CHAPTER II.
HO FOR THE WEST!
"Put on the brake!" yelled Ned.
"Shut off the power!" shouted Jerry.
A frightened cry came from the farmer whose load of fodder hadoverturned in the road. He was unhitching his horses, and jumped to oneside as he saw two big autos bearing down on him.
"You're in for a spill, lads!" called the man in the green car. At thatinstant he applied his emergency brake and shut off the power. His carcame to such a sudden stop that he was thrown from his seat, high intothe air.
Bob seemed unable, from the very terror of fright, to make a move tostop the auto he was steering, and clung to the wheel like grim death.
"Put on the brake!" yelled Ned again. "We'll be killed!"
The load of hay was not ten feet in advance. Bob gave the wheel a suddentwist. The red car shot to one side, out into a ditch along the road. Itskidded on two wheels, the boys were nearly thrown out, and bounced highin the air.
With another quick twist, Bob sent the car straight ahead. Then anotherturn of the wheel and he was back in the road again!
He had passed the obstruction, going between it and the green auto, andhad reached the highway in safety after as daring a bit of steering asever a boy undertook. Then he shut off the power and applied the brakeshard, the car coming to a stop with a groan and screech as the emergencyband gripped the axle.
"Whew! That was a close shave!" came from Jerry, as he drew a longbreath.
"A little too near for comfort!" was Ned's opinion.
"Bet your life!" was all Andy could say, his rapid fire of words failingto discharge this time.
"I thought it was the only thing to do," remarked the stout steersman."I was afraid to stop too suddenly, and I figured we just had roomenough to get through. But I wouldn't do it again."
"Speaking of sudden stops, I wonder what has become of the man in thegreen car?" spoke Jerry. "We must go back and find out."
The four lads leaped from their machine and ran back past the load ofhay. The farmer was rapidly walking about in a circle, wringing hishands and crying:
"He's killed! He's killed! I know he is!"
With rather anxious hearts the boys hurried around to the other side ofthe big pile of dried grass. As they reached the place they saw a manattired in an automobile suit, with big goggles on, wiggle out from themass of hay. He pulled several wisps from his hair and then saw the boys.
"Did you shoot right through the pile and come out on the other side?"he asked.
"We ran around it," explained Bob. "We beat you," he added, not withoutpride.
"So I see. It came pretty near being the end of all of us. You're aplucky lad. I don't mind being beaten by you. I thought I had a goodcar, but yours is better."
"Ours is much lighter; I guess that's why we went ahead," returnedJerry, willing to concede something to a vanquished rival. "But are youhurt?"
The man carefully felt of different parts of his body. Then he took offhis goggles and looked over as much as he could see of himself.
"I don't seem to be," he said, finally, with a laugh. "It was likefalling into a feather bed to land in that hay-pile the way I did.That's all that saved me. I wonder how my machine stood the emergencybrake."
He examined his car carefully, and was apparently satisfied that noinjury had been done by the sudden stopping of it.
"Where is he?" asked the farmer, suddenly appearing from behind the hay."Is he dead?" And then he seemed to realize his error and joined in thelaugh that followed.
"No, I'm not dead yet," replied the owner of the green car. "Well," hewent on, "I must be going. Are you boys coming along? If you are, nomore races."
"We'll have to go back to Cresville," answered Bob. "We promised toreturn for supper."
The man bade the boys good-by and soon the big, green dragon wasthrobbing down the road in a cloud of dust. The boys, finding they couldnot help the farmer in his trouble, got in their machine and, promisingto send help from the first farmhouse they passed, they left the ownerof the hay and were soon speeding toward Cresville.
"Isn't this glorious!" exclaimed Jerry, as the auto sped along. "I wishwe could take a long trip."
"Why can't we?" asked Ned.
"We talked of a tour when we found we had a chance to get a car," put inChunky. "I for one would like to go out West."
"Ho for the West!" piped up Andy. "Over the plains--herds ofcattle--cowboys in chase--rattlesnakes and horned toads--sandydeserts--Indians--bang! Shoot 'em up! Lots of excitement--take mealong--whoop!"
"Easy!" pleaded Jerry. "One thing at a time, Andy. Haven't we hadexcitement enough for one day?"
"We ought to make a strike to go on a western trip, though," spoke Ned,in serious tones. "Here we have a car that we could cross the continentin. Let's speak about it at home. It can't do any harm. Maybe the folkswill let us go."
"It's worth trying for," said Jerry. "What do you say, Chunky?"
"I'm with you," replied Bob. "It will be the best sport ever. Butwouldn't we have to wait until next spring? It's fall, and if we go Westit may be very cold, with lots of snow soon."
"We can bear off to the south," said Jerry.
"Sure enough," agreed Chunky.
That night, when the automobile had been safely put away in the barn atBob's house, three anxious boys broached the subject to their respectiveparents. So insistent were they that it was not long before a generalcouncil was arranged. Mrs. Hopkins and Mr. Slade were induced to callat Mr. Baker's house, where, with the three boys, the whole subject wasgone over.
"I'm afraid it's too much of an undertaking," said Mr. Baker.
"That's my idea," agreed Mr. Slade, and Mrs. Hopkins nodded to indicatethat that was her view.
The boys set up a chorus of pleadings. The parents had many objections.The distance was too great, the boys did not know enough aboutautomobiles, they would lose their way and break down far from help. Infact, so many negative reasons were given that it looked as if the planwould not go through.
"Will you please wait ten minutes before you make a final decision?"asked Jerry, appealing to the trio of parents.
They agreed, wondering what he was about to do. Jerry got his hat andhurried from Mr. Baker's house. In a little while he returned, all outof breath.
"He'll be here in five minutes," said the boy.
"Who?" asked Mr. Slade.
"Mr. Wakefield." Jerry referred to Horace Wakefield, an instructor atthe Athletic Club, who was quite a friend of the boys, and who himselfhad recently purchased an automobile. He lived near Mr. Baker.
"What's all this I hear about a trip to the West these boys are going totake?" asked Mr. Wakefield, a few minutes later, coming into the parlorwhere the conference was going on.
"You mean the trip they think they are going to take," corrected Mr.Slade, with a laugh. "I suppose Jerry told you it was all settled."
"To be honest, he wanted me to come over and settle it for him and hischums," replied the instructor. "He said there was some doubt about thefeasibility of making the trip."
Mr. Baker explained how matters stood. He and the other parents werewilling the boys should have a good time, he said, but did not want themto run into danger.
"Do you think they could make a trip away out West in their car?" askedMr. Baker.
"From what I know of the boys, and from the build of their car, I haveno doubt it could be done with perfect safety, as far as ordinaryconditions are concerned," said Mr. Wakefield. "Of course, there will besome few troubles, but none that cannot be overcome with a little work.I think the trip is perfectly possible. In fact, you know, autos havegone clear across the continent."
"Then you think we ought to let the boys go?" asked Mr. Slade.
"I--think--you--ought to," replied the instructor, with purposeddeliberateness, smiling at the anxious lads.
"Hurrah!" yelled Bob, forgetting that he was in the house.
"Lucky I thought to go and get him," spoke Jerry to Ned.
"I might add," went on Mr. Wakefield, "that I am going to make a trip asfar as Chicago. If you decide to let the boys go, they could accompanyme that far, at least. It would be a good experience for them."
"Oh, dad! Please let us go!" pleaded Bob.
"Yes, yes!" chimed in Jerry and Ned.
There was a moment of silence, while the parents were gravelyconsidering the matter. During it the boys could almost hear the beatingof their own hearts.
"Well," began Mr. Baker, "I'm willing, if the rest of you are."
"I suppose I may as well say yes," spoke Mr. Slade.
"Then the only thing left for me to do is to agree with the majority,"said Mrs. Hopkins, with a laugh.
"Westward ho!" fairly shouted Bob, and he began to do an impromptu jiguntil his father stopped him.
"We'll take Andy Rush along," said Ned, "and we'll start the first ofthe week!"
"Hark! What was that?" asked Mr. Baker, suddenly.
Out on the night air sounded an alarm.
"Fire! Fire! Fire!"