"I wish we could bring them to justice. It would be a feather in our cap."

"So it would, Harry. But I would rather have the law do the work. I never want to have anymore to do with either of them."

It did not take the two boys long to drive to the lower end of the lake.

Here the team was put up at a livery stable, and the chums hired bathing suits and houses, and spread themselves for a fine dip in the lake.

The water was just right, and they enjoyed every second of the half hour they allowed themselves.

It was eight o'clock in the evening before they went to get their team again.

The moon was just coming up over the rim of the lake and this promised them a splendid drive back to Lakeview.

As Harry and our hero entered the turnout two figures stole up from the back of the barn.

The pair were Si Peters and Wash Crosby.

They ran on ahead, and as the boys waited to settle with the livery stable keeper they soon disappeared.

Harry drove, and the young oarsman leaned back and took it easy.

A mile was covered, and they were just pa.s.sing a clump of bushes when whizz! a stone came flying into the carriage. It struck Jerry on the arm, causing him to cry with pain.

"Who threw that?" he exclaimed.

Whizz! came another stone. It struck Harry in the cheek, drawing blood.

"Whoa!" yelled Jerry, and while the horses were still in motion, he leaped to the road.

He had noted the direction from which the missiles came, and bound off, but behind the bushes all was dark.

"Look out for yourself!" cried Harry.

He was busy with the horses, who were shying first to one side and then to the other.

At first Jerry could see nothing, but soon he discovered two forms in the semi-darkness.

He rushed over and found himself face to face with Si Peters and Wash Crosby.

"Peters!" he e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed.

Scarcely had he spoken when a club was raised. Jerry tried to avoid the descending blow, but was only partly successful.

The club landed over his shoulder and neck and he was more than half stunned.

"Come!" he heard Peters whisper to Crosby, and then all became a confused whirl and he pitched forward in the gra.s.s.

The two rascals ran out into the road.

"That for you, Harry Parker!" yelled Si Peters, and struck Harry in the knee with the club.

In the meantime Wash Crosby sprang half into the carriage.

He made a grab at Harry's gold watch chain.

The chain broke from the b.u.t.tonhole and along with it came Harry's beautiful timepiece.

"I'll keep this to remember you by!" cried Wash Crosby in derision, and away he sped across the highway and down a side road, with Si Peters at his heels.

CHAPTER XXII.

ANOTHER BOAT RACE.

The horses now demanded all of Harry's attention. One of them was bound to run away, and the youth had all he could do to hold the animal in check.

But the lad knew what he was doing and presently held them under complete control.

Then our hero staggered out of the bushes with his hand on his neck, where a big lump was rising.

"Where are they?"

"Gone! Did they rob you, Jerry?"

"No."

"Then you are in luck."

"What do you mean, Harry?"

"Crosby took my gold watch and chain."

"Never!"

"He did. Jerry, those two chaps have turned nothing but common thieves,"

went on Harry, bitterly.

"It certainly looks so, Harry. What shall we do now?"

"Jump in and we'll go after them."

Jerry was soon beside Harry, and they turned up the side road taken by the fugitives. The moon was out full, making the way as light as day, yet nothing was to be seen of the rascally pair.

This was not to be wondered at, for after running along the road but a few hundred feet, Si Peters and Wash Crosby had taken to an open field.

Crossing this, they came out upon a railroad track. A freight train was coming along slowly, around the bend of the lake, and they had had small trouble in boarding this. Inside of an hour they were many miles away from the vicinity.

Jerry and Harry searched for the pair until midnight, and then gave up the hunt and returned to Lakeview. Once again the authorities were notified, and the detectives started on a fresh hunt for the evil-doers. Yet it was destined to be a long time before Si Peters and Wash Crosby were heard of again.