At the top of the hill which guarded the deceptive hollow,Robert Grant Burns grinned over his shoulder at his character-woman."Wait till we start back;I'll know the road then,and we'll do some traveling!"he promised darkly,and laid his toe lightly on the brake.It pleased him to be considered a dare-devil driver;that is why he always drove whatever machine carried him.They went lurching down the curving grade into the hollow,and struck the patch of sand that had worn out the vocabularies of more eloquent men than he.Robert Grant Burns fed more gas,and the engine kicked and groaned,and sent the wheels bur-rowing like moles to where the sand was deepest.Axles under,they stuck fast.
When Jean and Lite came loping leisurely down the hill,the two women were fraying perfectly good gloves trying to pull "rabbit"brush up by the roots to make firmer foothold for the wheels.Robert Grant Burns was head-and-shoulders under the car,digging badger-like with his paws to clear the front axle,and coming up now and then to wipe the perspiration from his eyes and puff the purple out of his complexion.
Pete Lowry always ducked his head lower over the jack when he saw the heaving of flesh which heralded these resting times,so that the boss could not catch him laughing.Lee Milligan was scooping sand upon the other side and mumbling to himself,with a glance now and then at the trail,in the hope of sighting a good samaritan with six or eight mules,perhaps.Lee thought that it would take about that many mules to pull them out.
The two riders pulled up,smiling pityingly,just as well-mounted riders invariably smile upon stalled automobilists.This was not the first machine that had come to grief in that hollow,though they could not remember ever to have seen one sunk deeper in the sand.
"I guess you wouldn't refuse a little help,about now,"Lite observed casually to Lee,who was most in evidence.
"We wouldn't refuse a little,but a lot is what we need,"Lee amended glumly."Any ranch within forty miles of here?We need about twelve good horses,I should say."Lee's experience with sand had been unhappy,and his knowledge of what one good horse could do was slight.
"Shall we snake 'em out,Jean?"Lite asked her,as if he himself were absolutely indifferent to their plight.
"Oh,I suppose we might as well.We can't leave them blocking the trail;somebody might want to drive past,"Jean told him in much the same tone,just to tease Lee Milligan,who was looking them over disparagingly.
"We'll be blocking the trail a good long while if we stay here till you move us,"snapped Lee,who was rather sensitive to tones.
Then Robert Grant Burns gave a heave and a wriggle,and came up for air and a look around.He had been composing a monologue upon the subject of sand,and he had not noticed that strange voices were speaking on the other side of the machine.
"Hello,sis--How-de-do,Miss,"he greeted Jean guardedly,with a hasty revision of the terms when he saw how her eyebrows pinched together."I wonder if you could tell us where we can find teams to pull us out of this mess.I don't believe this old junk-wagon is ever going to do it herself.""How do you do,Mr.Burns?Lite and I offered to take you out on solid ground,but your man seemed to think we couldn't do it.""What man was that?Wasn't me,anyway.I think you can do just about anything you start out to do,if you ask me.""Thank you,"chilled Jean,and permitted Pard to back away from his approach.
"Say,you're some rider,"he praised tactlessly,and got no reply whatever.Jean merely turned and rode around to where Lite eased his long legs in the stirrups and waited her pleasure.
"Shall we help them out,Lite?"she asked distinctly.
"I think perhaps we ought to;it's a long walk to town.""I guess we better;won't take but a minute to tie on,"Lite agreed,his fingers dropping to his coiled rope.
"Seems queer to me that folks should want to ride in them things when there's plenty of good horses in the country.""No accounting for tastes,Lite,"Jean replied cheerfully."Listen.If that thin man will start the engine,--he doesn't weigh more than half as much as you do,Mr.Burns,--we'll pull you out on solid ground.
And if you have occasion to cross this hollow again,I advise you to keep out there to the right.There's a little sod to give your tires a better grip.It's rough,but you could make it all right if you drive carefully,and the bunch of you get out and walk.Don't try to keep around on the ridge;there's a deep washout on each side,so you couldn't possibly make it.We can't with the horses,even."Jean did not know that there was a note of superiority in her voice when she spoke the last sentence,but her listeners winced at it.Only Pete Lowry grinned while he climbed obediently into the machine to advance his spark and see that the gears were in neutral.
"Don't crank up till we're ready!"Lite expostulated.
"These cayuses of ours are pretty sensible,and they'll stand for a whole lot;but there's a limit.Wait till I get the ropes fixed,before you start the engine.