ge of a gentleman to alter his mind. I'd
like to crow over Frank Haywood and that greenhorn chum of his mighty
well; but I ain't going to run the chance of being carried down in a
landslip just for that. Huh! I guess not! What I said, stands, Nick.
And I hope the old slide comes while those two chaps are on the
mountain; yes, and gives them a dandy free ride, to boot!"

"Oh! jest as ye say, Peg! I'm willin' to do anythin' to please ye.
But p'raps we ain't goin' to git off so easy arter all," remarked Nick,
suggestively.

"Now, what do you mean by hinting in that way? And I've noticed you
twisting your neck to look up at the sky more'n a few times. Think
it's going to rain, do you?" demanded Peg.

"Don't _think_ nawthin' 'bout it; I _know_ it be." And, Nick added,
with emphasis, "I reckons as how it'll be jest a _screamer_ when she
comes."

"A storm, you mean?"

"A howler. Allers does when the wind backs up that way into the
sou'east. 'Sides, if so be ye air still sot on findin' out what makes
that thunder up this ways, p'raps ye'll have the chanct to look into
the same afore long, Peg."

"Oh! was that what I felt just now?" cried the boy, scrambling to his
knees. "It seemed to me the old mountain was trembling just like I did
once, when I had the ague. And Nick, I believe you're more'n half
right, because I sure heard a low grumble just then, like far-away
thunder. I wish I hadn't been such a fool as to come up here. Never
get me doing such a silly thing again as long as I live. Listen! It's
coming again, Nick, and louder than before. Don't you feel how the
ground shivers? Perhaps there's going to be a terrible landslip right
now! Do you think so, Nick?"

Frank and Bob, crouching close by, had also felt that quiver under
them. It gave the saddle boys a queer feeling. When the solid earth
moves it always affects human kind and animals in a way to induce fear;
because of the confidence they put in the stability of the ground.

And then there arose gradually but with increasing force a deep
terrible rumble.

Thunder Mountain was speaking!

CHAPTER XIV

A CALL FOR HELP

"Oh! what shall we do, Nick?" cried Peg.

His voice was now quivering with fear. Evidently whatever little
courage the fellow possessed, or the grit which had caused him to start
upon this mission of attempting to discover the cause of the mystery
connected with Thunder Mountain, had suddenly disappeared.

"Naw