From then on it became a sharp though short race. First the fugitive, his hands tied behind, bareheaded, straining every nerve. Just in his rear came Phil, with every muscle doing double duty, reaching forward to grab him who fled. A yard or two behind was Billy, doing a stunt in rapid running that might have surprised him a few minutes before. The man was agile enough, though doubtless tired. Besides this his arms, inconveniently bound behind his back, doubtless interfered with his running. One result was that after several futile grasps, Phil was at last able to fasten his grip on the man's tied arms. From that to passing an arm round his neck and hanging grimly on was but momentary. Then in came Billy, fairly frothing over the manner in which he had been tricked by the captive just when he was trying to make the stranger less uncomfortable. Between them they soon had him down on the ground where he writhed, kicked and twisted about in a climax of sheer desperation. Doubly exasperated, Billy managed to get hold of a stout, short bit of a club from amid the fallen litter of the woods, and brought it down smartly on the man's head. It raised a welt, but he continued to struggle, though with decreasing force. Evidently he was becoming exhausted. Suddenly Worth jerked out his handkerchief, saying at the same time: "Gimme yours, Phil--quick!" Phil not only complied, but resumed holding down the stranger so effectively that in another minute Worth soon had his legs bound fast again. "Now let's drag him back to the car and be off," remarked Phil. "Really the way that chap acts causes me to feel sure we've made a haul that the law will more than sanction. Yet I won't feel safe until we have him back at Feeney's." The prisoner was lifted in the car where Billy stood over him, with pistol and the tube club ready for instant use if necessary. Without further trouble the Big Six sped along the rough roads until at length Feeney's house was reached. What was their surprise to see another car drawn up before the yard gate, while two strange men were coming out of the house, evidently in a great hurry, preparatory to entering their own machine. CHAPTER XVI CONCLUSION At sight of the Big Six they halted, while in their rear came MacLester and Paul, with Mr. Feeney looking over their shoulders in sheer amazement at what his eyes beheld. Noting Worth's and Phil's disordered attire and the bound, somewhat bruised captive inside the tonneau, the foremost man came forward, saying to the two lads: