“He got away!”
Drummer snapped on his flashlight and in the beams of it he saw the man running across the orchard toward the woods. Buck was three or four yards behind him, but the man was increasing his speed at every stride and it looked hopeless. Drummer joined in the chase.
When the apple had struck the man on the head he had hesitated, bewildered, and in that instant Buck renewed his passionate attempt to break loose. This time he succeeded in freeing his mouth and one arm, which he attempted to wind around the man who had for so long held him a captive. Two more apples swished past them at top speed and the man now changed his tactics. He no longer desired to hold Buck, but seemed more than anxious to get away. He loosed his hold on Buck and wrestled with him in a short, fierce match, finally breaking Buck’s hold and turning to flee. The last apple hurled by Drummer struck the man in the back and he made off like a flash toward the woods. It was then that Buck shouted and took up the chase, somewhat winded from his recent battle.
The man gained the woods well ahead of him and wound his way in and out among the trees, too anxious to get away to slow up for a lack of light. Buck had no light and Drummer’s flashlight was too far back of him to be of any use. He could hear the boys chattering as they took up the chase, but on the edge of the woods Buck halted, realizing the futility of it.
He was winded and dissatisfied and the man who had plunged into the woods knew them so well that to follow him would be a pure waste of time. Drummer caught up with him, puffing with the exertion and excitement.
“Go-going to chase him?” panted the hero of the apple bombardment.
“No use,” declared Buck, as the others came up, lights all turned on. “We’d never get him in these woods. He knows them too well. You can’t even hear him, now.”
They stood there listening, but nothing but unbroken silence came from the depths of the forest. The rest of the boys did not desire to press the matter if Buck did not, and they stood there for some time, listening with awe to Buck’s story of his adventure. Many were the exclamations that followed it.
“Boy, you certainly did me a service when you began to peg those apples!” Buck told Drummer, laughing. “That artillery fire halted his advance and gave me my turn at the game. You certainly used your head!”
“Well, that’s just once when my appetite came in handy,” grinned the fat boy.