“Are you hurt, Jerry?” cried Bob and Ned, as, with his pails of water, the boy staggered into the cave.
“Not a bit, but I had a close shave,” was the answer. “But we must be quick! Here! Help fill the radiator with the water.”
“Can’t we drink any?” asked Bob who, like the others, was very thirsty.
“Not a drop,” said Jerry firmly. “We need every bit for the automobile. Without it we can’t get away from here, and now is the only chance we may have to escape. We can drink later.”
While Jerry and Ned filled the radiator the other boys and the professor made ready for the escape. Everything was packed up and placed in the car, which, as soon as the coil was filled, would be ready to start and dash from the cave.
“I’m afraid this is not going to be water enough,” spoke Jerry as the second of the pails was emptied into the radiator.
“Can’t I make a dash for some more? There seems to be excitement enough in the camp to keep them from watching me,” said Ned. “I’m going to try.”
There was considerable activity among the ranch men. The cougars, though wounded, seemed to have temporarily lost all fear and made attack after attack on the men, who had to fire several volleys from their rifles.
“Go ahead,” said Jerry. “I’ll start the engine slowly.”
Grabbing up the pails Ned walked from the cave.