wheel must be mended!"

"Yes! Come on, there is no time to lose!"

Past the deserted house they rode, and then around a turn where were
located several other houses and barns. Then they came in sight of the
deserted mill, down in a hollow by a stream. Further still was a bridge
and not far from this structure stood a big, enclosed touring car
painted dark blue!

"There it is! There's the auto!" cried Dick.

"And they are starting up!" added his brother. "Hi! stop! Stop, you
rascals!" he yelled.

The horses clattered through the lonely street of the deserted village
and the noise they made and the shouting, made those in the automobile
look back.

"Two men on horseback!" cried one of the men.

"The Rover boys, Dick and Tom!" exclaimed another. "Hurry up!"

"It's old Crabtree!" cried Dick, as he saw the head of that individual
thrust out of the touring car. "And Tad Sobber!" he added, as a
second head appeared.

[Illustration: JUST AS THE MACHINE REACHED THE OTHER SIDE, THE BRIDGE
WENT DOWN WITH A CRASH.--_Page_ 228.]

"Stop! stop, you rascals!" continued Tom. "Don't you dare to go another
step!"

"Save us! Save us!" came in girlish voices from the interior of the
touring car. "Oh, Dick! Oh, Tom! Save us!"

"Hurry up--start her up!" screamed Tad Sobber frantically, to the
chauffeur. "Put on all power!"

The driver was already in his seat and the motor was humming loudly. He
threw in the low gear, and off the touring car started slowly. After it
clattered Dick and Tom, still a hundred feet in the rear.

"Let me get out!" screamed Dora. "Oh, let me get out!"

"Yes! Yes!" pleaded Nellie. "Please let us get out!"

"Stop your noise and sit still!" commanded Josiah Crabtree. And he and
Sobber and the third fellow forced the two girls back on the seat.

Dick and Tom urged the horses forward with all speed. But before they
could reach the touring car, the chauffeur threw in second speed and
then quickly changed to high, and away the automobile rattled, over the
rickety bridge. The structure had not been built for such a weight,
and, just as the machine reached the other side, the bridge went down
with a crash.

"Look out!" yelled Dick, and the warning came none too soon, for both he
and Tom were almost on the bridge. They turned their horses just in
time, came to a sudden halt in some bushes, and stared blankly at each
other.

"Gone!" cried Tom, hollowly. "Oh, what luck!"

"Quick, your pistol, Tom!" cr