantomime gestures with his free hand.

He was trying the best he knew how to tell her to give over this foolish
flight, and that they had no hostile intentions.

But the chances were she interpreted these movements just the other way,
and believed he must be threatening her with all sorts of terrible
things unless she yielded herself a prisoner to their prowess.

Well, no matter, it could hardly last more than another minute or so. Do
what she wou