CHAPTER XXVI.
GOLD!
"Do you mean to stop the car and let them git ahead of us?" demandedNestor.
"I'm going to stop the car," replied Jerry, "but they're not going toget ahead of us."
"How you goin' to prevent it?"
"I'll show you. Wait until we get to the bridge."
The two machines were close together and the bridge was now about aneighth of a mile ahead. Suddenly Jerry shifted the lever to throw thethird gear into place, at the same time opening the throttle. The redauto fairly sprang forward, leaving the other behind.
At first, Noddy, who was steering his machine, was too surprised atJerry's move to know what to do. When he did attempt to speed up, theother car was several hundred feet in advance. Two minutes later Jerryhad reached the bridge and brought his auto to a stop.
"There!" he exclaimed. "I guess we can hold them here as long as welike. The other car can't beat us, can it?"
"I should say not," answered Nestor. "You're a slick one, Jerry!"
For the bridge was so narrow that there was but room on it for one autoat a time. With Noddy's car in the rear, it could not go ahead untilJerry was ready.
"We'll all have a drink!" exclaimed Broswick. "I'm as dry as apowder-horn myself."
There was a general rush to the stream, which proved to be a clear,cold, mountain brook, and never did liquid taste better than that to thethirsty adventurers. They had not half enough when Noddy's machine camepuffing up, but was forced to stop.
"Pull your machine out of there or I'll ram you!" he exclaimed.
"Oh, I guess not!" said Nestor, slowly. "This is a public road."
"I'll show you whether it is or not," went on the bully, in a blusteringtone, reaching for the lever to send his car ahead. His intention was topush the other auto off the bridge.
"Not so fast," spoke Nestor, slowly, carelessly drawing his revolverfrom the holster. "Those are very pretty tires of yours, but it's no funridin' on 'em when the wind is out. So go easy, Mr. Noddy Nixon!"
"We'll fix you for this!" cried Dalsett.
"Oh, it's you, is it?" asked Nestor, in seeming surprise. "Well, Iwouldn't crow too soon if I was you. It might not be altogether healthy,you know."
The other remained silent. The boys finished drinking, and, atBroswick's suggestion, filled several cans with water, and placed themin the auto.
"Come, are you going to stay there all day?" growled Noddy.
"As long as we please," answered Nestor. "We know what you're up to, butwe'll beat you yet."
"The mine belongs to whoever stakes it first," put in Dalsett.
"I see you know the law right enough," spoke Nestor. "But I wouldn'tadvise you to get too well acquainted with it. There are some littlematters in New Mexico the law might want you to explain," and he smiledat his former helper, whereat Dalsett turned pale and muttered beneathhis breath.
But, having satisfied their thirst, the adventurers had no longer anymotive for blockading the bridge. They started off, Jerry getting themotor up to a good speed before throwing in the gear, so that the carmoved off swiftly at the start.
Like a flash, Noddy was after them. Once more the race was on. The sunreached the zenith and began to decline in the west.
Nestor was greatly excited. He was on familiar ground now, and sawlandmarks on every side. As the auto passed a dead sycamore tree heshouted:
"Only two miles farther now! Then, hurrah for the gold!"
The other machine clung doggedly to the Cresville auto. Jerry was goingas fast as he dared, and Noddy was close behind. A few minutes morewould tell the tale.
"One mile farther!" shouted Nestor.
The next instant there came a report like a revolver shot. Every onestarted, thinking they had been fired at.
"They've busted a tire!" shouted Broswick. "I reckon that puts them outof the race!"
Noddy was obliged to bring his machine to a sudden stop. There was ascene of confusion as the crippled machine was forced to give up thepursuit. Berry and Dalsett seemed to be urging Noddy to continue inspite of the accident, but, rash as the bully was, he knew better thanto go on with a collapsed tire.
Jerry never slackened the speed of his auto, and rushed on, intent onthe goal that was now so near. Ten minutes later the road came to anabrupt end against a slope of the mountain.
"Well?" asked Jerry, throwing out the gear and leaving the auto with themotor still running, panting like one who has run a long race. "Whatnext? We can't go any farther."
"We don't need to," replied Nestor.
"Why not?"
"We're at the mine. It's on top of that hill," and Nestor indicated alittle knob that rose about two hundred feet away. "Come on, we'll takea look at it."
Jerry shut off the power and, leaving Professor Snodgrass in charge ofthe machine, the others climbed up to the mouth of the shaft of thelong-lost mine that Nestor had so luckily discovered.
A rude ladder led down into the depths below. Lighting some candles hehad with him, Nestor descended, telling the others to come, but to usecaution, as the ladders were old and rotten.
With hearts that beat high in hope, the boys went down into the mine.The first level was about fifty feet under the surface. Coming to ahalt, Nestor lit several more tallow ends.
"Look!" he exclaimed.
The boys stared in wonder. Gold, gold, gold seemed to be on every sideof them. It cropped out in the dirt and rocks; big yellow veins thatglowed with a dull gleam in the flickering lights. The sides of the minewere traversed with the streaks of precious metal. Most of it was verypure, and it could be dug out with a knife.
"It's the richest mine I ever saw or heard of," said Nestor. "There'senough gold in sight to make us all rich, even if no more develops aswe dig farther down. It's a great strike!"
"It certainly is," agreed Jerry. "But can we establish a claim to it?"
"The mine will stand in our joint names before another day," repliedNestor. "I'll start for the Government office the first thing in themorning, after I've staked a claim for each of us."
"Providin' Noddy Nixon an' his crowd don't make more trouble," spokeBroswick.
"They're broke down," answered Nestor.
"Nothin' to prevent 'em from walkin' here," went on the hunter."Howsomever, if they come we'll be ready for 'em. Now let's git supper."
Taking a last look for the day at the riches around them, theadventurers climbed to the surface. They went to where they had leftthe automobile, made a fire and were soon preparing a simple meal.Broswick's ready gun provided enough for supper and also insured a feastof rabbit and partridge for the next day.
The adventurers were so filled with thoughts of their success atreaching the mine first that they sat around the camp-fire until almostmidnight, going over the happenings that had befallen them on theirjourney. Then, the first watch having been assigned to Nestor, all theothers sought their blankets, and stretched out on the ground to sleep.
The hours of the night passed without incident. There were no soundssave, now and then, mournful hootings of the owls and the bark of foxes.Jerry had the last watch, from three until six o'clock.
He was sleepy when Broswick aroused him to take his place, but soon waswide awake enough.
"Anything happened?" he asked the hunter.
"No; but keep your eyes open. We have to deal with a hard crowd,especially Dalsett. If you hear any one approaching, fire in the airfirst and then challenge."
Jerry took up his vigil. To keep himself awake he walked back and forthout of range of the light from the camp-fire. Once or twice he thoughthe heard sounds as of some one approaching, and he nerved himself for astruggle.
But each time it proved to be only timid foxes that, with startled eyes,came to see who had invaded their woods and glens.
Just as dawn was about to herald itself by a pale light in the east,Jerry heard a sound as of some heavy body coming through the underbrush.He was on the alert in a moment. Peering forward, he saw the dimo
utlines of a man approaching between the trees. The next instant Jerryfired in the air, and called out:
"Who goes there?"
The reply was a volley of shots.