“I’ll make you!” exclaimed Bill.
It sounded as though there was a scuffle between the two in the bushes. Now and then muffled cries could be heard.
“We’d better go and help Noddy!” exclaimed Ned. “He’s no friend of ours, but I don’t want to see that Bill Berry get the best of him.”
The three boys were so excited they forgot to maintain the caution they had observed at first. In moving about in the boat, as the struggle continued, the tarpaulins were knocked from the lamps and the red and green rays glowed out.
All at once the sounds of the struggle ceased. It became very quiet. But, through the darkness came the hoarse whisper from Noddy:
“There’s the police boat! They’re after us! Come on Bill.”
[CHAPTER XII]
AN ALARM OF FIRE
An instant later the motor boys could hear a crashing of bushes and underbrush that told them Noddy and Bill were in flight.