The Motor Boys were not putting too much faith in the story told by the old miner, and they shared with Mallison the desire to rescue Cromley. But, deep down in their hearts, the lads could not help hoping against hope that there was something in that treasure-chest rumor.
They were now in a very wild and desolate region where mining was about the only occupation that could be carried on with any degree of success. Occasionally they came upon parties of rough men who were thus trying to wrest a living from the earth. And from these men they learned that Noddy Nixon and his crowd, with Cromley as a captive, had passed that same way about twelve hours ahead of them.
Questioned as to why they did not attempt to help the prisoner, the miners merely shrugged their shoulders and muttered that it was none of their business; they didn’t know what the old fellow might have done.
“We’re cutting down their lead, at least,” announced Ned, hearing this news one noon. “We may catch up to them before night.”
“Yes,” agreed Jerry.
“But what I can’t understand,” said Bob, “is how they can take Bill along the trail, bound as they must have him, and not have a lot of questions asked. They can’t all be as callous as those fellows back there. Why doesn’t somebody get suspicious and ask why they are carrying a prisoner with them? If they did this and the authorities were notified, Bill would have been free long ago.”
“Noddy has very likely made up some sort of story to explain matters,” suggested Tinny. “He could pass himself and his companions off as officers in charge of a prisoner. And if they kept Bill gagged, as they might do, putting a stick in his mouth as they did to Professor Snodgrass, he couldn’t contradict them. They would only have to keep the gag in while they were passing through a settlement, or meeting people. Then, too, they may have Bill so frightened that, even without a gag, he daren’t shout an alarm to get himself rescued.”
They found out later that Noddy had tried both of these plans with success, and so it was that though Cromley was observed to be bound and gagged while on his horse, what Noddy and Jack said made this state of affairs seem plausible.
They camped that night near a small but swift-running stream, and before darkness settled they had taken from it some fish which made a welcome addition to their food, for they had been obliged to live, in the main, on canned stuff.