of the murder of any captive maiden. His eagle eye _did_ see where a
boat had been drawn up on shore, and if any "shoves" and other cruel and
abusive "handling" had been administered by those scoundrels with
seventy pistols, it must have been to that poor defenseless boat. Or
perhaps they were out in the middle of the lake at that very minute
sinking their victim.

Anything might happen--in the mind of Scout Harris.




CHAPTER XII

ENTER THE GENUINE ARTICLE


At another time Pee-wee would have delighted to linger in this scout's
Utopia. But his chief thought now was to take advantage of his fortunate
escape. He had not the faintest idea where he was, more than that he was
a full two hour's ride from home. That would be a long and lonely hike,
even if he could find his way in the darkness.

He tried to recall the names of the various lakes in New Jersey and in
the neighboring state of New York, and he recalled a good many, but that
did not help him to identify this one. So he started up toward the town
in the hope of identifying that.

The village petered out toward the lake; there were but a few houses. It
was about eleven or twelve o'clock or after and the good people in the