Clay had no doubt of their object; and he knew when to bribe high.
“They’ll jump clear if you rush her at them,” he said softly. “A hundred dollars if you take me through!”
The car leaped forward, gathering speed with every second; and as it raced toward them the courage of the nearest failed. Springing aside they scrambled into the fern, and while the horn hooted in savage warning the driver rushed the big automobile into the gap.
For a few moments it looked as if they might get through. There was a confused shouting; indistinct, hurrying figures appeared and vanished as the shaft of light drove on. Some struck at the car as it passed them, some turned and gazed; but the men ahead were bolder, or perhaps more closely massed and unable to get out of the way in time.
“Straight for them!” cried Clay.
A man leaped into the light with a heavy stake in his hand.
The next moment there was a crash, and the car swerved, ran wildly up a bank, and overturned.
Clay was thrown violently forward, and fell, unconscious, into a brake of fern. When he came to, he was lying on his back with a group of men standing round him. He felt dazed and shaky, and by the smarting of his face he thought it was cut. When he feebly put up his hand to touch it he felt his fingers wet. Then one of the men struck a match and bent over him.
“Broken any bones?” he asked.
“No.” Clay found some difficulty in speaking. “I think not, but I don’t feel as if I could get up.”