Hurling onward, and skidding around the turns, Matt kept straining his eyes constantly ahead.
Their source of peril was now wrapped up in Spangler. If his pile of boulders did not block the road completely—if there was a chance for the runabout to get past the stones, or over them, there was still a fighting chance for escape.
Half a minute later, as the car reached out for the place where Spangler had been at work, Matt's heart went down into his boots.
Spangler was nowhere in sight, but he had worked to good purpose.
A few big boulders were cunningly placed so as to make the road impassable. With a despairing cry, Matt brought the runabout to a quick stop.
[CHAPTER XII.]
A CLOSE CALL.
"Pile out, Josh, and get busy with those rocks!" yelled Matt.
It was a forlorn hope, for the pounding of the Red Flier could be heard around the turn, coming up hand over fist. Long before the way could be cleared, Brisco would be upon them.