"She'll never catch us, Josh!"
"How's dat?"
"Because I've fixed her so she won't."
"I hope yous ain't shy in yer calkilations, Matt. Dem blokes'll sure kill us if we drops into deir hands."
"Watch her, Josh! Tell me when her speed slackens, or when anything goes wrong."
"She ain't slackenin' none yet, an' nuttin' ain't gone wrong."
"Well, watch and tell me."
Matt couldn't understand why the runabout wasn't beginning to develop trouble in the vicinity of the needle-valve. But it would come, sooner or later. Some of the sand was bound to get through the supply-pipe in time.
The valley had widened considerably, and now it began to develop dips and rises which afforded Matt opportunity for nursing the motor and preventing overheating. He could cut off the power on the down grades and give the throbbing cylinders a breathing spell.
Brisco had no such fine ability or discrimination. He took everything on the high gear.