"Ah hears de odder!" screamed Topsy. "He's champin' down de road lak er singed cat. Heah him! Oh, mah golly! We's all as good as daid—we's all gwine tuh be et up."
Strange noises were coming from along the back track, coming rapidly and growing louder and louder.
"Dat odder one's bigger 'n a efelunt!" palpitated Uncle Tom, climbing a couple of limbs higher. "All Ah hopes is dat he ain't big enough tuh reach up en take me outen de tree. Ah's a gone niggah, Ah feels hit en mah bones."
The bear heard the approaching noise, and it seemed to puzzle him. He sniffed the air, shook his head forebodingly, and then dropped down on all fours and ambled into the brush.
The next moment, to the astonishment of the four actors, a sparkling red automobile rushed into sight, coming from the direction of Ash Fork and headed toward Fairview.
A youth in leather cap and jacket was in the driver's seat; beside him was a young German in a "loud" suit and a red vest.
"Pretzel!" yelled Little Eva; "I'm a jay if it ain't Pretzel!"
"Saved!" cried Eliza.
The big red touring-car came to a halt in about the same place where the bear had recently held the fort.