The lads looked crestfallen, but Bill Cromley said:
“No, you’ll find that it really happened the way I tell you. Hank Moody was the driver of that stage. He was an honest man, and I believe he lost his life trying to save the treasure chest.”
“Well, maybe,” said Tinny easily. “But come on, boys, I’ve got my new car here and we’ll soon be hitting the trail for Thunder Mountain. I wasn’t sure whether you’d come on the first or second section of the train. And, by the way, here comes the second section now. Didn’t take long to catch up to you.”
“No, we were delayed by a wreck,” explained Jerry.
The boys turned idly to observe the passengers getting off the second section of the express. To their surprise and dismay, alighting from one of the coaches they saw Noddy Nixon, Jack Pender and Dolt Haven!
[CHAPTER XI]
ON THE TRAIL
Rather stiff and cramped from their long ride in the train, Noddy and his two companions were not as alert as they might have been under other circumstances. They moved slowly along the station platform, trying, as it were, to locate themselves, and in doing this they did not catch sight of the boys they had set out to follow.
The Motor Boys, however, had seen their enemies and the need of instant action occurred to them. Bob was the first to act, or, rather, to suggest action, and he cried: