nd bonds
were removed.

"We're shut in," whispered Chick-chick. "Pretty mess I made of rescue, I
did."

"No mess at all," said Glen. "I'm free now and ready for anything, or
shall be when I get some circulation in my feet and hands. Can't move
till then, anyway. What d'ye s'pose Apple's doing?"

"Following us along, Apple is, you bet. When he gets a chance he'll help
us out, he will. Say, what's loose board here?"

"I don't know," replied Glen. "It's got a ring in it like it might be
intended to be lifted up."

"Bet I know," said Chick-chick. "I reckon the transmission case is just
below here, an' this is fixed to lift out so you can see transmission
without crawling underneath."

"It wouldn't make a big enough hole to let us out, would it?" asked
Glen.

"No, it wouldn't. But if I can get to that transmission I can stop
car--won't run little bit."

"Could you start it again?"

"Depend on what I did to gears."

"Let's try it."

The board came up easily. Four bolts held the lid of the transmission
case but were readily removed with Chick-chick's pocket wrench.

"Now we'll pack in something soft. Clog up the gears without breaking
'em."

"What good will that do--except make him mad."

"Help us out--it will. He isn't enough mechanic to find out why can't
run. Off he goes town after help. Leaves us here do as we please. We
know where trouble is. Fix it. Off we go."

There was plenty of soft material to feed into the transmission case.
The car pulled unsteadily and stopped. The boys cautiously replaced the
board in the floor and awaited developments. They could hear J. Jervice
tinkering around, examining brakes and wheels and everything but the
transmission.

"Hey, you!" he called after a few minutes. "You inside there! D'ye hear
me?"

Then as it probably occurred to him that he could expect no great
volubility from a gagged prisoner he continued:

"I've broke down an' I'm goin' to git help. When I bring a mechanic back
don't ye try makin' no racket or it'll be the worse for ye."

The first positive assurance that he had gone was when Apple came up on
the motorcycle, lifted the bar and opened the doors. It did not take
them long to scramble out.

The world looked very beautiful to the eyes of Glen Mason after his
hours of real peril and imprisonment. It was fine to be able once more
to stretch out and shake loose every little muscle, to be able to draw
in a long breath, just as deep as one wanted,