The two submarine boys raised the now whitefaced bully, who was still pleading and protesting.  Dan refused to start at the word, but a few sharp cuts across his legs by Hal made the fellow change his mind.

“I reckon your uncle will stay until he’s called for,” laughed Jack, as they started.  “Anyway, the matter of greatest importance is to deliver the money to Mr. Farnum before it goes through any more mishaps.”

“I tell ye, tain’t right to make me go along an’ be sent to jail,” declared Jaggers, earnestly.  “Ye’ve already done me harm enough, and got me outer my job.”

“If you haven’t head enough to know the difference between getting yourself into all your troubles, and our doing it, there’s no use arguing the matter,” retorted Jack, quietly.  “Get along, now, for we don’t mean to have any nonsense.  We’ve got to get through in time to send someone back for your uncle.”, Despite the vigilance of both boys, Dan lagged all he could.  As he came nearer to the seaport village his despair and rage increased so that he several times halted and flatly refused to stir.  At such times Hal had to use the stick with increasing severity.

At last, with a violent wrench, Jaggers, with his strong wrists, managed to snap the cords upon which he had already made many efforts.

“Now, see here,” he defied them, waving his fists in the air, “mebbe ye think ye’re goin’ to take me with ye, but ye won’t take me inter town alive!”

Retreating, he crouched against a tree, waving his fists before him.  Jack and Hal lost no time closing in with the bully, but he drove them back.  The boys were not prepared to do their enemy serious bodily harm; Dan, on the other hand, didn’t care what he did, so the odds seemed almost in his favor.

“Clear out, an’ leave me to take to my heels, an’ I’ll call it square,” he shouted, hoarsely.  “But, if ye try to fight, then don’t blame me for anything that happens to ye.  I won’t go to jail, I tell ye!  I’ll die, sooner!”

Jack, with his fists up, worked in as close as he could, trying to get in under the big bully’s guard for a clinch, so that Hal Hastings could finish the work of successful attack.  Dan, fighting with the fury and strategy of desperation, kept them both off fairly well.

While the opposing forces were so occupied there came down a path out of the woods, behind the tree against which Jaggers was backed, a third boy.  About sixteen years old he appeared to be.  He wore patched overalls, a frayed flannel shirt and a much-used straw hat of the field variety.  His hair, once brown, had many streaks of reddish tint in it, from long exposure to the sun.  His face was brick-red from the same cause.  His rather large hands looked rough enough from hard labor.  But he had frank, laughing eyes and a homely, honest look.  Moreover, he had the air of one who could be swiftly alert.

All this Jack Benson noted as soon as he caught sight of the newcomer.