University of Virginia Library

CHAPTER XXII.
THE CHASE.

NED reached the machine, cranked it up, and a few minutes later steered it close to where Bob and Jerry stood.

"The auto can do what we can't," he said.

"What do you mean?" came from Jerry.

"I mean it can pull the men up over the cliff!"

"Hurrah! So it can!" exclaimed Jerry. "I see your plan."

The car was turned around so the rear of it was close to the edge of the precipice. Then the rope was fastened to the axle.

"Get ready, down below!" called Jerry.

"We're ready!" came back the answer.

Jerry and Bob stretched out on the ground, each one holding an end of the improvised roller. Ned started the auto slowly. The rope strained and tightened. Then, as the car gathered speed, the cable was pulled up, and Professor Snodgrass, tied to the other end, was hauled from his perilous position.

As his head came into view over the edge of the

precipice, Jerry shouted to Ned to stop the car. The next instant the naturalist was helped to solid ground by the two boys. The plan had worked.

In quick succession Nestor and the hunter were pulled up in the same fashion.

"Well, I must say you boys are smart chaps," spoke the miner. "Automobiles are useful critters in more ways than to ride in."

"How did you ever get down there?" asked Jerry.

"It was all my fault," said Professor Snodgrass. "We were walking along, and I saw a particularly rare specimen of a little garter-snake. It was moving through the grass and I raced after it. It went over the edge of the cliff, and I reached down and tried to get it. It was so far over that I had to lie down flat on my face and stretch my arms. Then--"

"Yes, an' when he found he couldn't reach the critter even then," interrupted Broswick, "he asked Nestor an' me to hold his heels while he stretched down. Blamed if I ever do such a thing ag'in."

"Why not?" asked Bob.

"'Cause jest as soon as me an' Nestor got hold of his heels an' was easin' him over the cliff, I'll be jiggered if the whole top didn't give way an' there we was, slidin' down the mountain at about forty miles a minute. I thought we was gone coons

sure, but we struck on the ledge an' that saved us."

"We'd been there yet if you boys hadn't come along," said Nestor. "But say, I'm mighty hungry."

"There isn't much to eat," spoke Jerry.

"Yes, there is," came from the hunter. "I shot some partridge jest afore we had that bloomin' old snake hunt."

He walked over to where he had left his game and came back with a double brace of fine birds. It was not long before the partridges were roasting over a fire and every one with a good appetite prepared to eat.

"Where's my specimen box!" suddenly exclaimed the professor, after an inspection of the auto. "It's gone!"

"No; I just laid it to one side when I wanted to use the machine to haul you up with," explained Ned. "It is safe. But what do you want of it now?"

"To put my snake in, of course," and the scientist showed a tiny serpent grasped in his hand.

"So you got it after all, eh?" asked Broswick. "I thought you missed it when them rocks an' dirt slid an' let us all down kersmash over the cliff."

"I wouldn't have lost that snake for ten thousand dollars," said the professor, as he put it safely away with his other curiosities.

After dinner the journey toward the lost gold mine was again taken up. In a short time the auto and its occupants, as well as Broswick on his horse, were making good speed. Presently it was noticed that the road was sloping downward. Jerry remarked on the fact.

"We've crossed the divide," announced Nestor. "From now on, until we get to the mine, we'll be going downhill. There's another rise of the mountains after we pass the mine, though."

It was now about five o'clock, and as the adventurers had eaten dinner rather late they decided not to stop for supper, but to keep on until it was time to camp for the night and have another meal then.

When it got too dark to go any further on the road, even though the gas and oil lamps gave a glaring light, a halt was made. Supper was eaten and soon all but Broswick, who mounted first guard, was slumbering.

Next morning the travelers came to a long, level stretch, on top of a vast plateau, and here good speed could be made. Jerry was steering the car, his turn having come around, and Broswick's horse was keeping up well, for the boys would not leave the hunter behind, and regulated their pace to that of his steed.

As they went around a curve and came to a straight stretch, Jerry cried out and pointed ahead.

They all looked, to behold another automobile speeding away from them.

"That's Noddy's car, I'm sure of it!" Jerry shouted. "I'd know it anywhere by this time."

"I'd like to catch those rascals!" exclaimed Nestor. "They've made trouble enough for us, an' they'll make more if they can. Besides, I have my score to settle with that chap Pender. I'd have overlooked it if they'd let us alone, but now I want to git even!"

"There's no reason why you shouldn't," said Broswick. "Your machine is as good as theirs. Give 'em a chase. If you catch 'em, put their auto out of business until you have enough of a start to get to the mine first. Besides, we could have the law on 'em for stealin' this machine."

"But what about leaving you behind?" questioned Jerry, to whom the thought of a chase after his old enemies was not unwelcome.

"Leave me behind; I'll catch up to you later," spoke the hunter.

Jerry looked at Nestor. The miner nodded his head in approval. The next instant the auto fairly sprang forward, as Jerry threw on the high-speed gear and opened wide the flow of gasolene.

The chase was on. Jerry sent out a challenging "honk" on the horn, and it was answered by the

auto ahead. That machine, too, as soon as the occupants became aware of the pursuit, went forward at top speed.

Fortunately for all, the road was much better than the average. It was wide and level, and as soon as the machines had warmed up they fairly flew along.

"Aren't--we go-going a--a--trifle fast?" asked Professor Snodgrass, in a frightened tone, as he held fast to the car-side to avoid being bounced out.

"That's the intention," said Nestor. "The other fellows are doin' it an' we have to do likewise. Hold tight!"

As he spoke, the auto went over a rock and every one was tossed from his seat, to fall back with a jarring bump.

The pace was now very fast. With straining eyes Jerry watched his rivals in front. Slowly but surely he could see that the distance between them was lessening. Once or twice some one in the forward car looked back to note the progress of the chase.

"We'll catch them!" yelled Ned.

Faster and faster went the auto. The trees and rocks seemed to shoot past. The distance between the two machines was constantly lessening until now it was but a quarter of a mile.

"They may use guns," ventured Bob.

"I reckon they will, son," replied Nestor, "but if they try that game they'll find we can shoot a bit ourselves."

He got out his brace of revolvers and saw to it that they were loaded.

"Not that I'm anxious to hurt any one," the miner went on, "but we must protect our lives and our machine."

Soon but an eighth of a mile separated the pursued and pursuing forces. The occupants of the other car could be plainly seen, and Ned, who was riding beside Jerry, noticed Jack Pender stand up in the rear seat and shake his fist.

"He wouldn't do that if we were a little closer," observed Ned.

Jerry now saw victory before him. He prepared to run to one side ahead of Noddy's machine and so block its further progress.

He was about to press the accelerating lever to give his car a momentary burst of speed when there suddenly sounded a great roaring. It seemed to come from the side of a small mountain along the base of which the plateau road now ran.

Then the air seemed to fill with dust. The very earth trembled and all at once a section of the mountain slipped down right on top of the pursuing auto, fairly overwhelming it.

It was a big landslide, and it had come just in time to catch Jerry and his friends and let the other

machine escape, for the auto Noddy and his gang were in got out of the way of the rush of rocks and earth.

There was a resounding crash. Then all seemed to become black to Jerry.