Soon the noise of an automobile engine became more
distinct. Finally the body of a large car loomed up in the darkness. A
few shouts brought the car to the spot.
"This you, Mr. Reade?" called the joy voice of Superintendent Hawkins.
"And Hazelton, safe, also?"
All five seats in this car were occupied. Six more men had to be
crowded in somehow, after Jim Duff had been tied with his hands behind
him. Most of them had to stand.
"Back to Paloma, as fast as you can go with safety," ordered Mr.
Hawkins, as soon as all were inside. "Gracious, but there'll be a
joyful demonstration back in camp as soon as the good word is received."
As the car sped along over the desert the story was told of how the
pursuit had been made.
It was Mr. Hawkins who had tried to wire from camp into town, calling
for cars and posses to go in pursuit of the raiders.
As Tom had imagined at the outset, the raiders had cut the railroad
telegraph wire. Discovering this, Mr. Hawkins had leaped on to the bare
back of a horse at camp and had covered the distance at a gallop.
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