CHAPTER XVI.
A RUSH OF GOLD SEEKERS.
"Help! help!" screamed Bob.
The bear made a dive for him and the boy cast himself forward on hisface.
"What's the matter? What is it?" cried Hank Broswick, springing to hisfeet.
"Indians! Indians!" exclaimed Professor Snodgrass, rolling himselftightly up in his blanket.
"It isn't Indians! It's a bear killing Bob!" cried Jerry.
The animal, with savage growls, had pounced on the unfortunate boy andwas trying to get hold of him with the powerful claws. Bob, after hisfirst wild screams, became quiet, digging his fingers into the earth tohold himself down.
"Wait a minute! I'll kill the brute!" cried the hunter.
He had seized his ever-ready rifle and rushed over toward the bear.But the fierce beast was so close to Bob that Broswick could not firewithout danger of hitting the lad.
"Here, boy, take the gun!" yelled the hunter to Jerry. "If you see megetting the worst of it, fire!"
"What are you going to do?" exclaimed Jerry.
"I'm going to kill that brute with my knife!" cried Broswick.
Drawing a keen blade from the sheath at his belt, he jumped straighton the bear's back. The beast, with a fierce growl of rage, turned andtried to bite the legs of the strange enemy that was plunging somethingterrible and sharp into his shoulders.
Ned threw some wood on the fire. It blazed up brightly and, by the lightof it, the boys and Nestor saw the bear rear on his haunches, withBroswick still clinging to his back.
The hunter had one hand clasped in the shaggy fur of the brute, andthe other was sending the knife, again and again, into the thick skin,trying to reach a vital spot.
Bob had rolled to one side, out of harm's way, and suffered no more thana rough mauling by the brute. But Broswick was not to escape so easily.
With a sudden movement the bear turned, shook the hunter loose, andthen, before the brave fellow could defend himself, the savage animalhad clasped him in the terrible and powerful claws.
"Help! He's squeezing me to death!" Broswick cried.
His arms were pinned to his sides and he could not get a chance to usehis knife, which he still held.
Jerry saw his chance. Approaching close to the bear from behind, the boyplaced the muzzle of the gun against the brute's head.
There was a loud report, a last fierce growl, and the animal, with aconvulsive hug of the hunter, dropped over, dead. Jerry had shot just intime.
Broswick, too, fell to the earth and at first the boys thought he waskilled. But in a little while he arose and felt of his arms and legs.
"I'm all here," he said. "Guess there ain't much harm done, but it was apretty tight squeeze!"
"I thought you were a goner," spoke Jerry.
"That ain't nothin'," answered the hunter. "You ought to hev seen mefight a grizzly once!"
In the light of the fire, which was now blazing brightly, it was seenthat the bear was a big specimen. As he lay stretched out on the groundhe measured eight feet from his nose to his short tail.
"You know I tole ye there was a few bears now an' agin'," remarked thehunter, as he gave his former foe a kick. "Waal, I reckon some of 'emmust 'a' heard me an' wanted to show I was tellin' the truth," he added,with a drawl.
No one felt much like sleep after this excitement, so they sat aroundthe camp-fire until it began to get light. Then coffee was made, andthe hunter proceeded to skin his prize. He cut off some choice steaks,which were broiled over the coals. The boys thought they had nevertasted anything so good.
After breakfast the tires were pumped up, the baggage was packed intothe auto and preparations made for the start.
"Where's Professor Snodgrass?" asked Ned, noticing the absence of thenaturalist. Then they all remembered that they had not seen him sincethe morning meal.
"He's probably off gathering some bugs or stones," said Jerry. "Let'sgive a yell to call him in."
In a chorus they gave a loud hallo, and in reply received a faint callfrom a small ravine.
"He's over there," said Broswick, pointing in the direction the voicehad come from. "But hark! Sounds like he was in trouble!"
Faintly the wind bore to the adventurers the sound of the professor'svoice pleading with some one.
"Now, please don't!" he was saying, or rather calling aloud. "You knowyou shouldn't do that! Let me alone, I say! Get out of my way or I'llthrow a stone at you!"
"The Indians are after him!" exclaimed Bob.
"There are no Indians around here, Chunky," spoke Jerry. "You must haveredskins on the brain."
Broswick and Nestor hurried over to the ravine. As they reached it theycould be heard laughing long and heartily. Soon a small, wild goat wasseen to run from the cut, leaping away over the plain. Out of the defilecame the professor, Nestor and Broswick.
"The wild goat had him treed," spoke Nestor.
"Truly that was a savage brute," said the professor. "I was gatheringsome specimens, and had my arms full, when along comes this beast, withlowered horns, and nearly knocked me over. I had barely time to run formy life and climb a tree before he was after me again. His sharp hornsscraped my shoe as I climbed. There I was, treed. I didn't dare comedown, for fear he would eat me, or horn me to death. I don't know what Ishould have done if you gentlemen hadn't come along."
"Oh, we only scared him away!" said Broswick.
"Pardon me, just a moment," interrupted the professor, making a quickmotion toward Nestor and picking something from his shoulder. "There, Ihave it. I am very much obliged to you."
"What sort of game did ye git this trip?" asked the hunter, somewhatamused at the naturalist.
"A rare specimen of the fly that lives in the wool of wild goats,"replied the professor. "The insect is very valuable. It must have jumpedfrom the goat to you."
After a little consultation the party started off, the auto making apace slow enough so the hunter's horse could easily keep up. For severaldays the journey was continued, with no accidents to mar the way. Theadventurers had reached well down into New Mexico by this time and hadabout one hundred miles farther to go before they could make the spur ofthe mountain and avoid going over the range.
One afternoon, following a good day's run, Ned brought the machine to astop below a little hill, where it was decided to spend the night, asthe place was sheltered.
Jerry happened to glance to the rear, over the back trail, as he wasgetting out the supper utensils, and uttered a cry.
"What's that?" he asked, pointing to a long line of men that were filingalong a road that joined the main one about where the camp was to bemade.
"Looks like a procession," observed Broswick.
"They're miners, that's what they are!" cried Nestor, after a long look."Every one has his pack on his back, his washing-pan and his pick andshovel."
"What are they coming this way for?" asked Ned.
"They are on the rush, seeking gold," explained the miner. "Word hascome to the camp where they were that rich pay-dirt has been struck insome locality. They all want to get at it, so they pack up and leavefor the new field. Many's the time I've done it."
In a little while the foremost of the miners reached the auto camp. Theyseemed surprised to see the machine, but did not stop.
"What's your hurry, mate?" asked Nestor, of one big, brawny chap who waswalking fast.
"Want to make as many miles as I can before sundown," was the reply."There's rich diggin's ahead, an' I want to stake a good claim."
"Where might they be located?" asked Nestor.
"Why, ain't you heard? I thought every one had," answered the other."They're in the lower part of Arizona, in what they call the Hop ToadDistrict."
Nestor gave a start. The miner passed on, fearful lest even his briefstop would cost him his place in the cavalcade.
"The Hop Toad District!" muttered Nestor. "That's the district where mylost mine is located! I hope that hasn't been discovered. If it has itmeans all our work has gon
e for nothin'!"
The Motor Boys Overland; Or, A Long Trip for Fun and Fortune Page 17
