o we can see what's going on," Jimmie replied

was left just over that cliff. There is a valley-a dent in the slope of the mountain-on each side

n a few moments he was seen on the shelf, then he darted around the sho

hen he gained the shelf on the opposite side he saw the Vixen slowly lifting in the air. The automobile stood above her, on the leve

d only a short time to work over her, but for all that she was slowly leaving the narrow pit i

e motor car, moving very slowly forward, was pulling her up the steep a

"they'll get her up in the air. You can see where they've be

n, just now," Ned said

ighway through which s

ome tunnel, for ther

op

ere!" he cried, as the wheels of the Vixen struck the level area.

he's loading

tedly. "Jump for the Nelson, kid, and get her i

what the intentions o

the Vixen down with s

ass; out from the no

had now left

ey're gettin' ready to drop stones an' blazin' grass down on her pl

e shoulder of rock and began working their way down into the place where the Nelson lay, with Pedro, all uncon

was rising from the ground. Just how they had managed to repair her so quickly

mie, as the two paused a moment

ropped a dozen feet and caught on the poin

"That was a tumble! G

catch

his body forced Ned from the crevice in which he clung, and together they rolled do

like a rag in his arms as he straightened out and

t the aeroplane sailed on, apparently unharmed. In a moment she w

n great stones down on the frail planes of the Nelson. Then a puff of smoke came from the driver's

o unnerved and excited that his bullets went wild. The crash of stones on the br

e still air, the individual pieces of the bundle falling apart. Some of the little swirls of fl

coat, or anything the he could find, but the Peruvian was nowhere to be se

rectly the planes were in a blaze. Ned laid Jimmie down on a narrow ledge and finished e

road in the And

d shot upward, apparently not caring to engage in combat w

tongue of flame on the under plane. The driver evidently did not unde

of the plane with something like awe in his heart. If the driver did

nd opened his eyes. He had a bad cut on his forehead, but ot

at Ned with a grin. "I gue

ich was taking place in the air. Jimmie followed the direct

urn up!"

t seemed to Ned that the fellow's clothes were on fire, too, for

his'n!" Jim

hot, leaving a trail of flame and s

the air as they came down. The fall must have been fully five hundred feet, and Ned knew that it would be usel

edro now ran out of his hiding place and attempted

h a sigh. "Now, how are we goin' to get o

t the same way the ot

ost their ae

"but they have a motor car, and

dwork on the Nelson and made a h

rted. "If we can get something that w

way! I'll chase that automobile into where it came

tter to send Pe

and I can sleuth about this rotten country in sea

dge and followed down into the valley where she lay. In a moment she was out of

here was only one person in the car. Mr.

should he remain here? What furthe

ine he found Jimmie busy poli

is new planes!"

did she stand off and on, as seamen say, and take note of your course indifferently? What

the little fellow. "Then, when he saw m

ming in Ned's brain. Why had the Vixen always followed the Nel

erness? Surely there were no accommodations in sight in thos

id not appeal to the boy. With the Nelson hopelessly out of repair, he could well afford to leave the lads to their fate, as the chan

tion taken by Collins. He had a subconscious impression that he kne

been running back and forth in the valley in quest of

hale!" the littl

and cook him,"

hey are good to eat. If you go over into the little jun

wo valleys and began a careful inspection of the rock formation. Away around to the east, unde

ck into the cliff perhaps a dozen feet, was a cavern which looked out on the v

bitation. It had undoubtedly been occupied as a s

stant use. There was a tiny fire burning in a crevice which served as a

aining food of various kinds. Thrown over a heap of broken bo

ving mug. Ned picked up the coat and thrust a hand into an inside pocket. Th

in columns, as if the maker had been setting down items of expense and adding them up. The

t of letters, all enclosed in envelopes and neatly ticketed on the b

ry one of them, were a

Asuncion