FORWARD ONCE MORE.
"If that's an auto, maybe we can get some batteries," thought Ned.
He hurried back to the camp-fire and awoke Jerry.
"There's an auto coming!" exclaimed Ned.
"Where is it?" asked Jerry, at once alive to the situation, and thinking
of the batteries, just as Ned had.
The two boys listened. The chugging of the motor had ceased, but the
searchlight was still playing over the trees.
"Maybe they're wrecked, too," spoke Ned. "Let's go over and see what it
is."
"Better tell Nestor," suggested Jerry.
They woke up the miner and told him what they had seen and heard.
"Go slow," he cautioned. "Here, I'll tell you what to do. Jerry and I
will take a look. No use runnin' into danger. It may be Noddy Nixon an'
his gang, an' if it is, we've got to be careful."
Neither of the boys had thought of this. However, they realized the
force of it. Bidding Ned to be on guard, Nestor set out, accompanied by
Jerry. The miner had his revolvers ready and Jerry carried the hunter's
gun. They did not intend to shoot to kill or injure any one, but thought
the weapons would be useful in an emergency to scare off the enemy, if
they should happen to meet one.
With great caution they moved in the direction from which the sounds had
come. The white, glaring light was now stationary, and, like a giant
finger, was pointing up toward the sky. It served as a guiding star for
Jerry and Nestor.
"Let me go ahead," suggested the miner, when they had come quite close
to where the light had its source.
Taking the advance, Nestor made his way through the underbrush and trees
with great quietness. Jerry followed as best he could. Suddenly the
miner stopped.
"I see them!" he whispered.
"Who are they?" asked Jerry.
"We've got to play a trick," said Nestor, without answering the boy.
"Here, you go over there to the right, about five hundred feet, and fire
your gun. Leave the rest to me, and as soon as you've pulled the trigger
hurry back to our camp."
Jerry did not question the advice. He turned to the right, and, when he
had gone what he thought was the required distance, he discharged his
revolver. A loud report crashed out on the silence of the night. Jerry
heard a crackling of underbrush and several shouts. Then, as Nestor had
told him, he made the best of his way back to camp.
As for the miner, he had remained where he was when Jerry left him. He
was watching the other automobile, and something seemed to strike him as
funny, for he chuckled silently.
"I reckon there's goin' to be some surprises here pretty soon," he
remarked.
At the report of Jerry's gun, those about the automobile rushed off in
the direction of the shot. At the same time Nestor, who was waiting for
just this very move, ran in. He fumbled about the machine for a few
minutes and then, clasping something tightly in his arms, hurried back
through the woods to the camp, reaching there shortly after Jerry.
Those who had been left sleeping were aroused by the gun, and they were
anxious to know what the matter was. Ned told his part and then Jerry
related what had befallen him and Nestor.
"But what have you there?" asked Broswick of the miner, observing that
Nestor carried something.
"A box of batteries," was the reply. "I took them off the other
automobile. Now we can go ahead under our own power."
"But what--why--how?" began Jerry, with a puzzled look.
"I'll explain it all," said Nestor; "but, first, hadn't you better fix
these batteries on our machine? We may want to start soon."
It did not take long for Jerry to make the necessary connections. Then,
with the Cresville auto again in shape for flight, Nestor told his story.
"Who do you think the crowd in charge of the other auto was?" he asked.
"Give it up," exclaimed Bob, the quicker to find out.
"Noddy Nixon and his gang! As soon as I saw through the trees I made
up my mind it was better to use cunning than force. I happened to see
on their auto the same kind of a box that was taken off ours by the
landslide. I figured that they had made so much trouble for us, the
least thing they could do would be to lend us their batteries. So I jest
reckoned I'd borrow 'em.
"I sent Jerry off to one side to fire a gun and draw their attention
there. I knew they'd run when they heard the noise. They did, and I
sailed in and yanked off the batteries. There they be."
Nestor seemed quite proud of his work. The boys were very glad to have
their auto in shape again, and it was felt that Noddy and his crowd got
no more than they deserved.
"They may trace us and make trouble," suggested Jerry.
"I reckon they'll have hard enough work in the dark," said Nestor. "But
perhaps we'd better move on, an' git a good start of 'em. They may have
extra batteries an' set out to chase us."
So, breaking camp, though it was still dark, the adventurers went
forward once more, Broswick riding on his horse, that, no doubt, was
glad to be relieved of the task of pulling the auto. The machine worked
well, the batteries transferred from Noddy's auto doing good service.
It was daybreak before the travelers halted, and by this time they were
well beyond where Noddy and his companions had camped.
"Here's a good place to stop," said Nestor, indicating a little clearing
near a mountain stream. "We ought to get breakfast now."
For several days after this the trip went on without incident. The
weather continued fairly good, with only an occasional rainstorm. The
adventurers heard of the big rush of gold seekers to the district where
Nestor's mine was located; but so far, they were ahead of the big crowd
they had seen some time before.
"We'll git there fust, after all," said Broswick, as he sat astride his
horse, that was now getting rather bony and thin from the long journey.
"No tellin'," rejoined Nestor. "There's a lot of miners in this region,
an' if they git to that mine ahead of us there's goin' to be trouble."
One afternoon, following a good day's run, the auto came to the end of
the long mountain slope down which the adventurers had been riding for
so long. They were now on a vast plain, or rather level valley, lying
between two of the big mountain ranges. It was a pleasant country to
travel in, and every one felt in good spirits.
"We're gittin' near to the place," said Nestor, on reaching the level
stretch. "We'll keep on due west for a little while. I've sort of lost
my bearin's, but I'll git 'em back in a little while."
He seemed somewhat worried, and was continually peering first to one
side, then the other.
For several miles the auto journeyed on. No sign of human life was seen,
though there were plenty of small animals and insects that Professor
Snodgrass wanted to gather. But Nestor would hear of no delay.
"Hold on!" cried the miner, suddenly, as the auto passed a sort of trail
leading up the valley. "This looks as if I'd seen it before."
Jerry brought the machine to a stop, and Nestor got out. He looked at
the trees on either side of the trail and then came running back to the
machine.
"It's all right!" he cried.
"What is?" asked Ned.
"We've found the lost trail to the mine," replied Nestor. "I didn't
think I'd strike it this way, but we have. Forward! Now for the richest
gold mine in the Rockies!"
"Hurrah!" shouted the boys, and Professor Snodgrass and the hunter
joined in the cheers.
"Leave your horse here, Broswick," advised Nestor. "He'll be safe and
the trail ahead is a hard one on animals. Get in the auto with us."
The hunter agreed to the plan, and his faithful steed was turned loose
where there was plenty of food and water. Then, with the six in the
auto, though they were rather crowded, the machine was started off
toward the long-sought mine.
Suddenly, from down the valley, sounded the noise of another machine
approaching. Ned turned around.
"Here comes Noddy Nixon!" he shouted.