CHAPTER XXIII 

DOWN THE STATEN ISLAND SHORE TO SANDY HOOK 

"Dick! Dick! What ails you?" 

"My head, Sam! Arnold Baxter struck me down," came with a groan. 

"Can you get up? We want to follow them," cried Tom, as he caught his brother by the arm. He had just reached the factory on a dead run, lantern in hand, to find Dick. 

"I guess I can stand, Tom. But I can't run yet." 

"Here, take the lantern and I'll carry you," came quickly, and in a moment more Tom Rover had Dick on his back and was running for the _Searchlight_ as rapidly as the nature of the meadow land permitted, Dick holding the light over his head so that both might see. 

The alarm had now become general, and by the time the yacht was gained two police officers, who had been on the hunt for harbor thieves, appeared. 

"What's the row about?" demanded one of the officers of the law, as he came into view. 

"Is that an officer?" questioned Dick feebly, 

"I am an officer--yes." 

"We are after some thieves and some parties who have abducted a girl. Will you help us?" 

"Certainly, if what you say is true. Where is the crowd?" 

"They ran off in that direction," came from Sam, as he loomed up out of the darkness. "They have a yacht out there somewhere." 

"Then we can't catch them--unless we get a boat," answered Sergeant Brown. 

"We have a boat, out this way," and Sam pointed with his hand. "But I guess we had better make certain that they go out first." 
What is ailing Dick?
who asked him?
Why did it ail him?
how did he say it?
Was he standing?
could he?
run?
Who was Tom?
What did he want to do?
what was he holding?
WHat did Tom do?
and Dick?
what did he do with it?
why?
Who was hunting the theives?
What did the officer say?
How did Dick respond?
Who were dick and his brother looking for?
who stole what?
Did the officer agree?
My head, Sam!
My head, Sam!
Sam
My head, Sam!
Arnold Baxter struck him down
Arnold Baxter struck me down
with a groan
came with a groan
no
Can you get up
yes
I guess I can stand, 
no
But I can't run yet."
his brother
Tom, as he caught his brother
to follow them,
 We want to follow them,
lantern i
lantern in hand
carried him
Here, take the lantern and I'll carry you
took the lantern
 take the lantern a
held it over his head
Dick holding the light over his head so that both might see. 
so that both might see
Dick holding the light over his head so that both might see
two police officers
two police officers, who had been on the hunt for harbor thieves, appeared.
What's the row about?
What's the row about?
Is that an officer?
Is that an officer?
thieves
We are after some thieves
a girl
We are after some thieves and some parties who have abducted a girl
yes
Certainly, if what you say is true. Where is the crowd?