“Oh, it may not be so bad, Andy,” said the young major soothingly. “First reports are often ten times worse than they ought to be.”
“But if he’s got a fractured skull——” put in Randy, and then choked up so he could not go on.
The boys could think of but one thing, and that was to get to Tom Rover’s side as quickly as possible. Kicking the campfire into the lake so that the blaze might do no damage during their absence, they ran for their horses and were soon mounted. In their hurry to get away they forgot almost everything else, although just before leaping into the saddle Fred grabbed up one of the pistols and Jack the other.
The horse on which Nick Ocker was mounted showed signs of having been ridden a considerable distance. Yet he got over Sunset Trail at a fairly good rate of speed, although to the boys, anxious to get to Tom Rover’s side, it seemed almost a snail’s pace.
“If we were only sure where this Longnose’s cabin was located we could go ahead,” said Randy.
“That’s right,” breathed his brother, clattering along beside his twin over the rocky trail. “Gee, if only we had an auto and could use it!”
“If dad is seriously hurt what are we going to do?”
“I don’t know. I suppose it will depend on circumstances. It’s too bad there isn’t some city near by where we could get a first-class doctor and maybe put dad in a real hospital. That’s most likely what he’ll need.”
Up one foothill and down another passed the Rover boys and their guide. Then Sunset Trail made a sharp turn and they found themselves climbing the mountainside. Here the going was exceedingly rough, and they had to ride with care. Then they reached the top of the rise and went downward, still hugging the mountainside.
“I reckon it was somewhere along here that the other fellows picked Mr. Rover up,” observed Nick Ocker as they clattered along, occasionally sending a loose stone down into the rocky valley below them. “It’s a mighty bad place to get a tumble, if you want to know it.”