At the same instant he sprang forward. He was not afraid to tackle the man. What he feared was that the fellow would get away from him before the boy got a chance to down him.
Steve's leap carried him within three feet of his prey. The Iron Boy was preparing to strike out hard, when something was swung in a half circle about the head of the other man. The object was the metal saw that the fellow had been using for his nefarious purpose. It caught Steve a blow on the side of the head, lifting the boy from his feet sideways and dropping him to the abutment. As he fell, Rush, who was not knocked senseless, fastened about the ankles of his enemy with both arms.
The result of this move was that the man went over too. He toppled over backwards with Steve holding to him tightly. In an instant the two were fighting desperately. Blows were struck on both sides; breaths came short and sharp.
All at once the support slipped from beneath them and the two fighters rolled over into the river, where the battle was continued with renewed vigor. But Rush had been weakened somewhat by the blow from the metal saw and was not at his best.
"You villain!" he shouted. "I've got you now. I've——"
A blow on the side of the jaw caused the Iron Boy's head to droop to one side. One more swift blow, and he dropped limply from the arms of his adversary. With a growl of triumph the man started to swim away. Steve drifted a few yards struggling manfully to regain his senses, which he did in a measure a few seconds later, though his body seemed to be numb from head to feet. The lad managed to get his hands over the edge of the small boat as he drifted alongside of it. Off on the river he could hear the fellow splashing toward shore.
"Help!" shouted Steve. "Catch him!"
He hoped some one might hear his voice and capture the escaping man. As it chanced some one was on shore, and that some one was Bob Jarvis, who, learning at the house that Steve had gone down to the works, followed on. He was standing there when Steve called, and he was on the bank peering down when the man came splashing ashore and started to run away.
Bob grabbed the fellow by the collar.
"Hold on, old man, what's doing around here! What——"