Dave did what he could to keep out of the next puddle, and in doing this ran pretty well off to one side of the roadway. The next instant he found himself in mud almost up to the hubs, and here the car threatened to come to a standstill. He immediately threw the gear into second, and then into low, and thus they chugged on for a distance of ten or twelve feet farther. Then the car came to a sudden standstill.
“Stuck?” remarked Roger laconically.
“So it would seem,” answered Dave.
CHAPTER XXI
STUCK ON THE ROAD
Twice Dave tried to back the car and then go ahead, but without avail. The machine settled down still farther in the mud of the road, and there it stuck.
“Now what are we going to do?” demanded the senator’s son, impatiently.
“I don’t know, Roger,” was the slow reply. “We’ve got to do something—we can’t stay in this mud-puddle all day.”
“It’s an outrage that they marked this road for a detour,” continued Roger. “Why, a team of horses would have all they could do to get through such a spot as this!”
“I guess I’ll have to get out for help,” said Dave. “Too bad! To think of getting stuck inside of three hours after leaving home!” and he made a grimace.
There was no help for it, and, reaching over into the tonneau of the car, Dave got out a pair of rubbers and put them on; and Roger did the same. Then both leaped out of the car and made their way to where the footing was fairly firm.