“Not yet, but there is a turn just ahead. When we make that we’ll be able to see almost to the river.” 85
All of the students sped on, the stout lad doing his best to keep up with the others. They reached the turn with Dave a step or two in advance.
“There he is!”
“I see him! Say, he’s wild-looking enough!”
“He is making for the river!”
“We ought to be able to catch him. We are four to one.”
Dave and Roger pressed forward with increased speed and poor Buster fell somewhat behind.
“I’m coming as fa—fast as I ca—can!” blurted out the fat youth. “Go on—I’ll get there sooner or later!”
“Pick up a stick, if you see one,” cried Dave, to Roger and Gus. “We may have a hot fight on our hands. That man ought to be in jail, or in an asylum.”
As they sped along, the three kept their eyes open and each presently armed himself with a fair-sized club. The wild man was running like a deer, pausing occasionally to turn and brandish his long arms at them savagely. They could see that his clothing was in tatters and that his hair and beard were long and unkempt.