Both came up alongside of the burly fellow, who drew back in commingled alarm and disgust.
"Hullo—friends!" sang out the sailor boy, joyfully. "Here's luck for me sure!"
"And no luck for me!" growled the burly man, and urging his steed around, he disappeared back of some bushes and was gone.
"Do you know that man?" asked Mark.
"Never clapped eyes on him until this morning," answered the other boy. "He said he would show me the way to Hopeville, but I guess he wanted to get me in some lonely spot and then rob me. You two came up in the nick of time,—and I'm mighty glad of it!" He gave Mark and Jed Dickson a grateful look.
"Where did you come from?" asked Dickson.
"From Philadelphia. You see, I'm just ashore from a whaling voyage," was the answer. "I got tired of the sea and thought I'd try it on land for a spell. I've got an old aunt living at Hopeville and I allowed I'd pay her a visit. My name is Bob Billings. Who are you?"
"I am Mark Radley."
"And I am Jed Dickson. Don't you want to go after that rascal?"
"I don't reckon we can catch him, for he'll do his best to keep out of sight," answered Bob Billings. "I was a fool to let him know what money I was carrying with me. I got paid off four days ago, and I thought if my aunt needed anything I'd let her have some of the cash. She's the only relative I've got in the world."