dot?" sang out the other.

"I said, be careful. You don't want to sink through to China, do you?"

"Not much I ton't," was the answer. "Oh!"

Hans let out a loud cry of alarm, and with good reason. His horse
had struck a sink-hole, as they are called on the plains, and gone
down to his knees. He made such a plunge that poor Hans was thrown
over his head, to land full length in an oozy, sticky bog.

"Stop!" cried Dick, as soon as he saw this accident. "Don't go any
further, fellows, it's dangerous!"

"Hellup! safe me!" roared Hans, trying in vain to extricate himself
from the oozy bog, while his horse did the same. "Hellup, oder I peen
drowned in der mud alretty!"

CHAPTER XIV

OUT OF AN UNPLEASANT SITUATION

Not one of the party was just then in a position to give poor Hans
any assistance. All were stuck in the ooze, and one horse after
another was slowly but surely sinking.

"We must turn back," cried Songbird, "and do it in a hurry, too."

"Easier said than done," grunted Fred. "My, this is worse than glue!"

"I think the ground on our left is a bit firmer than here," said Sam.
"I am going to try it, anyway."

Not without considerable difficulty, he turned his steed, and after
a struggle the spot he had indicated was gained. Dick followed, and
so did Tom.

The Rovers were safe, but not so their chums. Hans was the worst off,
but Fred and Songbird were likewise in positions of serious peril.
Wags was flying around, barking dismally, as though he understood
that all was not right.

"Turn this way!" called out Sam. "It's your one hope!"

"Let me have that rope you are carrying, Tom," said Dick, and having
received the article, he threw one end to Hans, who was still
floundering around. "Catch hold, Hans, and I'll haul you over!"

As the rope fell across the German youth's body, he caught it tightly
in both hands, and, as Dick, Tom and Sam pulled with might and main,
he fairly slid on his breast to where they were standing.

"Mine gracious, dot vos somedings awful!" he exclaimed. "It vos so
sticky like molasses alretty!"

"Now, we must help the others," said Dick.

"Songbird is out," exclaimed Sam.

The rope was thrown to Fred, and with a great tug he was finally
brought out of the ooze.

"Nearly took my hand off," he declared. "But I don't care--anything
is better than to be stuck in such a spot as that."

The horses were still floundering desperately, and it was little that
they could d