One of the men sprang in and perched upon his body. The other man followed. A whip cracked like a pistol, and with a jerk the carriage started.

"Pull in his legs, pal!" exclaimed the man astride Zenas. "You can't close the door unless you pull in his legs."

"Blawst 'is blooming legs!" came from the other man. "Make 'im pull 'em hup."

"Pull up your feet, old man!" commanded the one who was holding Zenas-"pull them up, if you don't want to lose the top of your head!"

"I'm a dead man!" groaned the old professor. "This is the end of me!"

He pulled up his legs, and the carriage door was closed at last.

While this was taking place the carriage had whirled out from the forest inn into the highway, with the horses at a dead run. Persons rushing from the inn were startled and astonished, but they gave their attention to the search for Miguel Bunol, who had lately leaped through one of the windows of Robin Hood's Tavern.

Zenas Gunn gave himself up for lost.

"Never thought I'd come to such an untimely end," he moaned. "Why did we ever visit Sherwood Forest?"

Suddenly he became frantic and began to shout for help. Three times he did this before the man astride of him could do anything to prevent it.

"For 'Eaven's sake smother 'im!" burst from the other man.

The fellow holding Gunn down got him by the throat and quickly checked the cries.

But those cries had been heard by both d.i.c.k Merriwell and Brad Buckhart.

The carriage bounced, and swayed, and rumbled over the forest road.

It was a terrible experience for Professor Gunn. The old fellow believed he had fallen into the hands of robbers, who were carrying him off with the idea of holding him for ransom.

Suddenly something happened. Some portion of the harness on one of the horses became unfastened, and the driver was compelled to pull up as soon as possible. He sprang down from the seat and made haste to fix the harness.

The horses had been excited and fretted by the manner in which they were whipped at the very outset. As the driver came alongside one of them the animal snorted, shied and sprang against its mate. The other horse gave a leap, and a second later both animals were running away.

The driver was jerked off his feet and dragged some distance. He clung to the reins, vainly endeavoring to hold the terrified creatures, but finally his hold relaxed and the animals raced on unguided, their fears seeming to increase as they ran.

At first the two ruffians inside did not realize what had happened, but soon they began to suspect that everything was not quite right.

"'E's drivin' 'orrid reckless, pal," said the one with the c.o.c.kney dialect. "'E'll 'ave us hupset hif 'e don't look hout."

The carriage rocked and swayed, flinging its three occupants from side to side. At a sharp turn of the road it snapped round on two wheels, threatening to go over. Once the hub of a rear wheel struck the trunk of a tree and the carriage was flung violently to one side.

It was now the turn of Professor Gunn's captors to be alarmed.

"What's he trying to do, get us all killed?" palpitated the one who had been holding the old pedagogue, but who was now occupied in taking care of himself, which was no small matter.

"Hi believe the 'orses are running haway," said the other.

"Can't the thundering fool hold them?"

"'E don't seem hable to."

Then they began shouting to the driver, but as there was no driver on the seat, they received no reply.

Down a hill and over a stone bridge went the runaway team. The hoofs of the horses clattered on the frozen ground and the wheels made a rumbling roar like sullen thunder. The woods echoed with these sounds.

Professor Gunn managed to sit up and drag himself upon a cushioned seat in a corner of the carriage. The curtain at the gla.s.s window was up, and outside the old man saw the trees flying past.

With his heart in his mouth, Zenas waited for the termination of that wild night ride, yet dreaded what it might be.

The ruffians were frightened indeed now. One of them succeeded in opening the door and shouted again and again to the man he supposed was holding the reins. The carriage swept close to a tree, the trunk of which struck the door and slammed it shut, driving the man's head through the gla.s.s, which was shattered, and cut him in a manner that brought blood copiously.

The man was dazed. He fell back on Zenas, who thrust him off.

"The 'orses hare running haway and there is no driver!" cried the c.o.c.kney.

Suddenly Professor Gunn was seized with a feeling of revengeful joy. He knew the men were frightened, and a singular sort of courage came upon him.

"Serves you right, you villains!" he shrilly shouted. "I'm glad of it! I hope they run until they smash everything into a million pieces!"

"Ain't there any way of stoppin' them, pal?" questioned one of the ruffians.

"No, Hi don't believe there is."

"Let them run! let them run!" laughed Zenas wildly. "You brought it on yourselves! It's good enough for you! Going to carry me off and hold me for ransom, were you? This is what you get! I hope you enjoy it!"

"Shut up, you old fool!"

"I won't shut up! You can't shut me up! Ha! ha! ha! Let them run! let them run!"

Suddenly, with a fearful shock, one of the forward wheels struck some obstruction. The carriage careened into the air and over it went, being flung from the road and fairly against a st.u.r.dy tree. The horses tore themselves free from the ruined vehicle and continued their mad flight along the forest road.

The wrecked carriage lay overturned by the roadside, and from its shattered ruins came no sound to tell whether its occupants were living or dead.

CHAPTER XIV.

AN EXCITING CHASE.

The landlord of the Robin Hood had prevented Brad Buckhart from taking a flying shot at Miguel Bunol as the reckless young desperado leaped through the window. Had the Texan fired, being a wonderfully good shot, it is probable he would have "winged" the Spaniard, at least.

At the destruction of the window the excited landlord threw up his hands in despair.

The whole house was in an uproar. One or two frightened men came and peered into the room where the encounter had taken place, while the cries of frightened women could be heard coming from other parts of the building.

"What do you mean by such actions in my place?" shouted the enraged and exasperated landlord, turning on d.i.c.k and Brad.