Page:Castlemon--Joe Wayring at Home.djvu/273

 getting a good deal of speed out of his clumsy craft, but fast as he went the pursuers gained at every stroke.

"Hold on with that boat!" shouted Arthur. "We've got you and you might as well give in."

But Jake wasn't that sort. He redoubled his exertions with the paddle, but all of a sudden his progress was stopped so quickly that Jake left his seat and pitched headlong into the bow of the canoe. Speaking in western parlance he had "picked up a snag" whose sharp, gnarled end penetrated the canvas covering of the canoe, tearing a hole in it that was as big as Jake's head. It did not hang there but floated off with the current, and began filling rapidly. In a few seconds she was out of sight, and Jake was making all haste to reach the shore. A moment later the skiff dashed up, and Roy Sheldon struck a vicious blow at the swimmer with his oar; but he was just out of reach. A few long strokes brought him to shallow water, two jumps took him to dry land, and in an instant more he was out of sight in the bushes.