With the first sight of the coast Jack uttered an exclamation of dismay, although he did not slacken the speed of the launch, which continued to creep closer and closer to the fugitive.
As the first, faint streak of dawn appeared in the sky, Hardy ran his boat close to shore and, standing erect, jumped headlong into the water. A moment later and he reappeared and struck out for land.
Now that his quarry was safe ashore, Jack approached more cautiously, for he was not minded to run his little craft upon a rock. But when the pursuers were finally able to land Hardy had disappeared in the distance.
"You will stay here until I return," he informed them. "I may be gone a long time--there is no telling. Wait for me an hour after nightfall, and if I have not then returned you will go back to the _Sylph_. Do not come ashore, for this is neutral ground," and the lad hurried in the direction in which the fugitive had disappeared.
"If I can catch him before we are discovered," he told himself, "he'll come back all right. If not, well, I don't know. If discovered I suppose we shall both be disarmed and interned," for Jack was not unfamiliar with neutrality laws, and he realized that if discovered he would probably not be allowed to leave the country until the war had ended.
But if Jack had expected to overhaul the fugitive and take him back to the _Sylph_ without trouble, he was doomed to disappointment. As he hurried on through the little woods there was the sudden sound of a shot, and a bullet whistled over his head.
The lad sprang behind a tree and quickly drew his revolver.
A moment later there was a second shot, and Jack saw a flash from behind a tree scarcely a hundred feet away. He aimed quickly at an arm which extended from behind the tree and fired. A howl of pain rewarded him; but Jack was too wary to step from behind his shelter, although he looked cautiously in the direction of his enemy.
As he surmised, it was the traitor Hardy who had shot at him. The fugitive now lay sprawled on the ground, and even from where Jack stood he could hear the man's moans. The bullet had struck him in the elbow--on the "crazy bone."
Jack stepped quickly from behind his tree and rapidly crossed the distance that separated him from his wounded enemy. As he came close, Hardy suddenly sprang to his feet and, unable to bring his revolver to bear quickly enough, struck a savage blow at the lad.