"If you want to go back you can do so," put in Dick. "Give Tom the shotgun."
"Oh—er—I'm goin' if you be," answered Jack Ness. He was ashamed to let them know how much of a coward he really was.
It was quite a distance to Swift River, which at this point ran among a number of stately willows. As the boys gained the water's edge they saw a boat putting out not a hundred feet away.
"There they are!" cried Dick.
"Stop!" yelled Tom. "Stop, unless you want to be shot!"
"We'll do a little shooting ourselves if you are not careful!" came back in a harsh voice.
"Take care! Take care!" cried Jack Ness, in terror, and ran to hide behind a handy tree.
The two men in the boat were putting down the stream with all speed. The current, always strong, soon carried them around a bend and out of sight.
It must be confessed that the boys were in a quandary. They did not wish to give up the chase, yet they realized that the escaping men might be desperate characters and ready to put up a hard fight if cornered.
"Jack, I think you had better run over to the Ditwold house and tell them what is up," said Dick, after a moment's thought. "Tell Ike and Joe we are going to follow in Dan Bailey's boat." The Ditwolds were neighboring farmers and Ike and Joe were strong young men ever ready to lend a hand in time of trouble.