For fifteen minutes the young people went on, farther into the forest.  Though the girls wore overshoes, Dick went ahead to pick out the drier paths.

Collecting botanical specimens, though interesting to amateurs or experts, is dull work for onlookers.  As both Belle and Laura were enthusiastic workers, Dick found himself walking chiefly with Susie Sharp.  There was much waiting while Laura and Belle dug their mosses and plants.

Finally, Dick and Susie found themselves standing together, some feet from Laura and Belle, who were gathering wild flowers.

“Look at those beautiful purple blossoms over there!” cried Susie in sudden enthusiasm.

“Are you going to turn collector, too?” smiled Dick.

“To the extent of wanting a bouquet of those flowers,” Susie declared.  “Will you help me?”

“With great pleasure.  If you will wait here, I will get the bouquet for you.  It will take me hardly a minute.”

Dick started away alone.  By the time that he had picked a good-sized handful, Susie started to meet him.  For the moment she was out of sight of the other girls.

Dick came toward Miss Sharp, holding out the gorgeous blossoms.

“Will these be enough?” he inquired.

“Oh, yes!  Thank you so much!”

“It was a very slight service,” Prescott laughed.   “I am glad
to have pleased-----”

A sudden scream brought his gallant speech to an abrupt stop.

“Oh, Dick!  Be quick!” sounded the voice.

“Pardon me,” said Prescott to Susie, as he sprang forward through the brush.

It was a startling scene that met the high school boy’s gaze as he bounded forward.

Tag Mosher, holding his shotgun under his left arm, stood confronting Laura and Belle.  In his right, hand he held a gold chain and locket that he had snatched from Laura Bentley’s neck.  In one of his pockets, out of sight, now rested two valuable rings that he had forcibly stripped from one of Belle’s hands.

“Sorry, girls,” he was saying.  “I never did anything quite as bad as this before.  But if you knew how badly I need to get away from these parts you’d know why I’m holding up girls to get money to pay my fare, and-----”

Just then Tag Mosher caught sight of Dick Prescott.

“Stand back!” warned Tag hoarsely.  “I don’t want to have to do anything worse than I’ve just done.  Stand back, or by the blue sky-----”

CHAPTER XX

SOME IMITATION VILLAINY

“Oh, Dick, do keep back.  He won’t harm us further,” cried Laura.

Prescott ran forward by leaps and bounds.

“If you will have it-----” growled Tag, cocking both hammers of his
ugly weapon.

Laura uttered another scream, then, with sudden frenzy, seized the barrels of the gun.

“Let go!” yelled Dick, racing up.  “If he fires, even accidentally, you’ll be killed.”