"Say, look here!" blustered the second man, "if you gals don't——"
"Now let up on that line, Bill!" cautioned the other. "We don't mean any harm," he proceeded. "My friend here is a bit rough——"
"I'm no rougher than you!" retorted his companion.
"We're willing to pay for the information," went on the first man. "It won't take but a minute——"
But Betty stayed to hear no more. She opened wide the throttle of her motor, and the Gem shot ahead, leaving the other craft far behind. There was some evidence in the quicker staccato exhaust of the pursuing boat that the occupants tried to get more speed out of her, but they failed, and a little later Amy, turning around, saw them circling back up stream.
One man stood up and shook his fist vindictively at the girls. Grace gasped as she saw this.
"Oh, I am sure they mean us some harm!" she cried.
"Nonsense!" asserted Betty. "We're far enough off now."
"But if we come out again?" Amy suggested.
"I think we will take one of the young men from the orange crate factory," suggested Mollie. "Mr. Hammond will spare us one, I'm sure, and it would be too bad if we had to give up our trips on the river just because some men are hunting a fugitive."