stand up for our rights in the courts, and get
able lawyers to defend us. We are innocent of all wrongdoing. If
anybody is in the wrong it is you, for you cheated Phil Lawrence out
of the money he advanced to you for that spread we were to have at
your hotel."

"Cheated him!" cried the hotel-keeper.

"That is what it amounted to, for you took his money and gave him
nothing in return."

"He called the spread off----"

"He did not, and we can prove it," said Dave, following up what he
thought looked like an advantage. "Why, if he wanted to do it, Phil
could have you locked up for swindling."

"What, me? Locked up?" cried the hotel man.

"Certainly. Why not? It's as reasonable as your charge against
us--more reasonable, in fact, for you kept his money and gave him
nothing in return," went on our hero, warmly.

"Well, now what do you know about that?" grumbled Jason Sparr, turning
to the driver of the covered wagon. But the lockup man merely
shrugged his shoulders. Privately he was of the opinion that the boys
were not such rascals as had been pictured.

"If those fellows wasn't guilty, why did they run away?" continued
Jason Sparr, after an awkward pause.

"Because you scared them," responded Roger. "I would have run away
myself if it hadn't been for Dave."

"Humph!"

All looked along the road. Constable Hickson had disappeared, having
followed the runaways down to the river. Presently he came back, out
of breath from his exertions.

"Did you get 'em?" queried the hotel-keeper, eagerly.

"No, they got away in a motor-boat."

"A motor-boat!" repeated Dave and Roger, and looked at each other in
astonishment.

"Yes, went up the river out of sight," said Paul Hickson. "Too bad!
But we've got two of 'em, anyway," he added, looking at our hero and
the senator's son.

"I wanted Lawrence more than I did the others," grumbled Jason Sparr.
He was doing some deep thinking and his face showed that he was much
disturbed.

"Mr. Sparr, just remember what I said," remarked Dave, pointedly. "If
you go ahead, take my word for it, it will cost you dear."

"Say, Hickson, we'll drop this matter for the present," said the
hotel-keeper, in a low tone.

"Drop it?" ejaculated the constable. "Ain't you goin' to have these
two took up?"

"Not just now. I--er--I want to get more evidence first, if I can. We
can get them any time we want them."

"But who is going to pay me for my trouble? I've got them warrants to
serve