win.
Nevertheless, he followed Andy, and, not knowing what else to do, the
others did the same.

The automobile was of a cheap variety, and clattered noisily on its way,
with one cylinder occasionally missing fire. It had been running in a
snakelike course, but now it seemed to be making something of a circle.

"By jinks! I think it's coming back here!" exclaimed Fred suddenly.

"It isn't running as fast as it was," declared Spouter. "Maybe it's going
to stop."

"I'm going to see if I can't get aboard!" cried Jack, with sudden
determination, and headed his horse behind the touring car, which was
still moving at a fair rate of speed.

Once one of the front wheels went down in a hole, and then the car slued
around and started off, heading almost for the boys.

"Look out!"

"Get out of the way there or you'll be run down!"

Wild cries rent the air, and the young horsemen scattered in every
direction. But Jack was watching his chance, and as the car slued around
once more he managed to leap from his horse and clutch the side of the
automobile. Then he leaped into the car and turned off the power, and in
a few seconds he brought the automobile to a standstill.

"This is the queerest adventure I ever heard of," declared Gif, when the
brief excitement had come to an end. "Who ever heard of meeting a runaway
auto like this?"

"I guess we can be thankful that we weren't run down," returned Fred.
"You took a big chance, Jack, in jumping on board as you did."

"Oh, it wasn't such a risk," answered his cousin modestly. "I think the
auto was getting ready to stop anyhow."

"I wonder where the owner is?" questioned Andy.

"Perhaps the auto struck a stone and threw him out!" exclaimed Spouter
suddenly. "He may be lying along the trail somewhere stunned or dead."

"I guess the best thing we can do is to see if we can locate the owner,"
declared Gif, after a pause.

"Come on, Spouter. You get in the auto with me and we'll run it back in
the direction it came from," said Jack. "The other fellows can follow and
bring our horses."

"Do you think you can run this car?" questioned Spouter.

"Sure I can! It isn't much different from the cars I'm used to even
though it's a cheap one," was the reply.

Spouter dismounted and was soon beside Jack. The power was again turned
on and the car moved on with many a little jerk and jangling of
metal-ware.

"It's next door to a bit of junk," remarked Jack, as they moved forward
a