CHAPTER IX
INTO THE CAVE
The sun began to peep up from beneath the eastern hills, throwing a rosylight over the earth. The woods began to thin out, and the sides of the"tunnel," which had been dense, became more open, so that glimpses ofthe country could be seen now and then.
The chase was now on in earnest. For some time, however, the auto keptwell in advance of the horsemen, for Jerry used all the power possibleon the differential gear. If the high speed one had been in workingorder there would have been no question of the outcome, but, for once,luck was against the boys.
Nearer and nearer came the gang on horseback. They got so close thattheir shouts to halt could be plainly heard. But Jerry was not going togive up. He gritted his teeth and gripped the wheel with a firmer grasp.
"We seem to be slacking up," observed Ned.
"That's what we are," spoke Jerry. "The auto is going back on us."
The car did seem to be dragging, and there was no excuse for it in thecondition of the road, which was a fine level one.
"The car needs repairing," said Jerry, "and the way I have to run itisn't the best thing in the world for it."
"Do you think they'll catch up to us?" asked Bob.
"I'm afraid so," muttered Jerry. "We are going the limit now."
The thunder of the horses sounded nearer and the shouts of the pursuinggang came more plainly on the morning breeze. The auto coughed andwheezed, seeming like a man who has run far and is about to collapse.The explosions became less frequent, and finally one of the cylindersceased to work altogether, leaving only three in commission.
"Now we're in for it!" muttered Jerry, as, by a hasty glance back he sawthe men spurring their horses on.
"You'd better give up!" one of the gang shouted.
"Not yet, you scoundrels!" cried Jerry, as he advanced the sparklinglever to the final notch. This seemed to be the last straw to the autoengine, for with a dismal snort it stopped short.
"This settles it," muttered Ned grimly. "We are done for."
Fortunately, however, they were on a slight slope now, and the car, withthe impetus it had gathered, began to glide down the hill under its ownmomentum.
But the horsemen were not one thousand feet in the rear and weredrawing nearer. There seemed to be no help at hand and there was everyindication that the boys would fall into the hands of their desperateenemies.
"How much farther can we go?" asked Tommy suddenly.
"To the foot of the hill," replied Jerry. "Why do you ask?"
"That's far enough!" exclaimed Tommy. "I guess we can escape them."
"How?"
"Steer straight for that dead pine tree," replied the young lad, "andwhen you get almost to it, make a wide turn to the right."
"What good will that do?"
"There's a big cave right at the foot of the hill," replied Tommy. "Iknow for I passed it as I was tramping toward the ranch. It is largeenough to take in the auto, and maybe we can hold it against the gang."
"Hurrah!" shouted Jerry, as he shifted the wheel to conform with Tommy'sdirections. "We'll beat 'em yet!"
Straight toward the dead pine Jerry aimed, and, as he came to the bottomof the slope, he saw an opening in the bush-lined side of the hill, thattold him the cave was at hand. Into it, by a skillful turn, he steeredthe auto, and the machine, running in about one hundred feet from theopening came to a stop, just as the horsemen came dashing up, muchsurprised by the sudden disappearance of those they were pursuing.
"We're safe!" whispered Ned.
"Not yet," said Jerry. "We must arm ourselves," and he began to getout the rifles from the bottom of the car, and hand them around to hiscompanions.
Outside the cavern, which was a natural one in the rocky side of thehill, there came confused shouts.
"Where did they go?" they heard a voice ask.
"Must have gone over some ledge and been killed," was the reply.
"Then that settles it," said the first one. "That's just our bad luck!"
Then came a curious cry, and, by it, the boys knew their hiding placewas discovered.
"Here are the tracks of the wheels!" the travelers heard some one shout."They turned off somewhere about here."
"Then they're in that cave," was the rejoinder.
"Dismount!" came a sharp order.
The boys could hear the men getting off their horses, and the animalsbeing led away.
"Get your carbines ready!" was the next command.
"It's time for us to act!" whispered Jerry. "We must each one take agun, and stand at the mouth of the cave. We'll warn them not to enter.If they persist we will have to fire, but we must try not to hurt anyone mortally. Aim at their legs!"
In the half darkness of the cavern the boys and the professor eachtook a rifle and crept to the mouth of the opening. No sooner had theyreached it than they heard the tramp of feet, and shadows told them thebad men were advancing.
"Halt!" cried Jerry, who had naturally assumed command.
"Who are you?" asked the leader of the gang.
"Never mind who we are," replied Jerry. "We are in possession of thiscave, and we warn you not to come in!"
"Big words for a kid!" sneered the leader.
"You'll find we can back them up," spoke Jerry. Then, in lower tones, hebade his comrades stand in readiness.
There was a consultation in whispers among the members of the gang, andthen, seeming to feel that they had nothing to fear, they made a rush.
"Fire!" cried Jerry.
Remembering his instructions, the boys and the professor aimed low. Tothe reports of the rifles there succeeded howls of pain. Several of thegang shot back, but, as it was dark in the cave they could not see toaim, and they did no damage.
"Give them another volley!" yelled Jerry.
Again the rifles spoke, and this time, to the chorus of howls there wasadded a command from the leader to retreat, and the men rushed from thecave, which was filled with smoke.
"Are--are any of them killed?" asked Tommy.
"I don't believe so," replied Jerry. "We fired too low to do muchdamage. I only wanted to let them know we were ready for them."
Waiting several minutes to see if there would be any further attack,Jerry cautiously advanced to the mouth of the cavern. In the semi-lighthe saw several blood stains, but the absence of any bodies told him thebattle had not resulted fatally, for which he was thankful. Though themen were desperate characters, who, perhaps, would not stop at murder,the boy did not want the responsibility of killing any of them.
"They seem to have retreated," Jerry reported when he joined the others."But I don't suppose they have gone for good. This probably will onlymake them more anxious to get Tommy away from us, for it is him they areafter."
"Do you think they want me?" asked the younger lad.
"I am pretty sure, after what you have told us about the mine, thatthey would give a good deal to get you," replied Jerry. "Perhaps yoursignature may be as good as that of your father's in case--in case--"and Jerry stopped suddenly.
"You mean in case dad is dead?" asked Tommy quietly.
"Yes," answered Jerry.
"I don't believe my father is dead," spoke the boy bravely. "SomehowI feel that he is alive, and that I will find him. But if the gang isafter me, it is not right for you all to be in danger on my account.Give me up to them, I'm not afraid--that is, I'll try not to be. Let mego out and surrender, and perhaps they'll go away."
"I'd like to see myself!" exclaimed Jerry. "You don't stir out of thiscave, Tommy Bell, until we go! I'm not afraid of that gang. We've beenin tighter places than this and gotten out; haven't we, fellows?"
"You bet!" echoed Bob and Ned.
"Then give me a gun and let me help fight," begged Tommy.
"Can you shoot?" asked Jerry.
"My father taught me," was all Tommy said, and Jerry gave him a rifle,at which Tommy's eyes sparkled.
A cautious glance from the mouth of the cave showed that the gang hadw
ithdrawn some distance away. But that they had no notion of giving upthe fight was evidenced by the fact that they were constructing a campso as to command the entrance to the cavern.
"I guess they're going to try and starve us out," remarked theprofessor. "Lucky we have plenty of provisions and ammunition on handfor a siege."
"Well, I guess we're just as well off here as anywhere," observed Jerry."We'd have to lay up a few days at any rate, to fix the machine, and itmight as well be in a good roomy cave, where the rain can't wet us."
The boys waited an hour before laying aside their arms. Then, as thegang showed no signs of renewing the attack, they proceeded to makethemselves more comfortable.
"Might as well get ready to camp out," said Ned. "I'll set up the stove,and we'll have breakfast, though it is a little late."
So while he set up the sheet iron apparatus, Jerry instructed Bob tostand guard at the mouth of the cavern, and to give instant notice ofany activity on the part of the enemy.
"But what will we do about eating breakfast?" asked Bob in a sorrowfulvoice.
"Don't worry about that, 'Chunky,'" said Jerry. "I'll relieve you, orsome one will, in time to get a meal. In the meantime keep a good watch."
Then Jerry went back to help Ned, and, at the same time, make ready torepair the machine.