last, and drifting away again. That was something towards
safety, and he now stepped over the thwarts and shook Bob.

Bob was too comfortable to open his eyes, and no matter what his
companion did he could get no reply till he bent lower, and, inspired by
the coming danger, shouted in his ear--

"I've got yer at last."

Bob sprang up as if electrified, saw who spoke, and was about to burst
into a torrent of angry abuse, when he followed the direction of
Dexter's pointing hand, caught the approaching danger, and seized an
oar.

It was none too soon, for as Dexter seized the other, the man evidently
realised that his prey was about to make another effort to escape, and,
bending to his work, he sent the little tub-like boat surging through
the water.

"Pull, Bob!" said Dexter excitedly, an unnecessary order, for Bob had
set his teeth, and, with his face working, was tugging so hard that it
needed all Dexter's efforts to keep the boat from being pulled into the
right-hand shore.

The chase had begun in full earnest, and for the next hour, with very
little alteration in their positions, it kept on. Then the pace began
to tell on the boys. They had for some time been growing slower in
their strokes, and they were not pulled so well home. Bob engaged every
now and then in a dismal, despairing howl, usually just at the moment
when Dexter thrust his oar too deeply in the water, and had hard work to
get it out.

But their natural exhaustion was not of such grave consequence as might
have been imagined, for their pursuer was growing weary too, and his
efforts were greatly wanting in the spirit he displayed at first. On
the other hand, though the man came on slowly, he rowed with a steady,
stubborn determination, which looked likely to last all the morning, and
boded ill for those of whom he was in chase.

Bob's face was a study, but Dexter's back was toward him, and he could
not study it. The enemy was about two hundred yards behind, and
whenever he seemed to flag a little Bob's face brightened; but so sure
as the man glanced over his shoulder, and began to pull harder, the
aspect of misery, dread, and pitiable helplessness Bob displayed was
ludicrous; and at such times he glanced to right and left to see which
was the nearest way to the shore.

As Bob rowed he softly pushed off his boots. Soon after he made three
or four hard tugs at his oar, and then, by a quick movement, drew one
arm out of his jacket. Then