About nine o'clock they said good night and started for home. It was a beautiful evening and, although the moon was not yet up, the stars helped to make the darkness less intense. Bob ran the Sprite at about half speed, for, although they had an electric searchlight, he did not want to take any chances with the girls on board. They were about half way home and near the middle of the lake, when suddenly a rowboat loomed up dead ahead, and coming directly toward them. In it were two men. One was at the oars, while the other was sitting in the bow. In a moment the two boats were within speaking distance and a voice, which both boys recognized as King's hailed them.
"I say, boys, can you give us a few matches; our lantern has gone out and we haven't a single one left."
It happened that Bob had a box of safety matches in his pocket, and always willing to oblige, he shut off the power and soon the rowboat pulled up alongside. Reed caught hold of the side of the Sprite to steady his boat, while King dropped his oars and stood up in the boat, stretching forth his hand as if to take the box which Bob was holding out to him. But suddenly he was dumfounded to see, shining from King's hand, the barrel of a revolver.
"Now, young fellow, we are desperate men and want no fooling. Just hand over that cell you are using to run that boat, and be mighty quick about it, too."
"Why—why—what do you mean?" stammered Bob, for he was so amazed at the turn affairs had taken that he could hardly speak.
"Quick, now, or we'll throw you all into the lake."
"Oh, Bob," whispered Edna, "let them have it or they'll kill us."
By this time Bob had partially recovered his senses, and his quick brain was trying to figure a way out of the difficulty, for he did not intend to give up the cell if he could help it. Fortunately, however, the problem was solved for him in a very unexpected manner. The stern of the rowboat was directly opposite the stern of the Sprite where Jack was sitting. The latter, quickly taking in the situation, rose to his feet, and suddenly giving a spring, landed, with his full weight, on the stern of the light rowboat. Under his one-hundred sixty pounds, the boat gave a heavy lurch and in a second King had lost his balance and fallen over backwards into the lake. Both girls screamed and Jack shouted as he scrambled back on board the larger boat. "Full speed ahead, Bob."
When the rowboat lurched, Reed lost his hold and before he could recover it, the Sprite was darting up the lake, while a string of oaths from the rowboat followed them.
"My, but that was great work, Jack, old fellow," exclaimed Bob. "I don't know how we would have saved the cell if you hadn't tipped that fellow out of the boat. How'd you happen to think of it?"