sswood was already out of the car,
standing in water and mud over his shoe-tops.

"Here, catch the rope!" called out our hero, and sent one end whirling
toward the other car in true cowboy fashion--a trick he had learned
while staying at Star Ranch.

Mr. Basswood caught the rope, and soon had it adjusted to the front axle
of the car. In the meanwhile Dave and his uncle fastened the other end
to the rear axle of their own turnout.

"Now then, turn on your power when I sound my horn," directed Dave.

"Right you are!" yelled back Ben, who was at the wheel.

Mr. Porter remained on the ground to watch proceedings, while Dave
re-entered the Wadsworth machine and turned on the power. Then our hero
sounded the horn and began to advance. The towing-rope strained and
cracked, and threatened for a moment to snap. Slowly the Wadsworth car
went ahead inch by inch. The rear wheels of the Basswood machine churned
the water and mud furiously.

"Say! we don't seem to be getting out of this very fast," remarked
Shadow, who was in the rear car beside Mrs. Basswood.

"Put on all your power, Ben. It's the only thing you can do," ordered
the lad's father.

The rear wheels of the second machine ground deeper into the mud and
loose stones, throwing them and the water up into the air and even onto
the cover of the machine. The towing-rope continued to creak ominously.

"Be on guard, everybody, if that rope breaks!" cried Mr. Basswood,
warningly. He knew that if the towing-line parted near one end or the
other there was grave danger of the flying rope coming back to damage
one of the machines.

Inch by inch the second car moved forward. Dave had not dared to turn on
all power, fearing to snap the towing-line, but now, as the second
machine gained a little headway, he added power steadily.

"Hurrah! Here we come!" shouted Luke, in a tone of relief. And a few
seconds later the Basswood car rolled out of the water and mud to the
comparatively dry roadway ahead.

"Say, that was some stunt--to get out of there!" was Shadow's comment.

"I'm mighty glad the other car was here to help us," answered Ben. "If
it hadn't been here I guess we would have stayed there for a while," he
added, grimly.

"I think both our cars will need washing after this trip," observed
Dave, with a grin, as he coiled up the towing-line once more and stowed
it away.

"This sure is some ending to this trip!" observed Ben, making a wry
face.

"We haven't seen t