“Well, he may not know porcupines, but he sure does know about snakes,” the elder youth asserted. “And if you’re wise, you won’t go fooling around a spot where Pop says there are rattlers. This is one swell day for ’em, too! Hand me that lug wrench, will you, Teddy?”
Teddy complied, and assisted Roy in fastening the tire to the rim. When it was firmly attached, Roy straightened and heaved a sigh of relief. As he did so his eyes swept the horizon, and he stared intently, one hand shading his eyes.
“What is it, Roy?” Belle asked, looking at her brother.
“Dust,” Roy answered. “See it, Teddy? Top of that hill. Whoever’s making it must be just below the rise. Wonder if it’s some of Pete Ball’s men? Likely to be. Come on, let’s get this stuff away and start. We haven’t got far to go, but that sun’s hotter than all get out. Teddy, how about making yourself useful, and putting some of these tools away?”
“Sure,” his brother answered. “Thought you wanted to do it all yourself.”
A pair of pliers had fallen to the ground from the running board, and Teddy stooped to pick them up, his other hand resting on the door of the car, while he groped for the tool, bending down low.
“Golly, it’s sure hot!” he exclaimed, still groping and searching. “Why couldn’t the tire have blown out under a tree? Say, where in thunder are those pliers, anyhow?”
“Maybe it ’ud help if you looked for ’em, instead of watching that cloud of dust,” Roy declared, grinning. “Belle, can’t you help your little brother find the pliers?”
“Got ’em!” Teddy suddenly exclaimed, as his hand closed over them. “They were away under the car, and I couldn’t see gettin’ down in this dirt to look for ’em. Anyway—”
He started to withdraw his hand. There was a sudden loud “whir-r-r” as though a strip of tin were rapidly bent and released. Roy saw Teddy’s whole body give a convulsive shudder and watched his face go deathly pale. Pop Burns’ warning flashed to his mind.