of him
in the path.

"We'll have a nice little boat ride, boys," stated Lopez in a pleased
tone of voice. "We're going to have a pleasant trip, too."

No answer was made to this remark by either of the boys. Their silence
seemed to anger Lopez, for he upbraided them for their sulkiness. His
moods changed quickly. Frowns tramped the heels of smiles. One moment he
was gay, the next in despair.

Arrived at the leaning oak he compelled the lads to untie both boats,
towing the small skiff that had been brought by Harry and Arnold behind
the big scow rowed by their friends. Into this scow he put the boys and
then seated himself, rifle in hand.

"Grab a root and growl, now," commanded Lopez. "I'm ridin' this trip.
And mind you," he continued, "you better row quiet. No splashin' and
bangin' around with them oars."

"We'll row as well as we can," replied Harry. "A Boy Scout always does
everything he undertakes as well as he knows how."

"You're great Boy Scouts, you are," sneered Lopez. "If I had a boy like
you, I don't know what I would do with him."

"You couldn't have a boy like us," declared Arnold with some heat. "You
know heredity exerts a wonderful influence on boys."

This sally, luckily, was lost on Lopez for his knowledge of English was
limited to say the least. His mind, ever alert, caught the sarcasm in
the boy's tone, but he hesitated about showing his ignorance by asking
questions concerning the meaning of the big word. He contented himself
with abusing the boys in vile language.

Pulling manfully at the oars the captives sent the scow through the
water at a good rate of speed, rapidly shortening the distance between
themselves and the town. Ever and anon Lopez cast a backward glance over
the stern. Finally he commanded the boys to pull in closer toward the
shore. His voice assumed a brisker tone with a note of anxiety in it. He
was visibly excited.

"Lopez," announced Arnold, "I see a light behind us. It's gaining on us.
I've seen it for two or three minutes. What is it?"

"Hush up about lights, boy," commanded their captor. "Youall don't see
no lights. They ain't no lights there at all."

"But I did see a light," insisted Arnold in a positive tone.

"No, you never," repeated Lopez. "Don't make no difference if you think
you saw a light, they ain't no light there."

"Oh, I get you," Harry put in. "That's another of those mysterious
'because' reasons. Or as the fellow said, 'It's so if I say so ev