with the Rover boys on every possible occasion.

"No, the buckboard is crowded now," answered Dick. "You do what you can
to quiet Mrs. Rover."

"Yes, tell her not to worry about us," added Tom.

"And don't mention the pistol," called Sam, as the turnout moved on
again.

After leaving the vicinity of the farm, the boys had a distance of
thirteen miles to cover. Part of the road lay through the valley which
had given the farm its name, but then it ran up and over a series of
hills, and through several patches of woods. Under the trees it was
dark, and they had to slacken their speed for fear of accident.

"Danger ahead!" cried Sam presently, and Dick, who was driving, brought
the team to a halt. Across the road lay an uprooted tree.

"Can't drive around that," announced Sam, after an inspection. "And it
will be hard work dragging it out of the way."

"We'll drive over it," announced Dick. "Hold tight, if you don't want to
be bounced off."

He called to the horses, and the team moved forward slowly. They had not
been out of the stable for several days and were inclined to dance and
prance. They stepped in among the tree branches and then one animal
reared and tried to back.

"Get up there, Dan!" cried Dick. "None of that tomfoolery! Get up, I
say!"

The other horse wanted to go ahead, and he dragged his mate deeper into
the tree limbs. Then, without warning, the balky animal made a leap,
cleared the tree, and started down the road at breakneck speed.

"Look out, the team is running away!" yelled Sam, and then stopped
short, for he as well as the others were in danger of being thrown from
the buckboard.

CHAPTER V

RANDOLPH ROVER'S STORY

It was a time of peril, and all of the Rover boys realized this fully.
The buckboard was a strong one, but the road had been washed out so much
by the storm that it was very uneven, and the jouncing threatened each
moment to land one lad or another out on his head.

"Whoa! whoa!" yelled Dick, and did his best to rein in the team. But, as
mentioned before, they had not been out for several days and were
consequently fresh and inclined to keep on. Each had the bit in his
teeth, so pulling on the lines was of little avail.

"If we don't stop soon something is going to happen," was Tom's comment,
and scarcely had he spoken when they went down into a rut and Sam was
flung up and over a wheel into some brushwood. Then the team went on as
before.

The woods left be