Straight toward the dead pine Jerry aimed, and, as he came to the bottom of the slope, he saw an opening in the bush-lined side of the hill, that told him the cave was at hand. Into it, by a skillful turn, he steered the auto, and the machine, running in about one hundred feet from the opening came to a stop, just as the horsemen came dashing up, much surprised by the sudden disappearance of those they were pursuing.
“We’re safe!” whispered Ned.
“Not yet,” said Jerry. “We must arm ourselves,” and he began to get out the rifles from the bottom of the car, and hand them around to his companions.
Outside the cavern, which was a natural one in the rocky side of the hill, there came confused shouts.
“Where did they go?” they heard a voice ask.
“Must have gone over some ledge and been killed,” was the reply.
“Then that settles it,” said the first one. “That’s just our bad luck!”
Then came a curious cry, and, by it, the boys knew their hiding place was discovered.
“Here are the tracks of the wheels!” the travelers heard some one shout. “They turned off somewhere about here.”