But that was just what did happen, and although both Ben and his father did their best to free the car from the mud, it was without avail. They managed to get to within fifteen feet of the end of the wet place, and there they stayed, unable to budge either forward or backward. "Listen! he is sounding his horn!" cried Roger, during a brief lull in the storm. "I guess he wants us to come back and help pull him out," answered Dave, and sounded a reply to show that he had heard the call of distress. "What are you going to do, Dave--try to turn around here or back down?" asked Roger. "Oh, it's too narrow to turn here!" cried Laura, in alarm. "You'll have us all over in the ditch if you don't look out!" came from one of the others in the car. "I see a little wider spot further ahead," answered Dave, and turned on the power once more. Soon he had reached the place in question, and there, by skillful maneuvering, he managed to turn the touring-car the other way. Then he came down the hill slowly until within a few feet of the bad spot in the highway. "Hello there!" called out Mr. Basswood. "I guess you'll have to get out that towing-rope again and give us a lift." "Just what I thought," answered Dave. "We'll have it out in a jiffy." He and his uncle alighted once more, taking with them the towing-rope that had been used before. Mr. Basswood was already out of the car, standing in water and mud over his shoe-tops. "Here, catch the rope!" called out our hero, and sent one end whirling toward the other car in true cowboy fashion--a trick he had learned while staying at Star Ranch. Mr. Basswood caught the rope, and soon had it adjusted to the front axle of the car. In the meanwhile Dave and his uncle fastened the other end to the rear axle of their own turnout. "Now then, turn on your power when I sound my horn," directed Dave. "Right you are!" yelled back Ben, who was at the wheel. Mr. Porter remained on the ground to watch proceedings, while Dave re-entered the Wadsworth machine and turned on the power. Then our hero sounded the horn and began to advance. The towing-rope strained and cracked, and threatened for a moment to snap. Slowly the Wadsworth car went ahead inch by inch. The rear wheels of the Basswood machine churned the water and mud furiously. "Say! we don't seem to be getting out of this very fast," remarked Shadow, who was in the rear car beside Mrs. Basswood. "Put on all your power, Ben. It's the only thing you can do," ordered the lad's father. The rear wheels of the second machine ground deeper into the mud and loose stones, throwing them and the water up into the air and even onto the cover of the machine. The towing-rope continued to creak ominously. "Be on guard, everybody, if that rope breaks!" cried Mr. Basswood, warningly. He knew that if the towing-line parted near one end or the other there was grave danger of the flying rope coming back to damage one of the machines.