Matt rushed back to where he had had his encounter with Whipple. The scoundrel had vanished, having probably recovered his wits, and made off after Pete. This made the situation more critical for Matt and his friends. The two scoundrels were armed, and it would be only a matter of a few minutes before they rejoined each other and renewed the attack.
Working swiftly, Matt released the rope from the tree, threw it into the car, and bounded after it. Everything was ready, and all he had to do was to jump into the car, switch the power into the propeller, and lift the steering rudder.
In another moment, the Hawk had glided upward and away into the night.
[CHAPTER V.]
PETE AND WHIPPLE MAKE A CAPTURE.
"Consarn it!" cried Whipple, overtaking Pete as he was legging it for the canal, "what ye runnin' fer?"
"Fer the same reason you are, I reckon," replied Pete. "Them three kids was too much fer us. I thought I heerd ye yell that ye'd put King down an' out?"
"I thought I had," and Whipple exploded a savage oath and fondled the side of his head, "but the cub come back at me with a sand bag, or somethin', an' I seen more stars than what ye can find overhead. Fer about half a minit I was clean knocked out. When I come ter myself ye had made a run of it, an' I trailed after ye. We got a chance yet, d'ye hear? Purty idee if two huskies like us can't git the best o' three kids like them."
"That King is more kinds of an eel than I know how ter mention," replied Pete. "The way he wriggles around an' gits out o' tight corners is some surprisin'. Had we better go back there, Whipple? It wouldn't do fer us ter git captured; an' then, considerin' what we're workin' fer in La Grange, it would be foolish ter take any chances."