CHAPTER XII.
THE AUTO ON FIRE.
"Can't we save him?" cried Jerry to Nestor. "He never took that horse.It's all a mistake."
"It's no use to reason with those brutes," said the miner. "Theyevidently believe they're right. It's too bad, but we'd only git intotrouble if we interfered."
"Bring him along, boys!" cried the leader. "There's a tree that will doto swing him from, and I've got the rope!"
The boys were almost horror-stricken at the scene they were about towitness. It was bad enough to see any one hanged, but to witness thedeath of the little bug-hunting man they all believed innocent was toomuch.
The cowboys, with the poor professor in their midst, rode across theprairie to where a single tree grew. They had quieted down, now thattheir man-hunt was over. Jerry started the auto and steered it acrossthe rolling land toward the scene of the prospective lynching.
"What are you going to do?" asked Nestor.
"I can't desert him," replied Jerry. "Maybe we can get the cowboys tolet him go."
Nestor shook his head pityingly. He knew the rough western men too well.They never let even a suspected horse thief escape.
Little time was lost in preparation. Once beneath the tree the menformed in a circle. The rope was thrown over a limb and a noose made.The professor was placed beneath it, and the other end of the rope wasgrasped by a dozen hands.
"Have you anything to say before we string you up?" asked the leader.
Aside from a little paleness, which hardly showed in the waningafternoon, Professor Snodgrass gave no sign of what must be a terribleordeal for him. He did not seem to appreciate what was taking place.
Suddenly, as he stood beneath the fatal noose, he leaned forward. Onehand sought the green box which was still strapped to his back. Theother went out with a cautious gesture to the arm of the leader of thecowboys.
"Don't stir! Don't move for the world!" exclaimed the professor, in astrained whisper. "Just a second and I'll have him!"
His hand closed on something on the leader's coat-sleeve and he uttereda cry that was more of delight than fear.
"I've got it! I've got it!" he cried.
"Got what?" asked the cowboy.
"One of the rarest specimens of a prairie lizard that exists!" repliedthe professor, as, all unconscious of the dangling noose, he thrust thespecimen into his green box. "This is certainly a lucky day for me."
"I'd say it was particularly unlucky," observed the leader, with a grimsmile, adjusting the noose about the neck of the naturalist.
"Why, what's all the fuss about?" asked the professor, noticing for thefirst time that he was in a crowd. "Has anything happened?"
"Well, I'll be jiggered!" exclaimed Nestor, who overheard theconversation. "The poor professor is so absent-minded that he don't knowhe's been lassoed and is all ready to be strung up!"
"Hold fast!" exclaimed Jerry, suddenly. "I'm going to rescue him!"
"How?" asked Nestor.
"I'm going to run the auto in close to him. When I do, you reach out andgrab him up."
"Sure, I'm on!" said Nestor.
Jerry gave a loud blast on the horn. The cowboys, who did not knowexactly what to do about hanging a man who didn't seem to mind beinglynched, turned to see what was going on, having forgotten all about theauto. There was a living lane between the men right up to where the bugcollector stood.
Jerry sent the machine ahead with a rush. Straight at the professor hesteered it. Then, when very close to the bug hunter he gave the wheel atwist.
Nestor, who was in the rear seat, on the side nearest Mr. Snodgrass,leaned over. As he swept past the professor the miner grabbed him up,box, basket, net and all, and lifted him into the auto.
"Full speed ahead!" yelled Nestor, and Jerry threw on all the power hehad.
The little, bald-headed man was yanked from under the tree, and, as thenoose was about his neck the rope came along with him, pulled from thesurprised and unresisting hands of the cowboys.
They gave a great shout of astonishment, and several leaped on theirhorses to give pursuit. Others drew their revolvers and fired at thefast-vanishing auto, but the machine was soon out of reach of thebullets.
"That's what I call pullin' off a pretty neat trick," observed Nestor."They'd have hung you in another minute, professor."
"I'm sure I'm much obliged to you," observed the little man, calmly. "Ihope my specimens are not injured, for I have some very valuable ones."
"Well, he is the limit!" said Nestor, half to himself. "He gits pulledout of the very jaws of death an' all he cares about is his bugs an'butterflies!"
Soon they were nearly at the town where they were to stop overnight. Theprofessor, who seemed a little dazed from what he had gone through, wasgazing at the rope that had been taken from his neck and tossed to thefloor of the tonneau. All at once he stood up and shot a glance at ahorse that was grazing beside the road.
"Hold on!" he cried.
"What's the matter--want to take another nag?" asked Nestor.
"No; but that is the horse I hired. I recognize him by the extrabutterfly net I fastened to the saddle. I was afraid I might lose one.The other horse wasn't mine."
"Wasn't yours?" fairly shouted the miner. "Then whose was it?"
"It must have belonged to the cowboys," was the answer. "You see, Iforgot all about my horse until I met you. Then I took the first animalI saw. I supposed, of course, it was mine."
"Then you really were a horse thief after all," said Ned, laughing,"though you didn't know it."
"And the cowboys were right, as far as they knew," observed Jerry. "Theysaw you on one of their horses and naturally thought you stole it.However, it all came out right, and I guess I did the best thing when Irescued you, for they might have hanged you before the mistake was foundout."
The auto created no little surprise as it puffed through the westerntown, though a sign, "Gasolene for Sale," exhibited in front of the drugstore, indicated that machines sometimes paid a visit. The hotel whereProfessor Snodgrass was stopping was soon reached, and every one washedup and had supper.
The next morning, after a few minor repairs had been made to the auto,and the gasolene tank replenished, the travelers prepared to start awayagain. The professor was up to see them off.
"I wish I was going with you," he said, with a pleasant smile, afterthey had told him something of the trip they had in view.
"Why can't you?" inquired Jerry. "We are going into somewhat newterritory, and you may be able to collect some fine specimens. We caneasily make room for you."
"I might go along with you on a horse," ventured the little man.
"That's too risky," observed Nestor. "Take the boys' offer and comealong without a horse."
"I believe I will; I have nothing to keep me here," said the bugcollector, and so it was arranged.
A good stock of provisions was laid in, the auto being piled with allit could hold and still leave room for the five passengers. Nestor saidthey would probably have to camp out a few nights, as on leaving Kansasand skirting down into New Mexico, settlements were few and far between.So some rubber and woolen blankets were added to the outfit.
So far the weather had been fine, but this morning there was a haze inthe sky that denoted a storm. It did not worry any one, however, andmade the professor smile.
"There'll be so many more grasshoppers and bugs for me after theshower," he observed.
An hour passed, and the auto was bowling along at a good pace on a levelstretch of road. Soon Nestor, who was sitting in front with Bob, who wassteering, jumped up.
"What's the matter?" inquired Jerry. "One of the professor'sgrasshoppers bite you?"
"The seat seems to be gittin' too hot for comfort," said the miner.
From beneath the auto there came a muffled explosion, followed by a bigcloud of smoke. Then flames shot out, and the whole under side of thecar was enveloped.
"We're on fire!" yelled Bob, preparing to jump.
"Sit
still!" exclaimed Jerry. "Don't let go the wheel whatever you do!"
"Turn off the gasolene!" cried Ned. "The tank is leaking and thegasolene is burning!"
There was great excitement. The only person who kept his head wasProfessor Snodgrass. He did not seem to know the auto was on fire, butwas calmly examining a small bug crawling on the cushion near him.
"What shall we do?" wailed Bob. "The auto will be destroyed!"
"We're in a bad fix!" muttered the miner.
Bob reached over to shut off the power, and was making ready to jump.
"Sit still!" exclaimed Jerry.
"And be killed?" objected Bob.
The smoke became more dense and the flames spouted up higher around thecar.
"Quick! There's a small creek! Steer for it!" yelled Jerry, pointingahead.
Bob saw the water and realized Jerry's plan. He quickly turned the autotoward the water. There was a sort of ford turning off from the mainroad, which latter led over a small bridge.
Into the creek dashed the burning machine. There was a hiss as the waterreached the flames, and clouds of steam arose.
Then, amid a swish of spray, the machine shot out on the opposite bank,only the machinery, as far up as the under side of the floor of the car,having been submerged. The fire was put out as good as if a whole citydepartment had been called to battle with the flames.