The Motor Rangers Through the Sierras

he hay wagon in Lower California," commented Joe, as the auto

quite recovered from the strain of those terrible moment

-m-m-mile any day," said Ding-dong, a

matter. The two boys in the tonneau steered it by giving the pole a push or a tug as occasion required-much as they would have handled th

rough houses and a hotel. In the heydey of gold mining, Lariat had been quite a flourishing place, but the hand of decay was upon it at the present time. The hotel, however, was, as Ding-dong

kes, bringing the stage likewise to a standstill. The postmaster, a long, lanky Westerner, with a

d, as Cal looked at him questioningly. "They come

gathered about the stage, "and ef it hadn't been for th

g, Cal?" asked

hey would have taken them if it hadn't bin for the noise this here gasolene giglet made as

hey've bin active hereabouts lately. Jes heard afore you come in the

ered man, who had been listening with an angry, red

m we'll furnish ther men to smoke 'em out. But up to date no one ain't bin

," opined Cal; "but you can bet that the old colon

d one or two in the

he crowd which, never having seen an auto before, elbowed right up and indulged in comment and investigation. Ding-dong caught one bewhiskered old fellow in the ver

he crowd. Such was his explanation of t

ter a run of sixty miles struck the railroad in the valley. This stage was to start in half an hour. After a hasty meal the white-whiskered man and his family, and

good as new by morning. This arranged, the boys sauntered back to the hotel just in time to watch the other stage pull out. On a rear seat sat the white-

a drummer, and they could hear frequent exclamations of "Bah!" coming back toward them, like the

pany at the meal was a tall man with a black mustache droop

in an undertone as they concluded the meal and arose, lea

lliantly in the clear and sharp atmosphere peculiar to the high regions of the Sierras. In the silvery radiance every

hey stood about on the veranda wondering wha

o any one, the lads sauntered off down the road. The balmy scent of pines a

ows, this is livi

agreed Jo

the unpoetical Ding-dong, smacking his

t in mock disgust, "alw

ing on harpoons, isn't it?" asked Ding

ting. Not harpoons on

dong. "Well, don

reatened Joe, pointing downward into a black abyss which, at the portion

Ding-dong, avoiding the threatened fate, however

I'll do," cri

manded Joe, as N

ows a race to the

emerging immediately thereafter, "don't bust your e

and noted that the road was quite steep f

all branches of athletics. Their blood fairly tingled as

st it

ons in their speed and activity. There was no question about it, Ding-dong could run. Five feet or so behind him came Joe

m a stiff tussle. Reaching the finishing line, Nat looked back up the

ng!" yelled Nat

dong's feet caught in a rock, and at the impetus he had attained, the sudden shock caus

ve the ground for a brief second, and then, as Joe dashed across the line he came do

laimed Nat as he s

at, and started for the recumbent Ding-dong. As they neared his s

didn't I?"

ou had fractured every bone

made of cast-iron,"

ease the boy a bit in revenge for the fright he had given them, "but

le," retorted Ding-dong, and as this seemed to be no more

el," said Nat, "we want to get an early start to-

dly out of his mouth b

e on the mountain-side above them. In fact, he now saw that a trail cut into the road above the point at which they stood. In th

he boys recognized the features and tall, ungainly outline of the man with the black mustache-"Alkali Ike." He ca

ntently. Then he gave a low, peculiar whis

bove them they heard the signal

he boys, crouching back in a patch of shadow behind a chaparral clump, could hear