The chauffeur was coasting down a very steep declivity with the brakes well in hand and Mellen and Sam were clinging tightly to the sides of the machine when Doran sprang to his feet and leaped.
His companion attempted to follow his example, but Sam’s hand was laid upon his shoulder at that instant, and the two tumbled into the bottom of the car. The struggle there was of short duration, for Sam was a muscular fellow and the other combatant was not inclined to put up much of a fight. Mellen watched the struggle with a smile.
It was impossible to stop the car on the steep grade, and so Mellen and Sam were obliged to remain inactive while Doran struggled to his feet and shook his fist at the car uttering as he did so threats of vengeance.
CHAPTER IX.
A FINE CURTAIN-RAISER.
The sun was rising over the mountains when the flying machines and the motor-car reached the field where the boys had landed the night before. After the escape of Doran, the aeroplanes had searched the hills and gorges for the fugitive, but had found no trace of him observable from the sky.
After seeing that the machines were placed in charge of capable and loyal officers, the boys entered the car with Mellen and were driven to the hotel. When they reached the entrance they found a little crowd assembled in the lobby.
Messengers from the telegraph office were passing out and in, and the clerk seemed to be answering a good many questions by ’phone. Mellen stopped at the office counter while the boys took the elevator for their rooms unobserved by the clerk in the office.
“There’s something strange going on here!” the clerk exclaimed, as Mr. Mellen stepped up. “We have a sheaf of telegrams for you, and a lot more for those boys who came here last night.”
“Well,” smiled the manager, “you may as well deliver them.”
“Deliver them?” repeated the clerk. “How are we going to deliver them? You can receipt now for the ones which belong to you,” he went on, “but what are we going to do with those directed to the boys?”