“Very good, Doctor Fordham,” was the reply.
“Doctor Fordham?” exclaimed Patsy, mystified for a moment. “Oh, yes. I’d forgotten your name, doctor,” he added, with a grin.
“Don’t forget it when there happen to be strangers around, Patsy,” warned Chick, as he began to ascend the hill—bent over, to make himself as inconspicuous as possible.
They had gone about halfway up the hill, to where there was a sharp turn, when a shower of rocks came whirling down, bouncing from one side to the other, and compelling Chick and Patsy to skip about nimbly to avoid them.
“What the blazes?” blurted out Patsy.
“Keep quiet!” came from Chick.
More rocks, none of them very big, but so plentiful that it was impossible to dodge them all. Then, hatless and with hair flying, there shot around the corner—Nick Carter!
“Run, boys!” he called out, rather breathlessly. “They’re coming.”
“How many?” inquired Patsy, as he ran to the side of his chief and kept step with him going down the hill.
“Three!”