", don't you dare to tar me!" cried Tom, as the bully faced him.
"Ha! ha! I guess you are pretty well scared now," laughed Baxter. "Your former show of bravery was all put on."
"If you go ahead you shall suffer the full penalty for the outrage, mark my words."
"Bah, Tom Rover, you can't frighten me. When I get through with you I'll warrant that your own mother won't know you."
Tom tried to retreat, but each of the tramps held him by the arm, so that he could not stir. As his legs were still bound, kicking was likewise out of the question.
"Let me put a nice big cross on his breast first," said Baxter. "Here goes!"
He reached out with the brush, but before he could touch Tom an interruption came as forceful as it was unexpected.
A thick stick came flying through the air, hitting his arm and sending the tar brush spinning to a distance.
"You rascal, let Tom alone!" came in Dick Rover's voice, and he rushed in and threw the bully headlong.
"Dick! Sam!" came from Tom joyfully. "Oh, how glad I am that you have come."
"Wot's dis!" gasped Stumpy Nuggs. "Longback, dare's trouble ahead!"
"Yes, an' I don't intend ter be in it!" answered the second tramp. "I reckon we've got about all we want out of dis crowd, anyway!" And both tramps took to their heels.
Josiah Crabtree stood by, speechless. The interruption had come so suddenly that he knew not what to do.
As quickly as he could Dan Baxter scrambled to his feet. As he did so Sam leaped for the tar brush and secured it.
"Let me alone!" roared the bully, and began to back away. But as he did so his hand went into his hip pocket and he drew a pistol.
"No, you don't!" cried Sam, and knocked the weapon from his hand with the brush. This action caused the hot tar to leave a heavy streak over Baxter's face and neck, and he let out a yell that would have done credit to an Indian on the warpath.
"Wait, I'll get even for this, Sam Rover!" he hissed, and then as Dick advanced he turned and took to his heels, running as if the Evil One were after him. Sam followed him, still swinging the brush, but Dan Baxter was soon lost to sight in the bushes.
Dick now turned to where Josiah Crabtree had been standing. The former teacher had recovered and was making tracks down the gully toward the lake. The tramps had disappeared. He leaped to Tom's side.
"We must bag some of them, Tom," he said, as he whipped out his knife and set his brother free.
"There goes Crabtree—let us collar him."
Both boys ran as never before, and came upon the former teacher just as that individual reached the lake shore below the bluff. Tom made a grab and caught him by the coat tails.
"Let me go!" snarled Crabtree, and aimed a blow at the cadet's head. But Tom ducked, and the next instant put out his foot and Crabtree pitched headlong into the lake.
"Help me! I'll be drowned!" spluttered the former teacher, as he came up with his head covered with mud, for the lake at this point was less than five feet deep.
"Climb out and you'll be all right," sang out Dick, and feeling the bottom with his feet, Crabtree looked very sheepish and clambered slowly up the bank.
As he stood before them, all dripping with water and mud, he looked the picture of misery.
"Boys, this is a—a—sad way in which to treat your former teacher," he wailed.
"Don't talk like that, or I'll be tempted to throw you in again," exclaimed Tom. "Dick, what will we do with him?"
"Hold him until we hear from Sam."
They looked up the gully and soon espied the youngest Rover hurrying toward them.
"Where is Baxter?" asked Dick.
"He got away, but not until I had let him have that tar brush right in the neck," answered Sam. "Hullo, so you have captured old Crabby, eh? That's good."
"Surely you do not intend to—ahem—keep me a prisoner," remarked
Josiah Crabtree, in a voice which he tried in vain to steady.
"That's just what we do intend to do," answered Dick. "You'll march right to the Cedarville lock-up with us."
While Dick and Sam guarded the prisoner, Tom ran back for his torn
coat and other garments, and also for the rope. When he returned
Crabtree's hands were bound and the cadets told him to move along. He was searched, and a pistol was taken from him.
Crabtree went along most unwillingly. Once he refused to budge, but Dick showed the pistol, and that settled his stubbornness, and he went along as willingly as a lamb.
On the outskirts of Cedarville the party met Chief Burger and
Detective Trigger.