Then he quickly focused the white glow of his electric torch up into the tree directly over-head.
"Oh! looky there, would you, in the fork of the tree!" exclaimed Tubby, always bent on expressing his opinion.
And as the others cast their eyes upward, they saw the huddled figure of a man where Tubby had indicated. Rob had undoubtedly run one of the fugitives down; and hearing them coming through the brush, he must have climbed the tree as a last resort, evidently hoping they might pass him by.
But he had not taken into consideration the fact that a scout was leading the pursuing party, and that the sudden ending of his tracks was bound to cause the trailer to survey the vicinity in the expectation of locating his game.
CHAPTER VI.
THE EAGLES LEAD THE WAY TO SUCCESS.
"Don't shoot, gents! I reckon I'm pretty near all in!" called out the man who was in the crotch of the oak tree.
At the same time he elevated both hands as a sign that he was unarmed and did not intend to offer any hostile demonstration. Undoubtedly the sight of the three big officers in blue, not to speak of four stalwart lads dressed in scout uniforms, must have convinced him that he had really run to the end of his rope; and that after being checked so positively in his break for liberty, the next best thing for him to do would be to give in and have his wounded leg attended to.
"Hello! got you, have we, Con?" remarked the Chief pleasantly.