began under difficulties. Sharp stones and
cactus spikes penetrated the front tires, bursting them with ripping
reports. It took time to replace them. The planks were called into
requisition to cross soft places. A jagged point of projecting rock had
to be broken with a sledge. At length a huge stone appeared to hinder
any further advance. Madeline caught her breath. There was no room to
turn the car. But Link Stevens had no intention of such a thing. He
backed the car to a considerable distance, then walked forward. He
appeared to be busy around the boulder for a moment and returned down
the road on the run. A heavy explosion, a cloud of dust, and a rattle of
falling fragments told Madeline that her indomitable driver had cleared
a passage with dynamite. He seemed to be prepared for every emergency.
Madeline looked to see what effect the discovery of Link carrying
dynamite would have upon the silent Nels.

"Shore, now, Miss Majesty, there ain't nothin' goin' to stop Link," said
Nels, with a reassuring smile. The significance of the incident had
not dawned upon Nels, or else he was heedless of it. After all, he was
afraid only of the car and Link, and that fear was an idiosyncrasy.
Madeline began to see her cowboy driver with clearer eyes and his spirit
awoke something in her that made danger of no moment. Nels likewise
subtly responded, and, though he was gray-faced, tight-lipped, his eyes
took on the cool, bright gleam of Link's.

Cactus barred the way, rocks barred the way, gullies barred the way, and
these Nels addressed in the grim humor with which he was wont to view
tragic things. A mistake on Link's part, a slip of a wheel, a bursting
of a tire at a critical moment, an instant of the bad luck which might
happen a hundred times on a less perilous ride--any one of these might
spell disaster for the car, perhaps death to the occupants. Again and
again Link used the planks to cross washes in sand. Sometimes the wheels
ran all the length of the planks, sometimes slipped off. Presently
Link came to a ditch where water had worn deep into the road. Without
hesitation he placed them, measuring distance carefully, and then
started across. The danger was in ditching the machine. One of the
planks split, sagged a little, but Link made the crossing without a
slip.

The road led round under an overhanging cliff and was narrow, rocky, and
slightly downhill. Bidding Madeline and Nels walk round this hazardous
corner, Link dr