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218 he recovered, old Jacob had released Bob by cutting the vines with his sharp jack-knife.

"Who—what—" stammered Farvel, when he could speak. Then he saw the crowd gathered around him and his face fell.

"Oh, how glad I am that you came up," cried Bob. "I believe he was going to kill me!"

"Wasn't going to do anything of the sort," growled Farvel. "You just let me alone."

"I fancy I will let you alone," panted Bob, "after I am square with you. Take that!" And as the man got up, Bob slapped him with such force in the mouth that Farvel's teeth rattled. "You are a brute, and ought to be in jail."

"Tell us your story, Bob," said Robert Menden, and the tale was speedily forthcoming. Farvel tried several times to interrupt, but was not allowed.

"We'll make him our prisoner now,", said old Jacob, grimly. "It ain't safe to leave him roamin' around loose."

"Me a prisoner!" gasped Joseph Farvel. "I rather guess not!"

"Yes, tie him up," said Bob. "We can set him free later on, when we hand him over to the authorities."

Farvel fumed and used language not fit to transcribe to these pages. But this availed him