taking it down they unlocked the door, and the two boys passed into
the darkness of the night outside.

"Please take care of yourselves!" cried Dora after them, and then
turned to quiet her mother, who had come downstairs in a state of
excitement bordering on hysteria, for, as old readers know, Mrs.
Stanhope's constitution was a delicate one.

Running into the garden, Dick made out a dim form in the distance,
on the path leading to the lake.

"There he is!" he cried. "Come, Tom, we must catch him, if we
can!"

"I am with you," answered Tom. "But take care what you do. He may
be in a desperate frame of mind."

"He is desperate. But I am not afraid of him," returned the elder
Rover, with determination.

Josiah Crabtree was running with all the speed of his long legs,
and the two lads soon found that they had all they could do to keep
him in sight.

"Stop!" yelled Tom, at the top of his voice, but to this command
the former, teacher paid no attention. If anything, he ran the
faster.

"He is bound for the lake," said Dick. "He must have a boat."