"Yes, yes; very bad!" answered Dora, and continued: "You can believe all the Rovers tell you concerning them."
One end of the plank still rested on the sloop, and Fairwell quickly placed the board in position again.
By this time the Baxters were crawling out of the lake. Sam caught hold of Dan while Tom tackled the father.
With a heavy boathook in his hand Randy Fairwell now ran ashore, followed by Ruff.
"You had better give up the fight," said Fairwell to Arnold Baxter. "If you are in the right, you shall have justice done to you."
"I will never give in!" growled Arnold Baxter savagely, and did his best to get away. Seeing this, Sam let Dan go and started in to help Tom. The struggle lasted several minutes, but Fairwell put an end to it by catching Arnold Baxter from behind and holding him in a grasp of iron, and then the rascal was made a close prisoner by being bound with a rope.
"Now for Dan!" cried Tom, and turned around, to find that Dan Baxter had taken time by the forelock and disappeared. It was destined to be many a day before any of the Rovers set eyes on him again.
