"Can't drive around that," announced Sam, after an inspection. "And it will be hard work dragging it out of the way."
"We'll drive over it," announced Dick. "Hold tight, if you don't want to be bounced off."
He called to the horses, and the team moved forward slowly. They had not been out of the stable for several days and were inclined to dance and prance. They stepped in among the tree branches and then one animal reared and tried to back.
"Get up there, Dan!" cried Dick. "None of that tomfoolery! Get up, I say!"
The other horse wanted to go ahead, and he dragged his mate deeper into the tree limbs. Then, without warning, the balky animal made a leap, cleared the tree, and started down the road at breakneck speed.
"Look out, the team is running away!" yelled Sam, and then stopped short, for he as well as the others were in danger of being thrown from the buckboard.
CHAPTER V
RANDOLPH ROVER'S STORY
It was a time of peril, and all of the Rover boys realized this fully. The buckboard was a strong one, but the road had been washed out so much by the storm that it was very uneven, and the jouncing threatened each moment to land one lad or another out on his head.