"We're doing about eight miles an hour now," Rob said some time later. "We've about an hour and a half before the land office closes, and we ought to be able to do the rest of the trip in that time. That is, unless Joyce gets in and does it quicker." He had hardly spoken when they heard behind them the faint blare of a horn. "There he is now!" They said it in one breath, and their eyes met. Rob slid forward in his seat. "We'll do it or bust." "How can we?" asked Harry despairingly. "I don't know. But I'm not going to give up now, would you?" "Oh, no, no! Let's keep going to the very last. Something may happen for us." Although the horses did their best, the motor car gained on them rapidly. Knowing that the car could pass them even if he held the middle of the road, Rob drew to the roadside. As the lumbering automobile went swiftly by it lunged down into a mudhole and spattered them freely. "Thanks," said Rob placidly as Joyce glanced back over his shoulder. "That's one we owe you. Never mind, sis. You want to hold on, for wherever there's a stretch of good road I'll hit up the pace." "Yes, that's right. He might break down or strike a snag at the last moment." "Snakes and siwash!" Rob cried a few moments later. "He's done it! He's stuck!" "O Bobs," Harry cried, giggling hysterically, "please be careful! The horses might run away." "O my, O my, O my great-grandmother!" Rob shouted with delight as he pointed ahead. They could now see the whole of the road between them and town. It wound downhill through the sagebrush, and then crossed the main ditch of the irrigation company; from there it ran in a straight line between the fenced fields until it entered the town. About a mile ahead, just after crossing the bridge, the automobile stood motionless. The three men had climbed out, and were moving distractedly about it. Apparently their efforts to start it were proving futile. "What did I tell you?" chuckled Rob. "He's struck a mudhole and bogged down. Look! There's a big break in the ditch somewhere above and the road is flooded a foot deep. Get up, you Derby winners, get up!" CHAPTER X As Rob and Harry drew near the disabled automobile, Joyce stepped out into the muddy road and hailed them. "You couldn't stop long enough to hitch on here and haul us out, could you, Mr. Holliday?" he asked ingratiatingly, as Rob stopped. "We can't get her started neither way. It's kind of mean to ask a fellow to onhitch, but there's accidents happen to all of us, ain't there?" Rob glanced at the car. Its front wheels were stuck fast in the mudhole; moreover, the bank of the slough was so soft and deep that Joyce could not get power enough into the wheels to force the machine either forward or backward. Rob watched him twice crank the engine and throw open the lever. The car shook violently, but refused to move. It was safe where it was for some time.