[CHAPTER III]
NODDY NIXON’S THREAT
Bill Cromley, the old gold miner, abruptly ceased his narration. The scene was rather quieter about the farmhouse now, though the neighbors were still at the farm helping Mrs. Gordon to move out of the kitchen some things that had been saved. The Motor Boys were much interested in what they had heard.
“What do you mean—it was the end of everything?” asked Jerry.
“Just what I say. It was the end,” replied Cromley. “The horses, stage, chest of gold, and everything went over the cliff. According to what you tell me, it can’t have been far from where you’re going—to Thunder Mountain.”
“Didn’t they save anything?” asked Bob, a little awed by the tragic ending of the story.
“Nary a thing.”
“Wasn’t there any trace of the men or the horses or the stage?” inquired Ned.
“Oh, yes, they found the bodies—some of ’em,” said the miner. “And the horses, too. But there wasn’t much left of the coach. It was a rickety old thing to start with, and about all they picked up was some splinters that would do for toothpicks.”