"I don't know anything about it."

"But you just said-----"

At that moment came a cry through the dark woods:

"Shep! Shep! where are you? Go back to the raft! It is all
right---we have the outfit back! Go back to the raft!"

It was Snap who was calling, and in another minute he appeared
and confronted the crowd that was holding Shep a prisoner.




CHAPTER XXIII

THE LOSS OF THE RAFT


It was so dark under the trees that for the moment Snap did not
recognize his chum. Then he uttered an exclamation of commingled
wonder and alarm.

"Let go of him!" he cried. "Let go, I say!" and he caught Ham
Spink by the arm.

"Capture him, fellows!" shouted Carl Dudder, and at once several
of the Spink crowd fell upon Snap.