“No,” answered Matt, “but it was rather a close call for the tires.”
“Tires? Hang the tires! It was a close call for you.”
“Not so close as you’d think. I knew if we could force the gates we’d get through safely. Each gate would give way in a solid piece, and there’d be no splinters. We made it, Joe, we made it!”
“But the car has been damaged——”
“We couldn’t help that, Joe! If we keep Tibbits and Dimmock from carrying out that robbery, we have to get to a telegraph office in short order.”
At that moment the motor showed signs of distress. First it missed fire, and then went dead altogether.
“Watch behind, Joe,” called Matt, as he sprang into the road and began an investigation to discover what was wrong.
[CHAPTER XII.
PURSUIT.]
“Sufferin’ cyclones!” exclaimed McGlory, keeping close watch of the road behind; “after that jolt it would be a wonder, pard, if something didn’t go wrong with the motor. By rights, considering what this car has gone through, it ought to be a scrap heap.”