“You can’t escape me,” cried Porler in a rage. “You might as well stop right where you are.”
Mart made no reply, but kept on.
Presently he came to a tall tree.
This gave him an idea. Mart could climb like a monkey, and up the tree he went with great speed.
When Porler reached the spot he was out of sight, and the old balloonist went on.
“Oh, how I hope he will go far enough away,” said Mart to himself.
Soon he could hear no more of Porler.
Thinking him gone, he cautiously descended the tree.
Barely had his feet touched the ground than he felt a rough hand on his shoulder.
“I thought you were here,” cried the old balloonist in his harsh tone. “You can’t get away from me now, Mart Keene.”