hief, had his
own opinion.

But this was no time for thinking it over. He could hear sounds as
though several fellows were pushing forward, spreading out as if to try
and surround him. Plainly then, he had better be moving, unless he cared
to let the Slavin crowd get hold of him.

Paul sprang away. He knew about how the ground lay. Catch as bright a
chap as this young scout rushing wildly through the open woods without
getting some idea as to the direction in which he was heading. He turned
back over the course he had so lately covered.

"He's gone, Ted!" whooped a voice; but it was not that of Monkey
Eggleston; for that worthy was hardly in possession of enough breath to
more than whisper.

"After him then, every feller! We oughter get him after such a bully
chance. Go it for all you're worth, d'ye hear, Scissors, Bud, and Pete!"

But as for himself, Ted did not do much running. What was the use, when
he had followers able and willing to obey the crook of his little
finger? Besides, Ted knew what it meant to bang up against a tree in the
dark, and knock the skin off one's nose. As long as the sound of pursuit
could be plainly heard he continued to bellow out his orders, as though
hoping to spur his followers on to success.

Paul had little fear. Once again his keen sight was apt to play him a
good turn; for he could avoid contact with obstacles that caught the
others napping. He even laughed more than once when he heard a crash,
and accompanying groans, from some point in his rear.

"Good boy!" Paul said to himself, when the voice of Scissors was heard,
lamenting the fact that a young chestnut seemed to have a harder
surface than his forehead boasted; "just keep on some more, and you'll
be the worst banged-up bunch Stanhope ever knew," and he could not keep
from chuckling again as in his imagination he saw the sorry picture of
the three pursuers when they returned to hand in their report, with a
list of their bruises.

Evidently the hot pursuit must have come to an end with that last
collision on the part of Scissors. Paul, listening, could hear voices,
as though the boys were condoling with one another; but there was no
longer the sound of footsteps.

After that there was no need of haste, and having figured out just where
he was, Paul presently found the road. Of course all he had to do now
was to walk along this, and in another minute he caught sight of a
bright light ahead.

He knew the boys must have