“Wait until to-night before you do anything about it,” begged George.  “Give the Tramp Club a chance to distinguish themselves.  If we don’t get our man by six o’clock to-night, then put the matter in the hands of the authorities.  In the meantime, won’t you accept our hospitality for the day?  We offer you the use of our camp while we go out on a man hunt.”

After some further conversation Miss Elting reluctantly agreed to the boys’ plan, and after considerable mourning over the lost “Red Rover,” the girls settled themselves in the camp of the tramps to await the return of the boys.

“It looks as though we would have to go back to Meadow-Brook a little sooner than we expected, girls,” declared Miss Elting.

“I’d rather go home than thtay around where there are crathy Indianth,” retorted Tommy.  “Thuppothe we had been on that boat when it thank.”

“We wouldn’t have been so foolish as to stay on it if it had been sinking,” laughed Harriet.  “Besides all of us can swim.  Our enemy took good care to set fire to the boat when we weren’t on it.”

“I wonder what his object is in persecuting us so,” mused Hazel.  “None of us have ever harmed him.”

“Ask Dee Dickinson,” advised Jane dryly.

“We certainly shall do so, this very night,” returned Miss Elting, with compressed lips.

Meanwhile the Tramp Club had pursued what bade fair to be a fruitless quest.  Search as they might they could find no trace of their quarry.  Late in the afternoon the launch reached the entrance to the hidden creek where the “Red Rover” had recently lain snug and secure.

“This is certainly an ideal hiding place,” declared George, as he scanned the bank on both sides.  “I don’t wonder—­”

He was interrupted by an excited shout from Larry, who had also been keeping a sharp lookout.  “There he goes!” he yelled.

A long dark green canoe had shot out from under an overhanging ledge of rock.  The sole occupant was paddling with swift, noiseless strokes toward the mouth of the creek, intent on reaching the lake and making his escape.

“It’s the half-breed!” yelled Larry excitedly.

“He’s been hiding up here waiting for night to come.  He thought that we didn’t know about this place.  Now that we’ve hunted him down, he’s trying to make a quick get-away.  Once out of the creek he can give us the slip.  Fellows, we’ve got to get him!”

Billy, who was at the wheel, began backing the launch toward the mouth of the creek.  Not for an instant did the boys lose sight of their man, and the moment the boat reached open water it was sent ahead at full speed.  Soon they began to gain on the fugitive, who was paddling with a speed little short of marvelous.

“Hold on there!” shouted George.  “We’ve got you anyway.  You might as well surrender!”

The man in the canoe refused to halt at command, but continued to paddle desperately, until Billy deliberately ran him down.  An instant later George was holding on to their captive with an iron grip.