.

"Hit me, if you dare!" leered the other. "I'm going to get upright
now!"

With that he made a lurching move forward. Prescott swung the
club, though of course he did not intend to beat the stranger
about the head.

His indecision left him off his guard. The stranger closed in
on the club, wrenching it from Prescott's hand and tossing it
far away. But Dick dropped, wrapping his arms about the other's
legs and throwing him.

Just as the two went down in a crash the fire, which had been
smoking, now blazed up.

"I'll show you!" roared the stranger, now thoroughly aroused,
as he grappled with Prescott and the pair rolled in fierce embrace
over the ground.

Dick was not afraid, but he didn't want this night hawk to get
away, so he bellowed lustily:

"Fellows! Gridley! Gr-r-r-id-ley! Quick!"

"Stop that!" hissed the stranger, who was now easily uppermost,
and holding Prescott with ease.

"Quick!" yelled Dick.

The stranger grasped the high school boy by the throat, then as
swiftly changed his mind, for someone was stirring in the tent.
Up leaped the prowler, yet, swift as he was, Dick was also on
his feet.

"Keep back!" warned the prowler, as he turned to run.

"You're mine---all mine!" vaunted young Prescott, making a gallant
leap at the unknown foe.

But that brag was uttered just a few seconds too soon.

CHAPTER VI

DANGER COMES ON THE HOOF

Smack!

Against Dick's face came the palm of the larger youth's right
hand. It was the old, familiar trick of "pushing in his face."
So quickly did that manoeuvre come that Dick, caught off his
balance, was shoved backward until he tripped and fell.

Then the stranger vanished with the speed of one accustomed to
flight through the woods.

His eyes full of sand from the fall, Dick struggled to his feet,
rubbing his eyelids, just as Dave Darrin came running up.

"What was it?" demanded Dave.

"Come on! We ought to catch him yet!" cried young Prescott, turning
and running into the woods. But Dick's eyes were not quite as
keen as they had been, and Darry, once he had the general direction,
outstripped his chum in the race.

Once away from the blazing fire of oil-soaked wood, however, the
boys found themselves at a disadvantage in the woods. At last
Darry stopped, listening. Then, hearing sounds, he wheeled, dashing
at a figure.

"Get out with you, Darry!" laughed Prescott good-humoredly.

"I thought you were-----"

"The other fe