CHAPTER IX.
A SHOT IN THE DARK.
As Jerry spoke, the other boys looked and saw Noddy turn to stare atthem. The bully rose in his seat and shook his fist at the Motor Boys,while the wind bore back some indistinguishable words he shouted.
"Let's take after him!" cried Ned.
"What would be the use?" asked Jerry. "We don't want trouble if we canavoid it. The farther off those fellows are the better we'll be."
The boys explained to Nestor something about the character of Noddy,Berry, and Pender, the miner listening, gravely.
"Well, on the whole," he remarked, "it's better to have an enemy infront of you than at your back. I guess we can make out to beat 'em atwhatever game they play. But I'd like to catch the chap as took my gold."
Jerry started his machine up again, but made no effort to catch up withNoddy, who was now far in advance. The Cresville auto bowled along, andat noon a stop was made in a small village, where dinner was eaten.
They traveled along all the afternoon. Toward dusk they struck a lonelystretch of country, and inquiry at a log cabin brought out that thenearest town was ten miles ahead.
"We must push for it," said Nestor; "that is, if we intend to sleep inbeds to-night."
Ned was steering, the boys having agreed to take turn and turn about.It became quite dark, and the auto was shooting along at reduced speed,for, even with the gas and oil lamps, the road was dim.
Suddenly a shot rang out in the darkness. It was followed by a louderreport as one of the auto tires burst, punctured by a bullet. The carcareened to one side and bumped along on the flattened rubber.
"They're shooting at us!" cried Nestor. "Two can play at that game!"
He whipped out his revolver and fired three shots straight ahead, theflashes cutting the darkness.
"They're behind, not ahead!" yelled Jerry, who was in the rear seat withthe miner. "It was one of the back tires that burst!"
Ned had shut off power and the auto came to a halt. The boys got out,and Jerry took off one of the oil lamps to see what damage had beendone. A new inner tube would be needed, and it would be hard workinserting it in the dark.
"That's some of Noddy's or Pender's work," observed Ned. "They must befollowing us, and yet they started off ahead."
"There are so many roads around here that they could go off to one side,wait, and then come up behind us," said Nestor. "But what's to be done?"
"We can't go ahead until we fix the tire," said Jerry.
"Don't try to do it in the dark," advised the miner. "Tell you what todo. I'll camp here with the machine, for I'm used to sleeping outdoorsnights. It's only about two miles into town now, and you boys can walkit. In the morning you can come back and fix things up."
"What will you do for supper?" asked Jerry.
"Don't you worry about that," replied the miner. "I've got a couple ofsandwiches in my pocket. I got 'em at the place we had dinner, 'causeI always like to travel with a little grub about me. They'll do untilmorning."
So it was arranged. The lights on the auto were put out and Nestorcurled up in the tonneau, with some lap-robes over him. The boys startedafoot for the town, promising to come back as soon as it was lightenough to see to put the new tube in the tire.
"I wonder what Noddy's game is?" asked Ned of his companions. "And howdid he and Pender come together?"
"There's no telling what those two may do," said Jerry. "I'm afraidwe're in for trouble."
They were to meet it sooner than they expected. About this time, a milefrom where the crippled auto was stalled, two figures were sneakingalong the road.
"Are you sure you hit the tire, Bill?" asked a voice, which, if theMotor Boys had heard, they would have recognized at once as NoddyNixon's.
"Course I winged 'em," replied Bill Berry. "It was easy. All I had to dowas to jump out from behind the bushes where we were hid and pop at 'em.I could hear the tire bust."
"I wonder if it made 'em lay up for repairs?"
"It sure did. I heard 'em shut off the power. Now we'll hustle back toour car and continue the trip."
"I'll teach those Cresville cubs to come meddling after me," spokeNoddy. "I'll follow 'em close and make all the trouble I can. As yousay, we may as well start off again. I hope Pender isn't tired waitingalone for us in the car. How far ahead is it now?"
"Half a mile, I guess."
As the Motor Boys knew, Noddy had made for New York after running awayfrom home with Bill Berry. He wrote to the boys and to Pender fromthere, and later Pender joined the rascally pair.
Noddy was preparing for a trip with his companions, and was just aboutto start when Jerry spied him from the hotel window. He escaped throughthe tenement house and at once got ready to leave New York in a hurry.
It was by the merest chance that he passed the Cresville auto on leavingChicago, and at once had formed the plan of annoying the three chums.
As Nestor had said, Noddy and his companions had taken a side road,allowed the Cresville auto to get ahead and then, at Berry's suggestion,had ambushed themselves to try and do some damage as the Motor Boyspassed. The chief conspirators were now on their way to where they hadleft their auto.
They reached it, found Pender half asleep, curled up on a seat, andstarted slowly off in the darkness.
By keeping to the diverging road they were on, they passed around thedisabled machine, and came out into the main highway again, ahead of thethree boys who were tramping toward the town.
Noddy was steering, and with a reckless disregard of the dangers ofthe road was going very fast. Suddenly there was a crash and the autostopped.
"You've gone an' done it now!" exclaimed Bill.
"What if I have?" snapped Noddy. "It's my machine, ain't it?"
"An' it's my neck you're tryin' to break," replied Bill. "What's thetrouble, anyhow?"
Noddy got out to look. Something had gone wrong with the sliding gearand he had to crawl under the machine to fix it, while Pender held alight. Bill obstinately refused to lend a hand, as he said it was allNoddy's fault.
"I'm goin' to walk on to the next town," declared Berry. "You can stopan' pick me up on your way through. I'll be at the hotel."
He went off in the darkness, while Noddy and Jack continued to work atthe auto. It took more than half an hour to fix the break, but at lastthe machine was ready to start. Noddy was about to crank it up when heheard the sound of some persons coming along the road, voices minglingwith the footsteps.
He looked up, and was much surprised to see, in the glare of the lamps,Jerry, Bob and Ned.
"Oh!" said Noddy, faintly, for he did not know what else to say.
On their part the Motor Boys were as much startled as was Noddy at theunexpected meeting.
"So you're here, are you?" asked Jerry.
"Can't you see without having to be told?" inquired Noddy, with a surlygrowl. "Now you've seen us, you'd better go on and mind your ownbusiness."
"I guess this is a free country, and we have as much right on this roadas you have," spoke Ned.
"You haven't any right to follow me all the while!" burst out the formerbully of Cresville.
"We wouldn't be following you if you hadn't fired at us and puncturedthe tire!" cried Bob.
"Who says I fired a shot?" demanded Noddy.
"I do!" exclaimed Ned.
"You don't know what you're talking about!" exclaimed the bully. "If yousay another word I'll lick you!"
He was mad clear through, and made a rush at Ned. Jerry sprang forwardand met Noddy with a blow straight from the shoulder. The bully wentdown. He got up quickly, and the two boys went at each other, "hammerand tongs." Jerry kept his head and landed twice, heavily, on Noddy. Thelatter gave Jerry a bad blow on the right eye, but the latter retaliatedby making Noddy's nose bleed.
As Noddy felt the warm blood trickling down his face he becamefrightened.
"Help! help!" he cried. "Why don't you help me, Jack?"
Pender had discreetly remained in the car. At t
his he jumped out. Nedwas ready, however, and stepped in front of him. Jack aimed a blow atNed. The latter dodged it and sent a straight left for Pender's head.It caught him on the jaw and he went down heavily.
By this time Noddy had broken away from Jerry and ran toward the auto.Jerry was satisfied with the punishment he had inflicted and did notfollow. Noddy quickly cranked up his machine and leaped to the steeringseat.
"Come on, Jack!" he cried.
Pender wiggled from the grip in which Ned held him, jumped into the carbeside the bully and the next instant the two enemies of the Motor Boyswere chugging off down the road.