Motor Matt's Daring, or, True to His Friends

shaggy little animal was being driven by two ruffianly-looking men. One of the men had a club, and every once in a while he would reach over and hit the

e!" mutte

o," whispered Matt, "if I'm

t and Chub were hiding. They continued to talk as they approached. Evidently they wer

undrels. "You git half the claim, Jacks, purvidin' Hawley

me out o' my share in the 'strike,'" replied Jacks. "He's

"I kin tell about smashin' that machine at the Bluebell this mornin', on my

passed out of ear-shot. Chub, awed by what

four-flush with the club was the prospec

his morning and smashed that wireless apparatus on his way. Hawley d

ight up, Matt, an' have a hand in what happens-that is, if anything is goin' to ha

their machines, started slowly after them, working laboriously at the pedals, so tha

rail and the country flattened into a level mesa. To the astonishment of M

uzzled Chub, stopping his machin

il again, back somewhere amo

Chub anxiously. "If Jacks and Bisbee were

" interrupted Motor Matt.

dun-colored peak rising to the left of the trail, and half-way up the side of the

and no mistake. But where in Sam Hill are Bisbee and Jacks? If

ortune of the McReadys lies over there, at the foo

enough, and all of them had felt the bitter pinch of poverty. Now, suddenly, Fortune had shown them her smile, and if they were to profit by it, they must beat down

from the trail and headed straig

long before we're racing back to Ph?nix with a location notice. I was beginnin' to feel discouraged, an

and there was nothing to prevent them from making good speed. Only a quarter of a

uments!" called Ch

tanding at the corners of an oblong square, and marking the limits of the claim. In the

pole protruding from the middle. A board was fastened to the top o

e camp. A pack-saddle lay on the ground, and near it was a canvas-wrapped bundle. A pile of wood

und Jacks shouldn't get the best of him. Plucky old dad!" Chub's voice trembled a li

has no turning. Hard luck can't dog a fello

the claim, a burro was grazing on the mesquit-bushes. A small spring was cl

en we come into our money, we'll put Baldy in a gold barn

that," laughed Matt,

hills for the last five years-the two of them have gone thirsty and hungry together, and knocked into more hardships an

the ground in every direction. He picked up a piece and held it u

his claim's laid here as long as it has. I'll bet that dozens of pros

then, in the excess of his joy, he caught hold of Matt and

erstand. He hated to throw any cold water on Chub's effusive spirits,

ub?" Matt inquired, as h

att, that letter was five days gettin' to us. Hawley had it for a day, and the Mexican must have had it longer than he admitted, or else dad was w

g their talk on the pack-trail. From their manner, and what they had sa

location blanks," went on Matt, "and th

some blanks somewh

orse with him, b

sta

rs don't ride. They just walk, an' d

r only had

buzzin' around in yo

nd leave old Baldy behind. He wouldn't walk all the way to

ook of alarm drove all the j

d between Jacks and Bisbee. That lacked a good deal of being encouraging to the McReadys. And then, again, where's Dace Perry? He ought to be around here somewhere, but I'

ested Matt. "See what sort of a

or 'McReady's Hope,' or something like that,"

he notice. Matt saw his hands grip the pole hard, w

rong?" as

down dazedly

is notice at all. The claim is named the 'Pauper's Dr

Hawley?"

the board, "the gambler's won out on us, Matt. Jacks has put up his

on the ground at the foot of it, a

," said Chub brokenly, "

sternation ro

to this moment he hadn't entertained the least notion

Chub, looking up, "we don't know anythin