. But in
his mind there had already flashed an inkling of what was going on.
For some time past the wild man of that locality had not shown
himself. Now, perhaps, he was again at his old tricks.

"Oh, make him go away!" screamed a girlish voice, and then, as our
hero made a turn of the road, he caught sight of two girls standing
near the old stone house. Back of them was another figure, that of a
tall, powerful man, but this figure disappeared as if by magic, behind
the ancient building.

"Why, Miss Rockwell!" exclaimed Dave, as he recognized a young lady
from town whom he knew well. "And you, too, Miss Feversham! What is
the matter?"

"That man--the wild man!" panted Vera Rockwell. "He--he--stopped us!"

"He wanted our purses!" added Mary Feversham, the other young lady.

"Where is he?" asked Roger and Phil, in a breath.

"He just ran behind the house--I saw him," answered Dave. "Did he hurt
you any?" he went on, anxiously, for he and Vera and Mary were good
friends.

"No, but he--he scared us so!"

"Let us go after him!" put in Phil, quickly. He had taken Mary
Feversham out a number of times and the two were well acquainted.
"Come on!" and he started around the house.

All of the others were not slow to follow. Behind the building they
came upon a mass of weeds and bushes and in their midst the remains of
an old well, long since caved in. What had once been a path led to the
side road before mentioned.

"That's the way he must have gone--down the side road!" cried the
shipowner's son.

"Supposing we see if we can catch him?" suggested Dave. "But somebody
ought to go back, and stay with the girls," he added thoughtfully.

"I'll go back," answered Phil. He was only too glad of a chance to
talk to Mary, not having seen her for a long time.

"If that fellow comes back, whistle for us," advised Roger.

Dave was already on the side road with Buster and Gus beside him, and
the senator's son quickly followed.

"Don't go too fast or I--I can't ke--keep up with you!" panted
Buster.

"Do you see anything of him, Dave?" queried Roger.

"Not yet, but there is a turn just ahead. When we make that we'll be
able to see almost to the river."

All of the students sped on, the stout lad doing his best to keep up
with the others. They reached the turn with Dave a step or two in
advance.

"There he is!"

"I see him! Say, he's wild-looking enough!"

"He is making for the river!"

"We ought to be able to catch