“And get dinner at the same time,” put in Bob. “We’ll kill two stones with the same automobile, as the poem says.”
“I guess you’re a little twisted,” remarked Ned, “but your intentions are good.”
A halt was made under a big tree, near a little stream, and soon a good fire was built and dinner was being cooked.
It was found that some nuts had become loose on the brakes, and this trouble Jerry soon remedied. After the meal they sat about and talked a while.
“We’ll soon be in New Mexico,” remarked Jerry, consulting a small map.
“Will we?” asked Tommy. “I’m so glad.”
“Why?”
“Because there’s a man who was once a friend of my father at a place called Las Cruces. It’s near the Rio Grande river. If we could go there I know Mr. Douglass would take care of me.”
“Then we’ll go there,” said Jerry. “It will be right on our route.”
They all agreed this would be a good plan. That night the travelers stopped in a small village where they had good beds and meals. They resumed the journey next day, and for several days thereafter met with no mishaps as they speeded toward Las Cruces. They had left the lowlands and were well up among the hills by this time.