It was somewhat less than fifteen minutes when the car rounded a sharp curve in the cliffs and Tinny pointed ahead and exclaimed:
“There’s my shack!”
The boys saw a good-sized building constructed of slabs and boards perched on the side of a mountain. It stood out in bold relief in the midst of a clearing, and all about were trees and bushes.
“You get a fine view from up there, don’t you?” asked Jerry.
“I’ll say so!” was the answer.
Mallison brought the car to a stop near a spring of water bubbling out beside the road.
“What’s the idea?” asked Bob, who was getting very hungry—unusually hungry for him, even, as he had not had a chance to put any food in his pockets on leaving the train.
“Got to stop, cool off the engine a bit, and fill the radiator with water,” explained Tinny, as he got out and began dipping a can into the spring. “There’s the stiffest climb of the whole trail between here and my cabin, and I don’t want to take any chances on spoiling my new car. Most of the time I have to run in second, and part of the way on first. Safety first’s my motto!”
The boys subscribed to this and got out to walk around while Tinny filled the radiator, which had already begun to steam, since he had run on second some distance before stopping.
Then, when the motor meter showed by the shortness of its red column that the engine was sufficiently cool, they started again. Tinny had not exaggerated the stiffness of the trail, and at times the Motor Boys were given a thrill as they climbed.