"I should think so," observed Tim. "He will think so, too, in about a minute. He will wish he had not crossed my path." "Where shall I hit him?" "Hit him on the leg so he can't run." "He might get my club if he has the use of his arms, and then it would be all day with us," put in Tim, with a hint at caution. "Don't you worry. I'll fix him quick enough so he won't bother us with his arms," replied De Vere, in a savage tone. "How will you do it?" "Hush, now is the time!" returned Matthew, darting from his hiding place. "Stop, you villain!" The words suddenly rang out upon the night in a powerful voice. They struck terror to the heart of the highwayman, whose club was raised high in the air, ready to descend upon his victim. The sudden appearance of a strong man before him, as if by magic, the disappointment, the danger and the surprise, almost paralyzed Matthew with fear, and he dropped his club and fled, like the coward that he was. But not so fortunate in escaping was young Tim Short, for before he had time to realize the unexpected situation his club fell heavily upon the leg of the man that he had taken for Fred Worthington. Though he heard the command to stop, and did actually break the force of his blow in consequence, nevertheless he struck so hard that Jacob Simmons, for that was the name of the new comer, thought for a time that his leg was broken. Notwithstanding this, he made sure of his assailant, and held him in an iron grasp. Jacob was fairly taken aback at first as the two boys rushed out upon him, but Tim's well aimed club speedily brought him to his senses, and aroused his temper as well. He consequently fell upon his assailant like a madman, and choked him till he cried piteously for quarter. "What does this mean?" demanded Jacob angrily, at the same time enforcing his demand by shaking his prisoner as a terrier might shake a rat. "I do--don--don't know," replied the boy, as he, with much difficulty, forced breath enough through the grasp of the strong man's hand around his throat to speak at all. "Don't, eh?" echoed Mr. Simmons, with another shake, given, probably, with the view of bringing Tim back to his senses. "It was a mistake--oh, don't; you will cho--choke me to death." "Well, then, tell me all about this business, and why you assaulted me in this outrageous manner." "We didn't know it was you. We thought----" "The truth, mind you, now." "I am telling the truth, and I say we thought you were some one else." "It was a plot, then, to rob and murder some one else?" "No, it wasn't, and I didn't have anything to do with the plot. Matthew hired me to----" "Matthew who?" interrupted Jacob, whose anger was giving place, to some extent, to his interest in the affair. "Matthew De Vere."