ging his leering face closer
to Prescott's.

CHAPTER XIV

THRASHING AN AMBULANCE CASE!

"I want you to stand right where you are until some of my friends
come," Dick made answer.

Then he braced himself for the violent assault that, he felt,
was sure to come. To his intense astonishment, however, Tag heaved
a sigh of dejection, then muttered:

"I may as well do it. You owe me a grudge, anyway, and you've
got the upper hand this time."

What on earth could it mean? For a brief instant Dick almost
believed that the exciting incidents of the night had been but
parts of a dream. But he raised his voice to shout:

"Dave! Oh, Dave! Come here! You, too, Greg."

"Coming," came the call, in Darry's voice. The sound of running
feet sounded on the road.

Tag Mosher glanced uneasily about, as if meditating flight. Then
his keen eyes scrutinized Prescott's face.

"What's up?" demanded Dave, as, even in the darkness he caught
sight of another figure.

"Darry," smiled Dick, "I wish to present my friend, Mr. Tag Mosher."

"What?" gasped Darrin. "This Tag Mosher. By Jove, it is, it?
How on earth did you make him wait for us?"

Then, all in a flying heap Dave projected himself against young
Mosher, clinching with him and bearing him down to the ground.
In order to make doubly sure Greg joined in the assault. But
Tag, though he struggled, did not put up much of a fight.

"Quit!" he ordered sullenly. "I'm all in. Can't you fellows
see that? But if I hadn't been sick I'd either have gotten away,
or would have given you fellows a fight that you'd never forget!"

Quick-witted Dave was not long in discovering that Tag really
was weak, as though from a recent illness.

"Say," demanded Darry, "have we been exerting ourselves to thrash
an ambulance case?" His voice rang with self disgust.

"If I'd been a well one," growled Tag, "you never would have put
me down, or held me. But I'm like a kitten to-night----strength
all gone!"

"What's going on here?" asked Deputy Valden, putting in a more
leisurely appearance.

"Something right in your line," Dick answered. "Dave and Greg
are holding down Tag Mosher."

"You're not fooling, are you?" demanded the deputy. "You're not
making any mistake, either?"

"We know Tag Mosher when we see him," Darry retorted. "We've
good enough reason for knowing him."

With his uninjured left hand Deputy Valden reached for his pair
of handcuffs, passing them to Da