pirate; but he grinned broadly at Ruth and putout his lean brown hand.
"When I heard about you, Miss Fielding, I knew you were a spunky one,"he said. "And anybody that Reno takes to, the way she did to you, isall right. Besides, Nell is just spoons on you already, and Nell, likeReno, doesn't take to every girl."
"The doctor said an outing in the car wouldn't hurt Tom," went onHelen, "and we're going to run up the valley road a way. Now RuthFielding, you get your hat and coat and come with us."
"I don't know that I may," Ruth said, timidly.
"I'll believe that he is an ogre then, and that you are kept aprisoner in this awful castle," cried Helen.
"I'd love to go," murmured Ruth.
"Then run and ask," urged her friend, while Tom added, good-naturedly:
"Yes, why not come along? Don't be afraid of Nell's driving. Shehandles the car all right."
Ruth knew that Uncle Jabez had gone to town. She had a feeling that hedid not like the Camerons and might oppose her friendliness with them.But he was not at hand now to interfere with her innocent pleasures.She went in and asked Aunt Alvirah if she could take the ride.
"Why not, child? You've been the very best helpmate ever an old womanhad--Oh, my back and oh, my bones! Run along and have your fun,deary. You need not be back till supper time. You have earned yourlittle outing, that's sure and sartain."
Before Helen had picked her up on the road to the Red Mill that firstday, Ruth had never ridden in a motor car. On that occasion they hadtraveled very slowly, while the girls talked. But now, when she wasseated beside her new friend, Helen ran the auto on its high gear, andthey shot away up the level river road at a pace that almost tookRuth's breath away.
"Up here among the foothills is the big Minturn Pond Dam," Tom said,leaning forward to speak to their guest. "It's twenty miles above youruncle's dam and is a deal bigger. And some say it is not safe--Wait,Nell! Slow down so that we can see the face of the dam from theOverlook."
The speed of the car was immediately reduced under Helen'smanipulation, and then she swerved it into a short side road runningtoward the river, and they came out upon a little graveled plaza inthe center of a tiny park, which gave a splendid view of the valley inboth directions.
But the young people in the motor car turned their eyes to the west.There the face of the Minturn dam could be discerned; and even as theylooked at it they seemed to see it changing--dissolving, covered withmist, and spouting geysers of what at first seemed like smoke. But itwas Tom who realized the truth.
"She's burst!" he cried. "The old dam's burst! There she goes in adozen places!"
Although they were several miles down the valley, the thunder of thebursting masonry now echoed in their ears. And up from the bottom ofthe wall, near its center, a great geyser spouted. In a moment thewall crumbled and they saw tons upon tons of the masonry melt away.The waters of the pond burst through in a solid flood and charged downthe valley, spreading wider and wider as it charged on, and bearingupon its crest every light and unstable structure found in its path.
It was a startling--a terrifying sight. No wonder the two girls criedout in alarm and clung together. The sight of the charging floodfascinated them.
But then they were aroused--and that within the first half minute oftheir terror--by Tom. He was trying, crippled as he was, to climbover into their seat.
"What are you doing, you foolish boy?" cried Helen. "Sit down."
"We've got to get out of here!" muttered the excited youth.
"Why, we are safe here. The water will never rise to this height."
"I know it! I know it!" groaned Tom, falling back in his seat andpaling because of the pain from his arm, which he had twisted. "Butdon't you see? There are many down the valley who won't know of thisuntil too late. Why, they can't see it at the bridge--at Culm Falls--until the flood is right upon them."
"It's true!" gasped Helen. "What shall we do?"
"We must warn them--we can warn them, can't we?" demanded Ruth. "Thiscar runs so fast--you control it so well, Helen. Can't we warn them?"
"Try it, Sis!" shouted Tom. "You can do it!"
And already his sister, setting her teeth hard upon her lower lip, wasbacking and turning the motor car. In twenty seconds they were dashingoff upon the track over which they had so recently come--on the roaddown the valley with the flood following fast behind them.
CHAPTER X
THE RACE
The two girls on the front seat of the flying automobile were notprepared for racing. Of course, Ruth Fielding had no proper automobileoutfit, and Helen had not expected such an emergency when she hadstarted with her crippled brother for this afternoon run. She had nogoggles, nor any mask; but she had the presence of mind to raise thewind-shield.
Already they could have heard the steady roaring of the advancingflood had not the racing motor car drowned all other sounds. Therewas, however, no need to look behind; they knew the wave was there andthat it was sweeping down the valley of the Lumano with frightfulvelocity.
Indeed, they were not at all sure for those first few miles whetherthey were traveling as fast as the flood, or not. Suppose the waveshould reach and sweep away the bridge before they could cross theriver? The thought was in the mind of both Helen and Ruth, whetherTom, on the rear seat, considered it or not. When they finally shotout of the woods and turned toward the toll-bridge, all glancedaround. From here the upper reaches of the Lumano were plainlyrevealed. And extending clear across the valley was the foam-crestedwave charging down upon the lowlands, but a number of miles away.
Here was the first house, too. They saw a man and woman and severalchildren out front, staring at the automobile as it raced down theroad. Perhaps they had been called from the house by the vibration ofthe bursting dam.
Tom sprang up in the car and pointed behind him, yelling:
"The flood! The flood!"
It is doubtful if they heard what he said; and they, too, were on aknoll and likely out of the reach of the water. But the three in theautomobile saw the whole family turn and run for the higher groundbehind their house. They understood the peril which menaced the wholevalley.
In a flash the auto had turned the bend in the river road, and theoccupants saw the toll-bridge and the peaceful hamlet of Culm Falls.There was no stir there. The toll-bridge keeper was not even out ofhis cottage, and the light and flimsy gates were down across thedriveway at either end of the bridge. The bend in the river hid theadvancing wall of water. Perhaps, too, it deadened the sound of thebursting dam and the roar of the waters.
There was another house at the bend. Helen tooted the automobile hornas though it had gone crazy. The raucous notes must of a certaintyhave awakened anybody but the Seven Sleepers. But the three in the carsaw no sign of life about the premises. Helen had started to slowdown; but Tom stopped her with a hand on her arm.
"Not here! Not here!" he yelled. "Get across the river first, Nell!That wave is coming!"
Indeed it was. And the toll-bridge keeper did not appear, and thegates were shut. But Helen Cameron was excited now and her racingblood was up. She never hesitated at the frail barrier, but drovestraight through it, smashing the gate to kindling wood, and smashingtheir own wind shield as well.
Out ran the toll-man then; but they were half way across the bridge;he could barely have raised the other gate had he set about itinstantly. So they went through that, too, leaving him bawling andshrieking after them, but soon to learn by looking up the river whatTom meant by his excited words as the motor car swept by.
Helen slowed down at the smithy. There were several men there and anumber of wagons. The trio in the car screamed at them: "The dam hasburst! The flood is coming!" and then started up again and sweptthrough the little village, looking back to see the group at thesmithy running in all directions to give the alarm.
Now the road, clear to the Red Mill and beyond, ran within sight ofthe river. The mill was all of ten miles away. The valley was low hereand as far as they could see ahead it broad
ened considerably on thisside of the Lumano. But the hills arose abruptly on the farther bankand all the force and mass of the flood must sweep across thesemeadows.
As the car moved on, Helen tooted the horn constantly. Its blastsalone should have warned people of what threatened, without Tom'sfrantic shouts and gesticulations. They were obliged, however, to slowdown before several houses to make the occupants understand theirdanger.
They were not half way to the Red Mill when the roar of the advancingtidal wave was apparent even above the noise of the auto. Then theysaw the crest of the flood appear around the bend and the alreadyheavily burdened waters dashed themselves upon the toll-bridge. Itcrumpled up and disappeared like a spider-web bridge, and the floodrolled on, the wave widening