CHAPTER XXII.
THE CHASE.
Ned reached the machine, cranked it up, and a few minutes later steeredit 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 theprecipice. 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 ofthe improvised roller. Ned started the auto slowly. The rope strainedand tightened. Then, as the car gathered speed, the cable was pulledup, and Professor Snodgrass, tied to the other end, was hauled from hisperilous position.
As his head came into view over the edge of the precipice, Jerryshouted to Ned to stop the car. The next instant the naturalist washelped to solid ground by the two boys. The plan had worked.
In quick succession Nestor and the hunter were pulled up in the samefashion.
"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 wasmoving through the grass and I raced after it. It went over the edge ofthe cliff, and I reached down and tried to get it. It was so far overthat 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 hestretched 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' waseasin' him over the cliff, I'll be jiggered if the whole top didn't giveway an' there we was, slidin' down the mountain at about forty miles aminute. I thought we was gone coons sure, but we struck on the ledgean' that saved us."
"We'd been there yet if you boys hadn't come along," said Nestor. "Butsay, I'm mighty hungry."
"There isn't much to eat," spoke Jerry.
"Yes, there is," came from the hunter. "I shot some partridge jest aforewe had that bloomin' old snake hunt."
He walked over to where he had left his game and came back with a doublebrace of fine birds. It was not long before the partridges were roastingover a fire and every one with a good appetite prepared to eat.
"Where's my specimen box?" suddenly exclaimed the professor, after aninspection of the auto. "It's gone!"
"No; I just laid it to one side when I wanted to use the machine to haulyou up with," explained Ned. "It is safe. But what do you want of itnow?"
"To put my snake in, of course," and the scientist showed a tiny serpentgrasped in his hand.
"So you got it after all, eh?" asked Broswick. "I thought you missedit when them rocks an' dirt slid an' let us all down kersmash over thecliff."
"I wouldn't have lost that snake for ten thousand dollars," said theprofessor, 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 hishorse, were making good speed. Presently it was noticed that the roadwas sloping downward. Jerry remarked on the fact.
"We've crossed the divide," announced Nestor. "From now on, until weget to the mine, we'll be going downhill. There's another rise of themountains after we pass the mine, though."
It was now about five o'clock, and as the adventurers had eaten dinnerrather late they decided not to stop for supper, but to keep on until itwas 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 gasand oil lamps gave a glaring light, a halt was made. Supper was eatenand soon all but Broswick, who mounted first guard, was slumbering.
Next morning the travelers came to a long, level stretch, on top of avast plateau, and here good speed could be made. Jerry was steeringthe car, his turn having come around, and Broswick's horse was keepingup well, for the boys would not leave the hunter behind, and regulatedtheir pace to that of his steed.
As they went around a curve and came to a straight stretch, Jerry criedout and pointed ahead. They all looked, to behold another automobilespeeding away from them.
"That's Noddy's car, I'm sure of it!" Jerry shouted. "I'd know itanywhere by this time."
"I'd like to catch those rascals!" exclaimed Nestor. "They've madetrouble enough for us, an' they'll make more if they can. Besides, Ihave my score to settle with that chap Pender. I'd have overlooked it ifthey'd let us alone, but now I want to git even!"
"There's no reason why you shouldn't," said Broswick. "Your machine isas good as theirs. Give 'em a chase. If you catch 'em, put their autoout of business until you have enough of a start to get to the minefirst. Besides, we could have the law on 'em for stealin' this machine."
"But what about leaving you behind?" questioned Jerry, to whom thethought 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 nextinstant the auto fairly sprang forward, as Jerry threw on the high-speedgear and opened wide the flow of gasolene.
The chase was on. Jerry sent out a challenging "honk" on the horn, andit was answered by the auto ahead. That machine, too, as soon as theoccupants became aware of the pursuit, went forward at top speed.
Fortunately for all, the road was much better than the average. It waswide and level, and as soon as the machines had warmed up they fairlyflew along.
"Aren't--we go-going a--a--trifle fast?" asked Professor Snodgrass, in afrightened tone, as he held fast to the car-side to avoid being bouncedout.
"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 hisseat, to fall back with a jarring bump.
The pace was now very fast. With straining eyes Jerry watched his rivalsin front. Slowly but surely he could see that the distance between themwas lessening. Once or twice some one in the forward car looked back tonote the progress of the chase.
"We'll catch them!" yelled Ned.
Faster and faster went the auto. The trees and rocks seemed to shootpast. The distance between the two machines was constantly lesseninguntil 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 gamethey'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 mustprotect 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 wasriding beside Jerry, noticed Jack Pender stand up in the rear seat andshake 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 aheadof Noddy's machine and so block its further progress.
He was about to press the accelerating lever to give his car a momentaryburst of speed when there suddenly sounded a great roaring. It seemedto come from the side of a small mountain along the base of which theplateau road now ran.
Then the air seemed to fill with dust. The very earth trembled and allat once a section of the mountain slipped down right on top of thepursuing auto, fairly overwhelming it.
It was a big landslide, and it had come just in t
ime to catch Jerry andhis friends and let the other machine escape, for the auto Noddy andhis 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.