e
Terror made a rush for the outlaws, it ceased.

Every one of them drove their horses into the passages, and were
instantly swallowed up by the gloom.

Jack cut out the current and put on the brakes.

"They're gone. That settles it. We can't follow them into those narrow
passages!" he exclaimed. "Let's destroy this place and go out!"

He procured several of the hand grenades, to which binding screws were
attached, planted them in niches in the walls, joined them in series by
copper wires, and from the two end ones ran two lead wires to the
dynamo.

Jack ran the stage out into the gulch.

There he turned a current of electricity into the wires, the bombs were
burst, and the cave was blown up.

It was completely wrecked.

The roof fell in, the walls caved in, the passages were choked up with
debris, and it was rendered utterly useless as a place of resort again
for the outlaws.

Jack sent the stage dashing through the gulch.

It emerged into a valley through which ran a stream which wound in and
out among the hills.

Instead of finding the bandits there though, Jack was chagrined to see
that the passages they followed had led them up into the hills.

He saw some of the villains speeding away on their horses for the other
side of the range.

It was not possible to follow them up there amid the tangled shrubbery
and tumbled rocks with the stage.

"The only course to pursue," Jack commented, "is to go around the base
of the hills and try to reach them that way."

"It's a mighty long course, my lad," said Tim.

"That's so; but there is no alternative."

"Vhere yer tink dey go now, Dimperlake?" asked Fritz.

"Out of the State, as fast as possible," the sheriff answered.

"Vhy yer tink me dot?"

"Because they've made a rich haul from the Husking Valley Bank, and we
have sickened them with this section of the country. They are not used
to such rough treatment."

"The James Boys won't leave Missouri until after I land them in prison,"
resolutely said Jack, "I've come here to do it and I won't be baffled.
You know I've got the money they stole from the Wrightstown Bank. Now
I'm going to get the governor's reward, or know the reason why."

"If you think you can do it, I'm with you heart and soul," replied the
sheriff. "My chief ambition as to break up that gang, and get the
nippers on those dare devil brothers."

"To leave the State what place would they go to first?"

"Well, as near as I can judge,