run into me."

"I'll drop back to a place of safety," returned the senator's son.
"There is no use of keeping so close together, anyway."

The road wound in and out among the trees, and in some spots was so
narrow that the boys had to run with great care, for fear of bumping
into the stump of a tree or on the rocks, or switching into some
low-hanging branch. Dave had his foot on the brake, ready to stop
quickly, should it become necessary to do so.

"Hi, there! Stop! Don't you dare to come any further!"

The call was an unexpected one, coming just as the leading automobile
hove in sight of the Falls. Dave saw Nat Poole hurrying towards him,
followed by Merwell and Jasniff. Pete Barnaby was nowhere in sight, and
the marks on the narrow road told that his racing car had gone on ahead.

"What do you want, Nat?" asked Dave, as coolly as he could, having
brought his machine to a standstill.

"Can't you read, Dave Porter?" fumed the son of the Crumville
money-lender.

"Certainly I can read."

"Well, then, what are you doing on this road? You know it is closed. You
haven't any right on it at all--you or anybody else. You turn around and
go back, just as quick as you can."

"This is a public road, Nat Poole!" cried Ben. "You hadn't any right to
put up that sign."

"Humph! A lot you know about it, Ben Basswood! This is my father's land,
and I reckon he knows his rights. You are not going down to the Falls
to-day to have your picnic." And Nat's small eyes gleamed maliciously.

"We don't intend to go down to the Falls,--now that we know how matters
stand," said Dave. "But we are going through on this road."

"Not much you ain't--not another step!" roared Nat.

"That's right, Nat, make 'em keep off your property," put in Link
Merwell.

"Show 'em that you won't allow a poorhouse nobody to dictate to you,"
added Nick Jasniff, but in such a low voice that Dave did not catch all
he said.

"I said we were going through on this road--and we are," answered Dave,
calmly, and he started to turn on the power again. As he did this Nat
Poole leaped to the road directly in front of the touring car, and
Jasniff and Merwell followed suit.

"Stop! Don't you dare to touch me, or I'll have the law on you!"
screamed the money-lender's son.

"We'll fix 'em for you, Nat!" cried Nick Jasniff. "Come on, Link, get to
work!" And leaping to one side of the roadway he dragged forth the dead
limb of a tree and dropped it in front of the