“I reckon they’ll have hard enough work in the dark,” said Nestor. “But perhaps we’d better move on, an’ git a good start of ’em. They may have extra batteries an’ set out to chase us.”
So, breaking camp, though it was still dark, the adventurers went forward once more, Broswick riding on his horse, that, no doubt, was glad to be relieved of the task of pulling the auto. The machine worked well, the batteries transferred from Noddy’s auto doing good service.
It was daybreak before the travelers halted, and by this time they were well beyond where Noddy and his companions had camped.
“Here’s a good place to stop,” said Nestor, indicating a little clearing near a mountain stream. “We ought to get breakfast now.”
For several days after this the trip went on without incident. The weather continued fairly good, with only an occasional rainstorm. The adventurers heard of the big rush of gold seekers to the district where Nestor’s mine was located; but so far, they were ahead of the big crowd they had seen some time before.
“We’ll git there fust, after all,” said Broswick, as he sat astride his horse, that was now getting rather bony and thin from the long journey.
“No tellin’,” rejoined Nestor. “There’s a lot of miners in this region, an’ if they git to that mine ahead of us there’s goin’ to be trouble.”
One afternoon, following a good day’s run, the auto came to the end of the long mountain slope down which the adventurers had been riding for so long. They were now on a vast plain, or rather level valley, lying between two of the big mountain ranges. It was a pleasant country to travel in, and every one felt in good spirits.
“We’re gittin’ near to the place,” said Nestor, on reaching the level stretch. “We’ll keep on due west for a little while. I’ve sort of lost my bearin’s, but I’ll git ’em back in a little while.”
He seemed somewhat worried, and was continually peering first to one side, then the other.