rees. As it was, he ran directly on top of some of the
tree limbs before he could come to a stop, and Roger, so close behind,
had to turn into some bushes to avoid ramming the car in front.

"Well, of all things!" burst out Phil, while several of the girls
screamed in fright.

"Who did this?" demanded the senator's son.

"It is easy to see who did it," answered Dave. "See the sign?" And he
pointed to a big white card, tacked to a post propped up among the logs
and tree limbs. On the card was painted, in red, the following:

THIS ROAD CLOSED

_By Order of Aaron Poole
Pres. Eureka Paper Co._

"This is some of Nat's work!" burst out Phil. "That is why he was in
such a hurry to get ahead of us."

"I believe you," answered Dave. "I was afraid he was up to some trick,
but I didn't want to say anything about it until I was sure."

"But if Nat is guilty, how did he know we were coming here?" asked
Roger.

"I guess I can explain that," said Ben. "I was talking to my cousin
about it, down at the drug store. Just as we were coming out, after
having some soda, I saw Nat behind one of the partitions. He must have
heard all we said, and I suppose it made him mad to think we were going
to have a good time, and that he wouldn't be in it."

"Exactly," returned Dave. "Just as he was mad when he wasn't invited to
the party, and tried to spoil the ice-cream."

"Do you suppose they have a right to close the road?" questioned Roger.

"I don't know. I always thought this was a public highway."

"So it is," added Ben. "The paper company bought the ground on one side
of the road but not on the other. I don't think they can stop us from
going through, even though they may stop us from going down to the
Falls."

"But if we can't go to the Falls, what is the use of keeping on this
road?" asked Laura.

"We can go above the Falls, Laura," answered her brother. "There is a
beautiful spot there called Lookout Point, where you can look out all
over the valley."

The matter was talked over for a few minutes, and the boys decided to go
ahead, to show that they considered that they had a right to use the
road, even if they did not go down to the Falls. The roadway was cleared
sufficiently to let the cars pass, and the power was turned on once
again.

"Be careful, Dave, that you don't run into more trouble!" sang out
Roger.

"I'll be on the lookout!" was the answer. "And you be prepared to stop
quick, too, so as not to