CHAPTER XXVII

TROUBLE AT THE MINE

Several days' travel brought the party over the line into Arizona. They passed through a small village one noon, and, on inquiring their where-abouts were told that they were well within the borders of the state where their gold mine was located.

It began to rain shortly after this, and their trip was rather unpleasant, but, well wrapped up in rubber coats, they managed to keep fairly dry. As for the auto it did not seem to mind what kind of weather it was.

They camped that night under a clump of pine trees which served as a partial shelter, and it was so wet that no fire could be built. Jerry resorted to the stove made from one of the search-lights, and made some hot chocolate that warmed them all up.

The next day dawned clear, however, and with a better feeling the travelers took up their journey again. The way was becoming familiar to them, and they recognized many landmarks they had observed in their great race across the continent to secure the gold mine before Noddy Nixon and his crowd could win the claim, as told in detail in "The Motor Boys Overland."

That night they stayed in the town where the government assay office was located and to reach which there had been such an exciting brush between the two automobiles, the one run by Noddy, and that run by the Motor Boys. They saw several men whom they knew slightly, and who appeared much surprised to see them again.

"Well, well, well, where in the world did you come from?" asked the proprietor of the hotel, as the auto drew up in front of his place. He had been quite friendly with the boys while they stayed at the mine, and had sold them many supplies.

"We've been down to Mexico for a change of air," said Jerry.

"I suppose it didn't agree with you, or you wouldn't be coming back so soon," went on the proprietor.

"Well, we thought our mine needed looking after," Jerry remarked.

"Looking after? I should say it did," the proprietor continued. "Jim Nestor was here the other day and he said if you didn't come back pretty soon and do something, there wouldn't be any mine."

"Is that right?" asked Ned, thinking the man might be trying to scare them for a joke.

"Straight as a string," was the answer. "It seems that the title to the place is in doubt."

"I know, Nestor wrote us about that," put in Jerry. "But he is still in possession, isn't he?"

"Can't say," replied the hotel man. "He was very anxious the last time I saw him, and that was a week ago. If I was you I'd look after it the first thing in the morning."

"We will," said Jerry. "I wonder if the government office is closed."

"Long ago," said the proprietor of the inn. "Why?"

"I was thinking I could go there and find out what sort of claim there was against our property," answered the boy.

"You'll have to wait until ten o'clock to-morrow morning," went on the man. "They've got a new official in charge and he takes more time off than he puts in. Some one ought to write to the President about it. There's lots of kicks about the way he acts."

Neither the boys nor the professor did much sleeping that night, because of worry over the mine tangle. They made an early breakfast and then started for their claim, which they expected to reach in about two hours unless something unexpected occurs.

The way was familiar to them, and recalled many old memories of the exciting times they had in locating and proving their claim. They pointed out to Mr. Bell the various landmarks as they passed them, but the former hermit seemed to have fallen into a sort of stupor. His eyes had a vacant stare and he took no interest in what was being said.

"I'm afraid he's going to be sick," said Jerry to the professor. "He has hardly spoken since we came into Arizona, and he used to be quite a talker."

"I guess it is only the excitement wearing off," said Mr. Snodgrass. "He will be all right in a day or two. He has had a pretty hard life the last few weeks."

Tommy was worried about his father, and sat beside him, holding his hand, now and then looking up into his face, as if he feared to lose his parent again.

As they neared the mine Mr. Bell seemed to become more dazed. Yet he appeared to be struggling to recall something that he had once known and forgotten.

Suddenly he stood up in the automobile, as the car passed a deserted and tumbled down hut and exclaimed:

"See! There it is! There is the place!"

"What place, father? What do you mean?" asked Tommy.

But Mr. Bell sat down again, and seemed to have forgotten that he had spoken. The professor could note, however, that there was a struggle going on in the old man's mind.

"I hope he does not become raving mad, yet it looks bad for him," the professor thought to himself.

"Ten minutes more and we'll be there!" exclaimed Jerry, crowding on a little more speed. "I do hope Nestor is having no trouble."

They were in the midst of a wild mountainous country now. On either side of the road were great bowlders, while a little further back was scrub timber which extended for a mile or more before the deeper woods were reached.

They were just rounding the last turn of the road to swing into the straight stretch that would take them to the mine when there sounded on the air the crack of a rifle. An instant later Mr. Bell gave a convulsive start and fell over in his seat.

"They've killed him! They've shot him!" cried Tommy, while Jerry suddenly brought the machine to a stop. Glancing across to the left a small curling cloud of smoke could be seen floating above a big stone.

"There's where the shot came from," said Ned.

"Is he badly hurt?" asked Jerry of Professor Snodgrass, who was bending over Mr. Bell.

"It is hard to say," was the answer. "The bullet struck him on the head, but there is so much blood I can't tell how bad the wound is. Push on to the mine. Perhaps Nestor can help us."

Jerry started the machine again. It had attained a good speed when, from the side of the road came a hail.

"Motor Boys, ahoy!"

"There's Nestor!" cried Ned, pointing to a man who stood in front of a small shanty. "Hello, Nestor!" he called.

"Hello!" responded the miner, running down to the road. "Well, I am certainly glad to see you."

"Quick, Nestor!" exclaimed Mr. Snodgrass. "We have a wounded man here, and must get him to the shanty at the mine as soon as possible."

"We can't do it," replied Nestor.

"Why not?"

"Didn't you get my letter?"

"Only the one saying there might be a possibility of trouble."

"Well trouble came all right. I've been driven from the mine, and it's in possession of a bad gang. So we can't take the wounded man there."

"What are we to do?" asked Jerry, seeing that Mr. Bell was bleeding badly.

"Bring him into my cabin," said Nestor. "I came here after the gang drove me out. I can put you up, I guess."

Jerry ran the car up close to the shanty and Mr. Bell, who was unconscious, was carried in and laid as tenderly as possible on the single bunk of which the place boasted.

"Now some warm water and clean clothes," said Mr. Snodgrass. "I must wash the wound and see how bad it is."

"I haven't a bit of hot water," said Nestor.

"There's plenty in the radiator of the auto," spoke Jerry. "Give me a pail and I'll soon get some."

He soon had a plentiful supply that was almost boiling, and, cooling it somewhat, the naturalist carefully washed the blood from the wounded man's head. Then he examined the hurt.

"Will he die?" asked Tommy, as he stood around, tearfully.

"Not this time," replied Mr. Snodgrass, cheerfully. "The bullet appears to have only grazed the scalp a bit, but it probably gave him a pretty hard knock. He'll soon come around right I guess."

Mr. Bell was made as comfortable as possible, and, as there was nothing to do but wait until he became conscious, he was left in charge of his son. Tommy was told to call as soon as his father showed signs of awakening, and then the others surrounded Nestor, eager to hear about the mine.

"I guess it's gone," said the old prospector. "As I wrote you, the title seems to have some flaw in it, and this gang, which came from somewheres to the southeast, found it out, and served papers on me. It appears that there is a man missing who holds the key to the situation, and who owns the majority of the mine, but he can't be found, and so our title is no good."

The news depressed the spirits of all. They had been hoping that the trouble was small and temporary and that Nestor would find a way out. Now they stood to lose the mine they had struggled so hard to get.

"Did you resist their claim?" asked Mr. Snodgrass.

"You bet I did," replied Nestor. "I went to court over it, but the judge said though it was morally wrong to put me out, yet the others had the law on their side, and he had to decide against me.

"I didn't give up even then, for I barricaded the place and defied 'em to get me out. But the sheriff came and said that was no way to do. He had the law with him, and he said it would be his duty to shoot me if I resisted. He advised going to a higher court, and so, rather than have any bloodshed I gave up, and decided to camp out here until you came. I've been here about two weeks now."

"Then the mine's gone," remarked Jerry, sorrowfully.

"We can try the courts," said Nestor, hopefully.

"It would take years to settle the case," put in Mr. Snodgrass. "No, I guess you are beaten, boys."

"I will not give up yet," said Jerry.

"What are you going to do?" asked Ned.

"I'm going to town, hire the best lawyer I can get, and see what he says. There may be a way out of this yet."

"That's the way to talk!" exclaimed Bob. "I'm with you."

Jerry lost no time. He hurried to the auto, and with Bob for company made the run to town in record time. He was directed to a lawyer's office, and, finding the attorney, who was a young chap, in, paid him a retainer and stated the case briefly.

"I just want to know how we stand, what sort of a claim there is against our title, and what we can do to perfect it," said Jerry.

"It's quite a lot of information to get at in a hurry," said the lawyer, "but I'll do my best. I'll be ready for you at four o'clock this afternoon."

"I'll call for you then," went on Jerry, "and take you back to Nestor's shanty, where you can explain the whole thing to us."

Then the boys, with a feeling of dread that their mine was gone forever, in spite of all they could do, went back to where the others were.