“I paid off some old scores to Pender,” said Ned, with a grin.
“Wish I’d got a chance at one of them!” observed Bob.
“You’re just as well off, Chunky,” spoke Jerry. “We may as well keep on to town, now the excitement is over. It’s getting late, and I’m hungry.”
In about half an hour they were in the village, where they found a good hotel. They caught no sight of Noddy and his companions.
The next morning the boys made a hasty breakfast and hired a man to drive them out to their stranded auto. They found Nestor just awakening from what he declared had been a refreshing sleep. The punctured tire was soon repaired, and, dismissing the driver of the wagon, the boys and the miner sped to town in the machine. They put up at the hotel, where Nestor made a good breakfast.
As a few supplies were needed for the auto, it was decided to lay over for a day in the town. Jerry attended to the purchases, while Nestor and the other boys took things easy in the room they had hired at the hotel.
“I’m sure glad I met you, boys,” said the old miner, stretching out in a comfortable chair. “I’m jest countin’ the days ’till we git out to the gold mine.”
“Will it take long now?” asked Ned.
“We ought to reach Tucson in about two weeks now. Of course it’s going to be a little hard gittin’ over the New Mexico mountain range, but I guess the choo-choo wagon will do it. We may have a little trouble findin’ the mine, too.”
“I thought you said you had it all staked out,” observed Chunky.