"They undoubtedly did," Ned admitted.
"And will follow them, I'm afraid."
"I've been wondering whether the boys got out of the hills in safety," Ned went on. "They were well mounted, and should have been able to dodge the outlaws. Besides, Jimmie and Jack are, as the boys say on the Bowery, inclined to be 'foolish in the head—like a fox.' So they are probably safely out by this time."
"But, still, I'm worrying about them!" Oliver replied.
CHAPTER XXIII
RACING MOTORS ON THE WAT
"Some day," Jimmie said, as he urged Uncle Ike down an eastern slope of the Alleghany mountains, "I'm going to have this mule put in a book."
"If he keeps up his stealing," Jack declared, "he is more likely to be put in jail. That mule is certainly a bad actor."
"Huh!" grunted Jimmie. "He's got a sugar tooth, or he wouldn't steal!"
The boys drew up when nearly to the valley through which runs the
North Fork and looked over the landscape. There was another range of
mountains straight ahead, and beyond that the valley of the South
Branch, for which they were headed.