," added Sam.

"How far away from here is that place?" went on Dick.

"About a mile an' a half, sah. But the road am putty stony an' rough,
sah."

"Can a fellow ride horseback on those horses?"

"Yo' might, sah, if yo' had a saddle. But da ain't no saddle. Is yo'-all
thinkin' of goin'----"

"We'll take those horses," cut in Dick, shortly. "Now, don't worry,
we'll pay you well for using them, and see that they come back safely.
We have got to save those two girls, and we'll put those men in prison
if we can."

The old colored man was so amazed that he was all but bewildered. He did
not want to let the horses go, but the boys gave him no choice in the
matter. They unharnessed the steeds, and took the blankets on the wagon
seat for saddles.

"Sam, I guess Tom and I had better go on ahead," said Dick. "You can
follow on foot, if you want to, and you can come, too, if you wish," he
added, to the colored man.

"Say, ain't you afraid ob gitting shot, or sumfing like dat?" asked the
driver of the wagon.

"Maybe we can do a little shooting ourselves," answered Dick, grimly.

"Is yo'-all armed?"

"We are."

"Den I'll follow on foot, wid dis young gen'men," said the colored man.
He was afraid that if he did not follow he would not get the team back.

Once on horseback, Dick and Tom did not linger. Along the rough, hill
road they sped, urging the bony steeds along as best they could.
Fortunately there were no side trails to bewilder them.

"I hope we get there in time," remarked Tom, as they proceeded.

"So do I," answered Dick. "If they had a blow-out it may take that
chauffeur quite some time to put on a new inner tube and a shoe."

"If he had only busted his engine!" murmured Tom.

The way now became so rough that they had all they could do to keep on
the horses, and they wondered at the men in the automobile traveling
such a road.

"I suppose they came because it's so lonely," said Dick. "They knew
they'd be sure to meet more or less carriages and wagons on the
turnpike, and if the girls screamed they might be rescued."

At last they topped a hill and could see, on the top of the next hill, a
deserted house, the first of the deserted village of Snagtown. This made
them renew their efforts, and soon they were struggling up the hill
towards the house.

"Hark!" burst out Tom, suddenly. "What's that?"

"An engine!" exclaimed his brother. "They must have started up their
auto!"

"If that's the case, the