as bob saw the farmer coming, he had to do some pretty quick thinking, for it was evident that he was hostile to him for some unknown reason, and he did not intend to fall into his power if he could help it. fortunately, he had left his motorcycle standing in the road, about ten feet away in the opposite direction from which the farmer was approaching. giving the man he was holding a powerful shove, which sent him sprawling into the ditch by the roadside, he made a quick rush for the wheel, snapped up the rest and, giving the handle a slight turn, vaulted into the saddle. but he was just a fraction of a second too late, for as he started off, the farmer caught him by the coat tail. he had presence of mind to turn off the power before the wheel fell over sideways, and springing to the side, stood facing the farmer.
"now, you young cub, what does all this mean?"
bob had a habit of acting on the impulse of the moment, and before the farmer had time to put 170up his hands, biff! he was lying on his back in the middle of the road. by this time the younger man had picked himself from the gutter, and hastily running forward, bent over the fallen man, who bob thought was probably his father.
"i'll have the law on yer for this," he shouted. "i guess yer've killed him."
"will, eh?" said bob, stepping forward.
his fighting blood was now at red heat, and he felt able to fight a dozen men. "well, if you feel like taking the law into your hands, come on, and i'll give you one of the most interesting little picnics you ever saw. i was only playing before."
but he had evidently had enough, for he made no move toward reopening hostilities.
"all right then, guess i'll be going. by the way, your father'll come round all right in a minute. i didn't hit him very hard."
just then the farmer gave a groan and opened his eyes, saying feebly:
"laws amighty, did a mule kick me?"
bob waited no longer, but, picking up his wheel, rode off unmolested. just as he reached the corner where the road joined the main highway, he met jack trudging along pushing his wheel.
"well, old man," he shouted, "how'd you make out? did you get it?"
"did i get it?" repeated bob, reaching his hand 171in his pocket, and pulling out the cap. "what do you say to this?"
"i say it's great luck."
"you may think so, but quite considerable of a fight had a good deal to do with it. look at my nose. but," he laughed, "you ought to see the other fellow."
by this time he had screwed the cap in place.
"come on," he said, "let's ride back a little way. something back here i want to show you."
"what is it?" asked jack as they mounted and started back.
"oh, nothing much, only the road jumped up and hit a fellow on the back of the head a few minutes ago and i want to see how he's getting along. there are two of them, but i don't think there's much fight left in either."
he explained what had happened, as they rode along, and as he finished, they came in sight of bob's late antagonists. the older man was just staggering to his feet, and riding up to within about twenty feet, bob said pleasantly:
"came round all right, did he?"
he turned and let out such a string of oaths as the boys had never before heard. when he stopped for lack of breath, bob said:
"if that's the way you feel about it, i guess the less said the better, and we'll bid you good night. come on, jack."172
they turned and rode slowly away turning their heads just in time to see both men shaking their fists at them.
"well, that chapter is ended," remarked jack, as they rode off. "wonder what the next one will be like. we've certainly had some excitement since we made those cells."
"that's so," agreed bob, looking at his watch. "it's after three now, and we'd better make tracks for home. you know mother will begin to worry about four o'clock if we're not there."
the road to skowhegan, five miles down the kennebec, was very sandy, and it was impossible for them to make good time. it was four-fifteen when they crossed the bridge in skowhegan, but they made up for lost time on the run up to the lake and reached the cottage just as the clock was striking four-thirty.
all the folks were on the porch, including their father and uncle ben, who had come up from town in the car, a short time before. the story of the day's adventures was soon told, and mr. golden declared that on the morrow they would get some officers and visit the log house in the woods.
"well, i declare!" said may. "you two boys do beat all when it comes to getting into scrapes and getting out of them again. it must be lots of fun. wish i was a boy."
"that's all right as long as you do get out all 173right," remarked jack a little dryly, "but there wouldn't have been so much fun to some of the messes we've been in lately if they hadn't turned out as they did. please excuse me."
"come on, bob," shouted jack, "that lake looks good to me. we've got just time for a good swim before supper."
the girls both declared it would be just the thing, and all four rushed into the house and upstairs, to reappear in an incredibly short time clad in bathing suits. the girls could both swim nearly as well as the boys, and soon they were having a splendid time in the clear water of the lake. they swam and dived, ducking each other whenever opportunity offered, until mrs. golden called that it was time to get dressed for supper.
the next morning, while they were at breakfast, the telephone rang and mr. golden went into the front room to answer it.
"what's that you say?" they heard him ask, "mercy, is that so? i'll come right down, be there in less than a half hour."
when he returned to the dining room, his face was pale and his voice trembled, as he said:
"bob, get the car out as soon as possible; the bank has been robbed."
"robbed!" cried mrs. golden, as they all sprang to their feet. "how much did they get?"174
"i don't know, i don't suppose they can tell yet, but riggs said it was a large amount."
by this time the boys were at the garage, only a short distance from the house, and shouting to sandy, the chauffeur, had the car out by the time their father and uncle ben were ready.
"can we go?" asked bob.
"why, yes, i suppose so, but you'll get there sooner if you take your wheels. you coming, ben?"
"guess i will," replied the latter, and telling the women that they would 'phone as soon as they could, they were off, the boys leading the way on the motorcycles.
