Before the lamp fell to the ground and went out Paul had one glimpse of a face.
"It's Mr. Pender, fellows! Brad's nabbed!" he could not help shouting.
Jack, realizing the need of more light, instantly flew over to where the car was standing, and detached the second lamp. With this he hastened back. Wash was still struggling; but the two boys had him on his face, where his superior strength was of little avail; and were sitting on him to keep him quiet.
When they rushed over to where Mr. Pender had been seen struggling with the taller of the ruffians, they found that he had subdued Brad; for the other was glaring down at a pair of steel bracelets which outshone those he had so pleasantly snapped on the wrists of poor Ted.
There was no more fight in him.
When the other man had been treated to a similar present, they were allowed to sit upon the ground and exchange words of doleful regret, while Mr. Pender went the rounds, and gravely shook hands with each one of the Boy Scouts.
"You've done me a good turn, boys, a mighty good turn. I was just on my way to the mill pond to arrest these chaps when I saw a light ahead, and creeping up, witnessed this interesting sight. When I've found that bag now, I imagine I'll have the case against these two worthies clean cut," he said.
Upon which Paul quietly stepped over into the bushes and fished out the article in question, which he delivered to the officer.
From Brad's pocket was taken the wad of bills which Ted had thought to purloin from the bag before he threw it and the rest of its contents away.
"This is counterfeit money, boys, made from the plates in the bag. They were taking these things to Solus, who had written them that he had secured a nice quiet retreat where they might work undisturbed. So you see, my boy," said Mr. Pender to Ted, "if you had made way with this it must have gotten you into a peck of trouble from the start. You're lucky to get out of it as easy as you do."