"Stop him!" yelled Snap, and pointed to Lush Barrock, who had suddenly taken to his heels. "Stop him, somebody!"
Snap made a dash after the robber, and was followed by his three chums. Barrock was a good runner, and soon disappeared into the bushes.
"We must catch him!" panted Snap. "We must not let him get away!"
He went on after Lush Barrock with all speed. The course was through the bushes and over some rocks. Then, of a sudden, a voice sounded out ahead:
"Stop, all of you! If you don't, I'll fire!"
"Oh, Snap, do you think he will fire at us?" gasped Giant, and came to a halt, followed by the rest.
"If you fire, so will we!" sang out Snap, and brought around his shotgun. But no answer came back, and now Lush Barrock was both out of sight and hearing.
Yet the boy hunters did not give up the chase. They followed the trail as best they could to a brook, but there lost it in the water. Then they hunted around for a good quarter of an hour, but without avail.
"Too bad!" groaned Snap. "Oh, how I wish I had put my hands on that rascal!"
"He is certainly a bad one," was Whopper's comment.