The men were pulling frantically, but
they had no chance.
"Get between them and the shore!" cried Mr. Sharp. "You can head
them off then." This was good advice and Tom followed it. The
men, among whom the lad could recognize Happy Harry and Anson
Morse, were all excited. Two of them stood up, as though to jump
overboard, but their companions called to them to stop.
"If we only had a gun now, not to shoot at them but to intimidate
them," murmured the balloonist, "maybe they'd stop."
"Here's one," answered Tom, pointing to the seat locker, where he
kept the shotgun Mr. Duncan had given him. In a moment Mr. Sharp
had it out.
"Surrender!" he cried, pointing the weapon at the men in the small
boat.
"Don't shoot! Don't fire on us! We'll give up!" cried Happy
Harry, and the two with the oars ceased pulling.
"Don't take any chances," urged Mr. Sharp in a low voice. "Keep
between them and the shore. I'll cover them." Tom was steering
from an auxiliary side wheel near the motor, and soon the ARROW
had cut off the retreat of the men. They could not land and to
row across the lake meant speedy capture.
"Well, what do you want of us?" growled Morse. "What right have
you got to interfere with us in this fashion?"
"The best of right," answered Tom.
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