that this appeal for assistance was no idle one, and it was up to them
to do something quickly or action on their part might soon be too
late.

"You boys take care of the men in front, and Clif and I will settle
this affair back here," Ernie shouted. "Don't let them escape."

With these words, the patrol leader seized the latch of the nearest
auto door and pressed down on it. As he did this, the door flew open
with a heavy swing, and Ernie jumped aside just in time to ward off a
body-lunge blow from the fist of a man who sprang out of the machine
like a beast leaping with all fours.

In less time than it takes to tell it, two of the men had broken
through the cordon of Boy Scouts around the automobile and disappeared
in the darkness. The third, Mr. Stanlock's chauffeur, was not so
desperately courageous. The menace of two or three gun muzzles held
within a few feet of his face was more than he cared to oppose, so he
remained a prisoner.

"Look out, boys," called out Hazel Edwards. "There are three more
automobiles coming along behind with desperate men in them. Each of
those autos has three girl prisoners in charge of two men, one of them
the driver."

"Miles, you and Hal and Jerry stay here and guard the prisoner and
protect the girls against those rascals if they return," Ernie
directed. "The rest of us will run back a short distance and meet the
next machine before they suspect something wrong."