Dick then proceeded to administer a sound and much deserved thrashing to the cause of their trouble, and when the young fellow recovered partially from his surprise, he broke away and started on a dead run for the farm house. Dick had neither time or desire to pursue him, and was well satisfied with recovering their steeds, and Fritz was particularly delighted with the addition of one horse to their party. The Tory was well out of reach by now, and before he turned to dive into the safety of the woods, he shouted, placing his hands to his mouth to form a megaphone, "Next time I'll get you, you rebels!"
"That fellow seems familiar to me somehow," said Dick. "I wonder where we've seen him before?"
"Oh—ah—I've got it," stuttered Fritz.
"Got what?" asked Dick.
"Dot's the same feller you pushed in the ditch already, the day we started out."
"You're right," answered Dick. "That's who it is."
"Sure, I'm right," returned Fritz, as if such was always the case.
"I wonder what he's doing here. He must have followed us after that little meeting we first had. Do you know, Fritz, I believe that fellow has been responsible for the close attention we have been getting all along the line. But what can his object be?"
This was too much for Fritz's detective powers, and he gave up the matter as beyond explanation. But Dick didn't, and it bothered him for some time as they rode rapidly along with their captive horse tugging at the line behind them.