Page:Castlemon--Joe Wayring at Home.djvu/343

 might have been able to detain him until his father and brother could come to his assistance, and then Joe would have had more on his hands than he could attend to.

"That's another thing we've got to pay you fur when we get our hands on you," yelled Matt, who was almost beside himself. "Work lively in backin' out, or he'll have a mile the start of us before we tech the shore."

Jake, who had dropped his paddle and sat holding his chin in his hands, paid no attention to the order; but Matt and Sam worked to such good purpose that they finally succeeded in backing the scow out of the lilies into clear water. When they reached the bank, Joe Wayring was out of sight; but they knew which way he had gone, and at once set out in pursuit; while Jake stayed in the scow and howled dismally.

Joe ran like a deer, and made surprising progress in spite of the logs and bushes that obstructed his way. He was very quiet in his movements, but Matt and his boy made so much noise that it was an easy matter to keep track of them and tell just how far they were