Among those who had been attracted by the shots was one Mr. Arthur, the president of the bank.
When he was informed that his little bank was to have been the next scene of operations on the part of the yeggman, and was told that Dick’s work had prevented it, he shook hands with the boy heartily.
“It would have been a hard blow for me, for I have more money than usual, since several mortgages have been paid during the past few days. You can be assured that I will not forget your brave work,” he said.
“Looks like I lost out with you, young feller,” said Lafe to Dick. “But let me tell you this. There’s one more left to reckon with you, and I guess he’ll wipe the slate clean for me!”
CHAPTER IX
SAVED BY A JAP TRICK
The force of Phil’s fall had stunned him into complete unconsciousness. He lay there for several moments, and the force of the rain beating on his face was evidently what revived him. He raised himself to a sitting posture and stared about him. Then his gradually dawning consciousness became complete and he remembered his falling.
He felt the back of his head, expecting to find that he had cut it badly, and was surprised to find there was nothing but a bad lump.
Phil figured that his heavy scout hat had somewhat broken the force of the blow. He felt of the bump gingerly, for it was as sore as a burn. Then he started to get on his feet, and groaned when the weight of his body bore down on his right foot.
He sat down again quickly and unlaced his shoe-pack.
A quick examination told him he had either sprained it, or at the least badly strained the ankle. Snatching a handkerchief from his pocket, he tore it into wide strips, and seeing that there was a puddle of water in a depression near him, soaked the strips in this, and then tightly bound the ankle, which was beginning to swell since the support of the shoe-pack had been removed.