"Pretty sad sight."
"I should say so. She took a sudden notion to stop right here, I coaxed and cajoled her, but she wouldn"t budge. Then my dander riz, I spit on my hands and hit her a whang on the tail, and she raised up her heels and kicked out like a battering ram."
"How unfortunate for you."
"It made my blood bile. I then thumped blazes out of her. The more I soaked her the wuss she kicked, until finally she kicked herself out of the harness and ran sway."
"And left you here with your load?"
"Yes, sir."
"Have you got far to go?"
"Only to yonder old log hut."
"That isn"t far."
"No, not when you say it quick."
"I"ll tow you over there with this machine."
"Will you? Oh, thank you! I was just going to ask you to do it!"
"Is that all?"
"Can you help me roll the wagon inside to protect the grain in case it rains before I can find Eliza again?"
"Certainly we will," laughed Jack.
They hitched a rope to the wagon, and the Terror hauled it over to the door of the old building.
As the Terror could not get the wagon through the door, Jack and his companions alighted; each one manned a wheel, and the farmer seized the shafts.
Ahead they rolled it toward the open door.
But scarcely had they got it started when a dozen men, with masks on their faces and pistols in their hands, rushed out of the building and surrounded the four friends.
"The James Boys!" gasped Jack, in startled tones.
CHAPTER XIV.
INTO THE QUICKSAND.
It was evident to Jack that he and his friends had been the victims of a very shrewd game.
The fact was, that the James Boys had a rendezvous in the log cabin, and having held up the farmer who owned the wagon, they had stolen his money, his mule, and his clothing.
Seeing the Terror coming, Jesse concocted the scheme to trap our friends, rigged one of the gang in the farmer"s clothes, and the game was played according to the bandit king"s orders.
It looked as if it was going to be a success, too.
None of the Terror"s crew were armed.
And the outlaws had them covered with their weapons.
"Yield!" roared Jesse.
"We"re tricked!" gasped Jack.
"Hands up, or die!"
"Don"t fire! We submit!"
There was no alternative.
So the four raised their hands.
"Bind them!" ordered the outlaw chief.
His men carried out this order with alacrity.
In a few moments more all were rendered helpless.
A grim look of intense satisfaction swept over the dark bearded face of Jesse James as his four enemies lay upon the ground at his feet.
He intently regarded them a moment and then hissed:
"At last I"ve got you, Jack Wright!"
"Well, what are you going to do about it?" coolly asked the inventor.
"Put you out of my way as quick as possible."
"Very well; proceed. You have an excellent chance now."
"I"ve got your fate settled. And yours, too, Timberlake."
"If our positions were reversed," bitterly said the sheriff, "I would not lose a moment about blowing your brains out!"
"I have no doubt of that," Jesse answered, with a dark scowl. "And I"ll follow your good advice. Prepare to die."
He drew his pistol from his belt and aimed it at Timberlake.
A tremor pa.s.sed over the plucky fellow and he turned pale, for he knew he was face to face with death; but his courage did not forsake him and he quietly remarked:
"I"m ready to go. Fire!"
Before Jesse could do so. Frank sprang between him and his victim.