The Motor Boys Overland | Page 9

those boys, the same ones who made all the trouble for Noddy,
would be after me! I escaped just in time. I hope I didn't kill the old
man, though it was a hard blow I struck him!"
Pender slowed down his machine and listened. No sound of pursuit
came to him on the quiet night air. He stopped alongside of the road,
under a big oak tree.
"Guess I'll light up and see how I made out," he said to himself. He
lighted his acetylene lamp and, standing in the glare of it, drew from
his pocket the belt he had stolen from the old miner.
"Feels heavy," he muttered. "Ought to be plenty of gold in it. Well, I
need the money if I am to join Noddy. I must read his letter again."
He pulled out a sheet of paper and began glancing over it.
"Dated New York," he said. "He says he's having lots of fun and no end
of larks with Bill Berry. I don't care much for Bill, myself. He never
was any good around town, and he's a desperate man. Hum! let's see!"
He turned to the letter again." 'Come and join me, Jack. We'll go West
and have a good time. Bring some money.' Well, I've got the money, all
right. Now to start West. I'll ride the motor as far as the depot and take
a train."
Replacing the letter and the belt of gold in his pockets, Pender
remounted his machine and started off down the road, dark shadows
from the trees soon hiding him.
It was just about this time that Dr. Morrison had completed his
preparations to visit the injured miner. The physician took a seat in the
auto beside Bob, Ned and Jerry being in front, the latter steering.
"Now, don't go too fast," cautioned the doctor to Jerry. "You know I'm

an old-fashioned man, and not used to making professional visits any
faster than my horse, old Dobbins, can take me. I don't want an upset."
Jerry promised to be cautious. The moon had begun to go down, and it
was no easy task steering along the shadowy road, but the boy managed
it, and soon the deserted hut was reached.
"Now to see what sort of a case I have," spoke the doctor.
"I'll bring one of the oil lamps," said Jerry, unfastening a lantern from
the dashboard, after stopping the automobile engine. "You can see to
work by it."
The boys and Dr. Morrison entered the hut. Jerry held the lamp up high
to illuminate the place.
"Now I'm ready," announced the physician. "Where is the patient?" and
he opened his medical case.
In wonderment the boys gazed around the hut. To their astonishment,
there was not the slightest sign of the wounded miner. He had
disappeared!

CHAPTER V.
THE MYSTERY OF THE MINER.
"HE's gone!" exclaimed Ned.
"Are you sure he was here?" inquired the physician.
Of that the boys had not the slightest doubt, and they speedily
convinced the medical man. The lantern was flashed in every corner of
the hut, but there was not a sign of the miner.
"It's rather queer," commented Dr. Morrison, when he had listened to
the details the boys gave him.

"Do you suppose some one came and carried him off?" asked Bob.
"More likely he was not as badly hurt as you supposed," replied Dr.
Morrison. "He may have been only stunned by a blow on the head.
When he regained his senses he probably feared another attack, and so
he hurried from the hut. Let me take the lamp."
The physician flashed the lantern outside the door of the cabin, holding
it close to the ground.
"I thought so," he said. "See, there are a few grains of the gold-dust
showing on the door sill, and here are more, farther along the path. The
man has gone away, and has left a little golden trail."
The physician attempted to follow it, but the yellow specks soon
disappeared and there was no other clew.
"Depend on it, he has run away in fear," said the doctor. "Rather
disappointing, too. I believe he could tell a queer story. Who robbed
him, I wonder?"
"It was --" began Bob, but a nudge from Jerry stopped him.
"We saw some one run from the hut," explained Jerry. "We gave chase
in the automobile, but the fellow cut across lots and we couldn't
follow."
"I suppose I may as well go back," announced the doctor. "There is no
use staying here. I don't believe the miner will return and solve the
mystery for us."
The auto was turned toward Cresville and a quick trip was made, the
boys speculating among themselves on what might be revealed if the
wounded man