CHAPTER XXV.
A RACE TO THE MINE.
Before long Noddy Nixon and his crowd in their auto shot up alongsidethe Motor Boys and their friends. Noddy looked over and grinned, whilePud Stoneham raised his hat in mocking politeness.
"Hurry up!" said Nestor to Jerry, in a low voice. "They are going togive us a race to the mine. We must get there first!"
"What difference does it make?" asked the boy, as he speeded up hismachine.
"All the difference in the world," replied the miner. "I've staked myclaim, but I haven't filed the papers in the Government office, as thelaw requires. The first man who comes along could jump my claim now.I was relyin' on the mine bein' hard to find, but I see it has beendiscovered. We must beat them!"
"We'll do it if possible," said Jerry, with determination in hisvoice. "I wonder how they got in shape so quickly after we took theirbatteries?"
"Probably had another set," was Nestor's opinion.
The two machines were now moving almost side by side, up the defilewhich led to the mine. The autos were about two hundred feet apart andgoing at about the same rate of speed, which was not very fast, as theroad was not of the best.
"How are you?" called out Jack Pender.
"None the better for seeing you," replied Ned.
"Thought you was smart to take our batteries, didn't you?" went onPender. "Well, we'll show you a trick or two. We'll get to that minebefore you!"
"You've got another guess comin', young man!" cried Nestor. "When I gitthrough with you there won't be enough left to fill a hollow tooth. I'vegot a score to settle with you."
At this, Jack sank back in his seat. Bill Berry, who had been eyeing theMotor Boys, shouted out:
"If you cubs are lookin' fer trouble there'll be plenty of it. We're notin Cresville now, where all your friends are."
"I'm a born trouble-hunter!" exclaimed Hank Broswick, rising in his seatand carelessly leveling his rifle at the wheels of Noddy's auto. "I kinhit trouble a mile off!"
"Don't shoot!" yelled Noddy, trying to duck behind the dash-board andsteer at the same time, with the result that he nearly overturned theauto.
"I wasn't goin' to," replied the hunter, with a grim chuckle. "I onlywanted to let you know I was on hand in case I might be wanted."
After this the taunts from Noddy's gang ceased. In stern determinationthe race now settled down into a contest to see who should be first atthe mine, for on that depended everything.
For nearly ten miles the two autos were close together, neither gainingany advantage. It began to get dusk, and the boys considered whetherthey should stop for the night or keep on.
"I think we had better camp until morning," advised Broswick. "We mightgit ahead of 'em, an', again, we might not. The chances are we'd bust atire or sumthin', an' then we'd be worse off than before. Slow an' sureis better than quick an' never."
So, somewhat to Nestor's disappointment, the auto came to a stop whenthe road was no longer visible because of darkness.
"They're goin' on; I don't see why we can't," grumbled the miner.
"Too risky," replied Broswick. "We'll make better time in the end."
"Then we've got to start bright an' early in the mornin'," stipulatedNestor.
To this they all agreed. Supper was prepared and the guard set. Theother auto, with a last mocking toot of the horn, had disappeared.
When the first indication of light in the east told that dawn was athand, Broswick, who had the last watch, awoke his companions. A hastybreakfast was made and, even before the sun was up, the journey wasrenewed.
"I'd feel easier if I could git a sight of them other fellers," saidNestor.
"Do you s'pose they kept on goin' all night?" asked Broswick.
"Let's see if we can't pick up their trail," suggested ProfessorSnodgrass. "We can easily tell if an auto has preceded us."
Jerry stopped the machine and Broswick got out. He made a carefulexamination of the road and soon gave a yell that told he had discoveredsomething.
"They're ahead," he announced, "but they made a stop here. The ground isall trampled up. I wouldn't wonder if they had a breakdown, an' had tohalt for fixin' their shebang up. They can't be very far in advance."
With lighter hearts the adventurers started off once more, keeping asharp lookout for the other auto. The sun rose high in the heavens, andit was hot in the valley. Mile after mile was reeled off, but Noddy'smachine was not in view.
It was almost noon when Professor Snodgrass, who was peering intentlyahead, suddenly uttered a cry.
"What is it?" asked Jerry.
"I thought I saw a specimen of the almost extinct herds of buffalo,"answered the naturalist.
"Buffalo!" cried Nestor, standing up to get a good view. "That's theother automobile you see!"
"So it is!" admitted the professor, taking a second glance.
"Put on all the steam you've got!" cried the miner. "We must catch thembefore night or the mine is lost! We're close to it now!"
Jerry opened the throttle wide and shortened the intervals of sparking.The automobile fairly jumped ahead, but so rough was the road that thetravelers were bounced about like peas in a pod.
"We're gaining on them!" Ned shouted. "We'll soon be up to them!"
In a little while not more than an eighth of a mile separated the twomachines, and this distance was gradually being lessened. Stoneham andDalsett, who were in the rear seat, looked back and shook their fists.
"Not very pleasant chaps," commented Nestor. "Well, we don't mind howthey look."
Five minutes later the autos were even, racing along the valley towardthe coveted riches. The excitement of the race was too keen to admit ofthe wasting of breath in useless taunts. A tense silence was preserved,broken only by the throbbing of the rival motors.
"Have we any water aboard?" asked Bob, about ten minutes after the twomachines got on even terms.
"I guess there's plenty in the tanks," answered Ned.
"I mean to drink," went on Chunky. "I'm as dry as a fish."
"Now that you speak of it, I would like a cool cupful myself," admittedNed. "Have we any, Jerry?"
"Not a drop."
The subject was not mentioned again for some time. But once the ideahad been broached it seemed impossible for Bob or Ned to get rid of it.Their thirst grew amazingly under the hot sun, and soon all the otherswere thinking how delicious some cold water would be.
"I've simply got to have a drink," said poor Bob at length. "I'll die ifI don't get one."
He certainly looked as if he needed it. The others, too, were sufferingthe torments of thirst, for they had drunk nothing since early morning.
"Can't we stop and get some water?" asked Ned.
"If we do we'll lose several minutes," said Nestor, "and seconds willcount now. Try and stand it a little longer. Make believe you areshipwrecked and can't get a drink. Sometimes sailors go for dayswithout a drink."
"But they couldn't get it if they wanted to," spoke Bob, "and as for us,there's a spring right alongside of the road," and he pointed to oneahead.
Jerry was about to turn up to it and stop, but Nestor urged him to keepthe auto going.
"We don't want to lose everything, when we're jest about succeedin', allfer a little water," he said. "Three hours more will see us at the mine.If we stop now they'll beat us."
"I'll give my share in the mine for a good drink," wailed Bob.
"So will I!" chimed in Ned.
In truth, the boys were suffering severely. So were the men, but theywere used to hardships, and the thought of the gold ahead made themindifferent to the wants of the body.
"See, we're coming to a river," went on Ned, pointing to where a bridgecould be seen spanning a stream. "We can get water there."
"And lose the gold mine!" exclaimed Nestor, fiercely. "No, sir! We don'tstop until we're on the ground. Then you can get all the water you want."
He seemed so excited that the boys were somewhat afraid of him, thoughthey knew it wa
s all due to the strain of the moment. To add to theirdiscomfiture, they could see the other gold seekers in their auto takingcopious drinks from bottles of water.
"My throat is all parched up!" cried Bob. "I must have water!"
"So you shall!" shouted Jerry.