Ned cut down his power and the car proceeded. But it skidded worse than ever and Ned was on the point of stopping to get out and adjust the chains when, with a suddenness that none foresaw, the big vehicle swerved to one side as the brakes were applied and, a moment later, the left rear wheel crashed hard against a big tree at the side of the road. There was a sound of splintering wood and the rear of the automobile sank down.
“Busted!” cried Jerry as he opened the side curtains.
[CHAPTER IX]
THE CATTLE BUYER
Dejectedly, and fearing the worst, the boys piled out of the automobile into the pelting rain. They did not stop to put on their slickers, so eager were they to see the extent of the damage. It was bad enough, for the wheel was smashed and the end of the axle bent.
“That means a lay-up,” said Jerry. “We’ve got a spare wheel, but we can’t get it on the axle until it’s straightened. Bur-r-r-r! This is some rain!”
“Guess this is up to me, fellows,” gloomily remarked Ned. “I should have put on the chains at the start.”
“Oh, well, it couldn’t be helped,” said Jerry.
“It was the fault of that fellow who told us to take this road,” Bob said. “If we’d taken the other we’d be going yet.”