“Hold up, boy! Stop the car!” he shouted.
“What’s up?” asked Billy, shutting down his emergency brakes with a snap in obedience to the miner’s urgent tone.
“Look there!” The miner pointed ahead.
At first the boys could see nothing the matter with the bridge, but a second glance showed them that something very serious indeed had occurred to it.
Somebody had removed two of the trunks that formed a roadway, and right in the centre of the structure was a gaping hole. Had the auto come upon it unexpectedly it must have gone through into the depths of the canyon beneath.
They all got out of the auto, all, that is, but Mr. Joyce, who was busy figuring on an invention, and hastened down to the bridge. The planks, there was no doubt, had been deliberately removed by some one, and that those persons were Luther Barr and his party none in the party could for a moment doubt.
Suddenly the bell of the wireless on board the auto began to ring.
“The boys are sending us a message,” exclaimed Billy.
He and Lathrop raced back up the hill to the car, where the latter placed the detector over his ears and tapped out his “ready” signal.
The others watched him eagerly. It was not a minute before they saw that something serious was the matter. The boy’s face paled, and he seemed much concerned.