CHAPTER I.
AN AUTOMOBILE RACE.
There was a whizz of rubber-tired wheels, a cloud of dust and thefrightened yelping of a dog as a big, red touring automobile shot downthe road.
"You nearly ran over him, Chunky!" exclaimed Jerry Hopkins, to the stoutyouth at his side.
"That's what you did, Bob Baker!" chimed in Ned Slade, leaning over fromthe rear seat of the auto. "I thought you said you were an expert."
"I didn't come within five feet of the pup," answered Bob Baker, givingthe steering wheel a twist to avoid a chicken that scooted across thecountry road.
"Never mind--miss as good as a mile--we certainly are skatingalong--never say die--hit a dog, biff! bang! up in the air--downagain--bust a tire--break your leg--kill the animal--off again--whoop!"
"Say, Andy Rush, if you're going to talk as fast as that the first timeChunky speeds the machine, I'm going to get out!" cried Jerry, with alaugh. "There's excitement enough without you making any more."
"All right, fellows, I'll keep quiet," agreed Andy, who was a small,nervous chap, never still for a moment, and so full of energy that hetalked, as Jerry sometimes said, "like a house afire."
Bob leaned forward and pulled one of the levers. The auto slowed down,as the low-speed gear came into play, and bowled along under a stretchof shady trees.
"Fifteen miles in thirty minutes," remarked the stout lad, pulling outhis watch. "Not so bad for a starter, eh, Ned?"
"The machine certainly can go!" observed Jerry.
"I didn't have the full-speed lever on, either," remarked Bob, who wascalled "Chunky" by his companions, because of his fleshiness. He turnedoff the gasolene as the auto came under a large chestnut tree, and thefour boys stretched out comfortably on the leather-upholstered seats.
There was Bob Baker, a lad of fifteen years, son of Andrew Baker, a richbanker; Ned Slade, sixteen years old, the only son of Aaron Slade, adepartment store proprietor, and Jerry Hopkins, the son of a widow, Mrs.Julia Hopkins.
These three were faithful chums, seldom apart. With them was a mutualfriend, Andy Rush. All the boys lived in the village of Cresville, notfar from Boston.
The three first named had, the week before the story opens, come intopossession of a fine touring car, which they had won as the first prizeof a motor-cycle meet, given by the Cresville Athletic Club, as relatedin the first volume of this series, entitled "The Motor Boys."
In that was told how they had incurred the enmity of Noddy Nixon, a townbully, who had robbed the mill of Amos Judson of one thousand dollars,which crime the Motor Boys were instrumental in fastening on Noddy.
In consequence of the pending disclosure of his guilt, Noddy had fledfrom town, a short time before the races, in his father's automobile.Bill Berry, a town ne'er-do-well, accompanied him. Not long after Noddyhad fled in the terror of his guilt being found out, he sent back aletter threatening vengeance on the three boys, whom he accused as beingresponsible for the fact that he had to leave home.
But the Motor Boys, as they now called themselves, cared little for thisin view of the pleasures they anticipated when they got the automobile.It had come in due time; a fine affair, with all the latest improvementsand attachments, and was a car capable of making a trip almost anywhere.
The company from whom the auto was purchased sent an expert out toCresville with it, to instruct the boys in the running of the machine.They learned readily, and were soon able to make short trips on thecountry roads surrounding the village. This was the first time they hadmade an extended trip, and the drawing of lots had given Bob the chanceto drive the auto, with the result that he nearly came to grief when thedog unexpectedly ran across the road.
For about half an hour the three chums and Andy rested in the shade. Itwas a pleasant fall afternoon, and though the sun was warm there was acool breeze.
"Whose turn to crank her up?" asked Bob, for, of course, it could not beexpected of him, in charge of the steering wheel, to start the engine.
"I guess it's mine," came from Ned, with a sort of groan. His arm stillached from the previous turning of the flywheel.
"I'll do it--lots of fun--first time I ever had a chance--let me--goodfor my muscle--whoop!" exclaimed Andy, bustling from the car.
"Oh, it's good for your muscle, all right enough," observed Ned. "Go on,I'll not stop you."
It was harder work than Andy had anticipated, but he managed to givethe crank a few turns and spin the heavy flywheel around. Bob switchedon the spark, turned the gasolene into the cylinders, and soon there wasa throbbing that told the engine had started. Andy jumped to one sideand nearly toppled over.
"Did you think I'd run you down?" asked Bob.
"I don't know anything about autos," answered Andy.
"She can't go until I connect the speed-gears," explained Bob, withsomething of a superior air. "Hop in, Andy!"
Andy climbed back to his rear seat, Bob threw the lever forward tofirst speed, and the car, moving slowly at first, but with increasingswiftness, started down the road.
"Look out for dogs!" advised Ned.
"We don't want roast chicken for supper, so you needn't bother to killany," came from Jerry.
"I can steer as good as either of you," exclaimed the stout lad. "Younearly hit a man the other day, Jerry, and I guess you've forgotten,Ned, how you broke down one of Mr. Smith's shade trees. I'm not as badas that."
Honk! honk! sounded down the road in the rear of the boys.
"Here comes another auto," said Jerry. "Keep over to one side, Bob."
Honk! honk! This time it was Bob who blew his horn to let the oncomersknow some one was ahead of them. The noise of the approaching carsounded nearer.
"Better keep well over, Chunky," advised Ned.
"I'm not going to give 'em more than half the road," answered Bob,firmly. "If they want a race they can have it, too."
He threw the third-speed clutch into place, and the boys' car shot aheadso suddenly that Andy was nearly toppled out of his seat. The red autodashed down the road.
Behind it, at a swift pace, there came a big, green affair, almost twicethe size of the Cresville machine. It was going at a great pace, a loneman occupying the steering seat, and no one being in back. As the greencar shot past the red one, the solitary rider gave three toots to hishorn. Bob answered, and then, before the other boys could stop him headvanced his spark, turned on more gasolene, and was away after thegreen dragon like a streak of red fire.
"What are you going to do?" yelled Ned.
"See if I can beat him!" exclaimed Bob.
"You're crazy! That's a ninety horse-power car and ours is only forty!"
"I'm going to try," repeated Bob, between his clenched teeth.
It looked like a hopeless undertaking. The green car was a quarter of amile ahead before Bob could get his machine speeded up. When he did,however, the new auto ran along swiftly and easily.
Bob shut off his power temporarily and then, with a quick yank, pulledthe lever to full speed ahead. Then he turned on the spark and gasolene.The red auto seemed to double its already swift motion.
The car swayed from side to side, and the boys, except Bob, who had afirm grip of the wheel, were bounced up into the air, again and again.Bob had on big goggles, and, with head bent low, was watching the roadlike a hawk ready to pounce on a chicken.
"We're gaining on him!" he muttered, and he tooted the horn. Back afaint, answering blast came.
Indeed, it was evident that the red auto, though a smaller and lesspowerful machine, was creeping up on its rival. The lone chauffeurglanced back, saw the pursuing car, and turned on full power.
For a few moments he increased his lead. But Bob advanced his sparkfurther, and turned on a trifle more of gasolene. The red auto once moreleaped forward.
"We've got him!" cried Bob. "He can't get another inch out of his, and Ihaven't used the accelerator pedal yet. We'll beat him!"
"If we don't all break our necks!" exclaimed Jerry, holding to his seat.
/> "Terrible fast--takes your breath--shakes the liver-pin out ofyou--loosens all your teeth--great sport--smash the machine--never saydie--don't give up the ship--whoop!" yelled Andy, as he slid down to thebottom of the car, unable any longer to remain upright.
Slowly the red car crept up on the green one. The dust arose in cloudsabout both machines. The autos swayed from the terrific speed, butBob held the wheel firm and was ready to shut off power and apply theemergency brake in a second. The man in front again glanced back, anddid not seem to relish being passed by mere boys in a smaller car thanhis. He was making desperate efforts to draw away.
The distance between the machines lessened. Bob was watching hisopportunity.
"Now we've got him!" he cried. "Here we go!"
He pushed down the accelerator pedal, used only to give a momentaryburst of speed. The red car shot forward and the front wheels almostlapped the rear ones of the machine in the lead.
There was a slight turn to the road, just where Bob had decided to passhis rival. A clump of trees hid the view, excepting for a short distanceahead. Just as the boys' auto was on the point of making the turn andpassing the green one, Ned glanced up and gave a shout of terror.
Right in front was a load of hay, overturned in the road, and both cars,at full speed, were dashing straight for it!