By this time Tom had shoved out the rowboat Dick had mentioned —­ a neat craft belonging to a farmer living near.  A pair of oars lay in a locker on the lake bank; and, securing these, Tom leaped on board of the craft, and soon Dick came after.

Dan Baxter had watched their movement with interest, which speedily gave way to arm when he saw the other boat come out, and beheld Dick and Tom each take up an oar and begin to pull for all they could.

“I was a clam to come up here, when there is no real need for it,” he muttered.  “Two to one, eh?  Well, I reckon I can put up a pretty stiff fight if it comes to the worst.”  Then he caught up his oars once more, and began to row down Cayuga Lake with all possible speed.

CHAPTER IV

THE CHASE ON THE LAKE

“He means to give us as much of a chase as possible,” remarked Tom, as he glanced over his shoulder.  “If I remember rightly, Baxter was always a pretty fair oarsman.”

“Yes, that was the one thing he could do well,” returned Dick.  “But we ought to be able to catch him, Tom.”

“We could if we had two pairs of oars.  One pair can do just about so much and no more.”

“Nonsense!  Now, both together, and put all your muscle into it,” and Dick set a stiff stroke that his brother followed with difficulty.

Baxter had been rowing down the lake, but as soon as he saw that he was being pursued he changed his course for the east shore.  He was settled to his work, and for several minutes it was hard to tell whether he was holding his own or losing.

“Hurrah! we are catching up!” cried Dick, after pulling for five minutes.  “Keep at it, Tom, and we’ll have him before he is half over.”

“Gosh, but it’s hot work!” came with a pant from Tom Rover.  “He must be almost exhausted to row like that.”

“He knows what he has at stake.  He sees the prison cell staring him in the face again.  You’d do your best, too, if you were in his place.”

“I’m doing my best now, Dick.  On we go!” and Tom renewed his exertions.  Dick set a faster stroke than ever, having caught his second wind, and the rowboat flew over the calm surface of the lake like a thing of life.

“Keep off!” The cry came from Baxter, while he was still a hundred yards from the eastern shore.  “Keep off, or it will be the worse for you!”

“We are not afraid of you, Baxter, and you ought to know it by this time,” answered Dick.  “You may as well give in now as later on.”

“Give in!  You must be crazy!”

“We are two to one, and you know what we have been able to do in the past.”

“Humph!  I don’t intend to go to jug again, and that is all there is to it.”

“Maybe you can’t help yourself.”

“We’ll see about that.  Are you — going to keep off or not?

“Don’t ask foolish a question.”