the jig
is up, and, according to the noise, he's rowing mighty fast."

Jim was on his feet in an instant, and the two started at full speed
through the underbrush, paying little attention to the disturbance of
the foliage, because Sam was so nearly intoxicated that he would not
heed slight sounds.

"He'll land somewhere here," Jet said, breathlessly, as he halted where
the glimmer of the camp-fire could be seen. "If he don't we must creep
up while he's fastening the boat."

Sam was evidently amusing himself by making the light craft spin
through the water, and when he turned for the shore the boys saw that
they had stationed themselves in the most advantageous position.

It was not necessary to move out of their tracks, for after landing the
man came directly toward where they were standing.

Jet raised his revolver by the muzzle, and Jim stood ready to make a
spring.

Sam reeled along shouting for Bob and lurching from side to side.

The time had not come to strike the blow; but the boy, believing he was
about to be discovered, struck at the fellow's head.

The blow was not delivered fairly, but glanced off, and instead of
being stunned Sam was only alarmed.

Leaping back quickly, before Jet could strike again, he fired into the
bushes from whence he believed the attack had come.

The bullet whistled so near Jim's nose that the young gentleman leaped
back with a howl, and this outcry was sufficient to show Sam where to
send another. Before the echoes had fairly died away the sound of
hurried footsteps through the bushes told that the small guide had
taken refuge in flight.

Jet was alone, amid darkness so intense that he had no means of judging
the whereabouts of his enemy save by the flash when the revolver was
discharged.

The knowledge of danger had sobered Sam, and he understood he must make
a desperate fight or be arrested, for, quite naturally, the first
thought was that the officers of the law were on his track.

Jet was wholly at a loss to know what course should be pursued.

Sam was not charged with a capital crime, and Harvey never intimated
that he cared to take him prisoner, therefore to shoot now, save
actually in self-defense, would be little less than murder.

Sam emptied the chambers of his weapon while retreating toward the
boat, and that he had reloaded before reaching her was told by the
second volley which he sent in the direction of Jet.

By the grating of wood and sand the am