CHAPTER V
TROUBLE AHEAD
"I remember now, I did write to Nestor, telling him we were about tostart back, and would probably cross the river at this place," spoke theprofessor. "I had forgotten all about it."
"Well, here's your letter," said the postmaster. "Now allow me towelcome you to our city, which I do in the name of the Mayor--whichindividual you see in me--and the Common Council, which consists ofPete Blaston, only he ain't here, in consequent of bein' locked up fordisturbin' th' peace an' quiet of the community by shootin' a Greaser."
"Glad to meet you, I am sure," replied the scientist politely, as hereceived the letter from the dual official.
"What is the news from Nestor?" asked Jerry anxiously. "Is the mine allright?"
"I'll tell you right away," replied Mr. Snodgrass, as, by the light ofthe gas lantern on the auto he read the letter.
As he glanced rapidly over the pages his face took on an anxious look.
"Is there anything wrong?" asked Ned.
"There is indeed," replied the professor gravely. "The letter waswritten over a week ago, and, among other things Nestor says there islikely to be trouble over the mine."
"What kind? Is Noddy Nixon trying to get it away from us again?" askedJerry.
"No," replied Mr. Snodgrass. "It appears our title is not as good as itmight be. There is one of the former owners of the land where the mineis located who did not sign the deed. He was missing when the transferwas made, but Nestor did not know this, so there is a cloud on ourtitle."
"But I thought we claimed the land from the government, and were theoriginal owners," put in Ned.
"It seems that a company of men owned the mine before we did, but theysold out to Nestor and some of his friends. They all signed the deed butthis one man, and now some one has learned of this, and seeks to takethe mine, on the theory that they have as good a claim to the holding aswe have."
"I should say that was trouble," sighed Bob. "To think of losing whatwe worked so hard to get!"
"Well, there's no use crossing a bridge until you come to it," ProfessorSnodgrass went on. "Nestor and his friends are in possession yet, andthat, you know, is nine of the ten points of the law."
"Then if we can't do anything right away I move we have something toeat," suggested Bob.
"It's a good suggestion," agreed the scientist.
They had drawn a little to one side from the crowd of townspeople whiletalking about the letter from Nestor, but, having decided there wasnothing to be done at present, they moved toward the hotel.
"I reckon I've got some more mail for your outfit, Professor Hayseed--erI beg yer pardon--Snodgrass," said the postmaster-mayor. "There'sletters fer chaps named Baker, Slade and Hopkins. Nestor sent 'em alongwith that other," and the dual official handed over three envelopes.
"They're from home!" cried the boys in a chorus. And in the glare of oillamps on the porch of the hotel they read the communications.
The missives contained nothing but good news, to the effect that all theloved ones were well. Each one inquired anxiously how much longer thetravelers expected to stay away, and urged them to come home as soon asthey could.
"Now for that supper!" exclaimed Bob, as he put his letter away.
If the meal was a rough one, prepared as it was by the Chinese cook, itwas good, and the travelers enjoyed it thoroughly. As they rose from thetable a cowboy entered the dining room and drawled out:
"I say strangers, be you th' owners of that there rip-snortin' specimenof th' lower regions that runs on four wheels tied 'round with bigsassages?"
"Do you mean the automobile?" asked Jerry.
"I reckon I do, if that's what ye call it."
"Yes, it's our machine," replied Jerry.
"Then if ye have any great love for th' workin' of it in the future, an'any regard or consideration for it's feelin' ye ought t' see to it."
"Why so?"
"Nothin'," drawled the cowboy as he carefully pared his nails with a bigbowie knife; "nothin' only Bronco Pete is amusin' his self by tryin' t'see how near he can come to stickin' his scalpin' steel inter th' tires!"
"Great Scott! We must stop that!" exclaimed Jerry, running from thehotel toward where the auto had been left in the street. The other boysand the professor followed.
They found the machine surrounded by quite a crowd that seemed to bemuch amused at something which was taking place in its midst. Makingtheir way to the inner circle of spectators the boys beheld an odd sight.
A big cowboy, who, from appearances had indulged too freely in somethingstronger than water, was unsteadily trying to stick his big knife intothe rubber tires.
"Here! You mustn't do that," cried Jerry, sharply, laying his hand onthe man's shoulder.
"Look out for him! He's dangerous!" warned some of the bystanders.
"I can't help it if he is," replied Jerry. "We can't let him ruin thetires."
"This is the time I do it!" cried Bronco Pete, as he made a lunge forthe front wheel. Jerry sprang forward and the crowd held its breath, forit seemed as if the boy was right in the path of the knife.
But Jerry knew what he was about. With a quick motion he kicked thecowboy lightly on the wrist, the blow knocking the knife from his hand,and sending it some distance away.
"Look out now, sonny!" called a man to Jerry. "No one ever hit Pete an'lived after it."
It seemed that Jerry was in a dangerous position. Pete, enraged at beingfoiled of his purpose, uttered a beast-like roar, and reached back towhere his revolver rested at his hip in a belt. Jerry never moved aninch, but looked the man straight in the eye.
"Here! None of that Pete!" called a voice suddenly, and a big man pushedhis way through the crowd, and grabbed the cowboy's arm before he hadtime to draw his gun. "If you don't want to get into trouble move on!"
"All right, Marshall; all right," replied Pete, the desire of shootingseeming to die out as he looked at the newcomer. "I were only havin' alittle fun with th' tenderfoot."
"You didn't appear to scare him much," remarked the town marshall, whohad seen the whole thing. "You had your nerve with you all right, son,"he added, to Jerry.
"That's what he had," commented Pete. "There ain't many men would havedone what he did, an' I admire him for it. Put it there, stranger," andPete, all the anger gone from him, extended a big hand, which Jerrygrasped heartily.
"Three cheers for the 'tenderfoot,'" called some one, and they weregiven with a will for Jerry, as Pete, under the guidance of themarshall, moved unsteadily away.
"I wouldn't have been in your boots one spell there, for a good bit,"observed the postmaster as he came up. "Pete's about as bad as theycome."
"I didn't stop to think of the danger, or maybe I wouldn't have done asI did," said Jerry. "All I thought of was that he would spoil the tire,and it would take a long while to fix it."
"Yes, and we don't want to delay any longer than we can help," spoke Nedin a low voice. "I'm anxious to get back to the mine and see what we cando to perfect our title."