Page:Boys of Columbia High on the Gridiron.djvu/189

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MATCHING WITS
173

tracks, I feel like I could do something to him for playin' this trick on us. Hello!"

"What's doing, boss?" called the other.

"Here's where he crawled out, all right," replied Jim, excitedly.

"How d'ye know it is?" demanded the other, across the water of the creek.

"It's all wet. I'll follow it up, and nab him in a dozen winks. He can't have got far away, I reckon."

"What d'ye want me to do, Jim?" called his companion, after a wait.

"Go back to the bridge, and cross over here."

"All right. Keep right after him. The moon's going to come out again right soon. If you see him, give him a shot to make him stop!" and shouting in this vein, Bart turned to retrace his steps back to the bridge.

He was somewhat out of wind by the time he had half mounted the abrupt bank that served as the base for one end of the bridge. All at once he heard a sound that electrified him. It was the cranking of the car!

"Hi, Jim! here he is! Come back! He's going to leave us in a hole! Head him off up the road there! Hurry, Jim, hurry!

The climbing man could hardly finish shouting, so short was he of breath; but perhaps it may have