The big automobile had been put in shape to make the rest of the trans-continental trip, Professor Snodgrass was gently but firmly persuaded to break away from his scientific friend, and once more the motor boys were on their way.
There was plenty of excitement along the route. Once they came within a narrow margin of toppling, car and all, over a high cliff while going along a narrow, perilous road. Again the professor went on a little side trip after some queer bug and became lost. They were a day finding him and he was quite exhausted and in great distress when he was found. So, taking it by and large, Ned, Bob and Jerry had plenty of adventures to keep them awake on the trip.
“And isn’t it just one dandy little refrigerator though?” asked Bob for perhaps the fiftieth time as he took some cold chicken from it one warm afternoon and proceeded to make sandwiches. “How would you like to be eating hot roast beef now?” and he looked at the thermometer which was creeping up toward ninety degrees in the shade.
“It’s certainly all right!” agreed Ned in a mumbly voice, for he was just then engaged in masticating one of the chicken sandwiches. “You didn’t make any mistake, Chunky. But I’m thinking we won’t need it much longer.”
“Why not?” asked Bob in surprise. “You’re not going to chuck it away, are you?”
“No, but we ought to be at Square Z in a day or so now, if our maps are any good. We’ll be in Medicine Bow by to-night, and it’s only about a hundred miles from there to dad’s place.”
“Good!” cried Jerry.
They reached Medicine Bow about supper time and put up over night. Early in the morning they were under way again, following the directions given them for reaching Square Z ranch. But they did not follow the directions closely enough and took the wrong trail. Consequently, when darkness was settling down they had not reached their destination and they decided they would have to wait until morning.