Thinking it useless to explain to the people in time to recapture the man, Bob suddenly sent his fist crashing into the man who still had hold of his arm with such force that he went down in a dazed condition.
For a second the youth was free and, gathering courage, he broke through the mass of people and dashed down the street in pursuit of the escaped criminal, who could be seen some two blocks ahead.
“I ought to catch him after awhile,” the youth thought, as he noted that the man was rapidly losing ground.
Several more minutes brought pursuer and pursued to the Potomac River, and Bob feared that the man might attempt to swim across but was mistaken.
The youth was now close upon him, and when they came to a small clump of shrubbery, Bob resolved to end the chase.
“Here goes,” he thought, and, exerting himself to the utmost, he caught up and aimed his foot in the man’s path.
With an exclamation of rage the fellow went down head first in a clump of bushes.
Immediately he was up, and with a hoarse bellow he aimed a blow at his young enemy’s chin. But Bob dodged and with expert quickness sent his fist smashing into the man’s nose.