The next moment he was sliding rapidly down the polished incline.
When he was halfway down, Bob and Joe burst out in laughter. The sight of the old man doing such a thing as this with so much enjoyment aroused the youths’ sense of humor.
“If he likes it so much, maybe I will,” chuckled Joe, sitting down at the edge.
“Good luck,” called Bob, as his friend let go his hold and passed swiftly down.
It was an unusual sensation to Joe, as he shot down the curving slide. When younger he had often played on the slides in parks. But this was something entirely different. To shoot down a tall mountain at a rapid pace, on the straightaways and around curves, was indeed novel.
When over halfway down, the youth felt himself gradually lose momentum, and he knew that the slide was flattening out. Too steep a descent, especially near the bottom, would be dangerous.
At last he came to a stop beside Dr. Rander, who had been watching the descent.
“How did you like it?” the old man asked.
“All right. Got rather warm, though. Wonder if it thinned my trousers any? No, I guess not. Too smooth, I suppose.”
Fifteen minutes later Bob came in sight leading the line of mules. He laughed as he caught sight of them.