CHAPTER VI.
A HOLD-UP.
"Who are you?" asked Jerry, boldly.
"Never mind who we are!" exclaimed the same voice. "Just git out of thatchoo-choo wagon an' hand over what spare change you have."
"Is this a hold-up?" demanded Ned.
"If it isn't it's a good imitation of one," was the answer, accompaniedby a laugh. "Come, now! Look lively!"
One of the men came around to the side of the auto and grabbed Bob bythe arm. At the same time another of the tramp trio attempted to seizeJerry. Ned was in the rear seat.
"Let go of me!" exclaimed Jerry, striking at the man who had climbed upon the step of the machine. The boy's blow fell on the man's arm.
"Oh, that's your game, is it?" cried the ruffian. He drew back his fistas though to fell Jerry.
"Help! help!" yelled Bob. He was being pulled from the car by the trampwho had grabbed him. It looked bad for the Motor Boys.
Ned sprang up from the rear. He had been fumbling in a valise on thefloor of the tonneau. He leaned forward over the front seat. In eachhand he held some object, bright and shining, and he aimed them full inthe faces of the two tramps on either side of the auto.
"Take that!" Ned cried.
"TAKE THAT!" NED CRIED.]
There was a sharp, hissing sound, a click, and the air was filled with apungent odor.
"I'm killed! He's blinded me!" yelled the tramp, who had grabbed Bob.
"Oh! oh! My head is blown off!" yelled the other ruffian.
Both of them toppled from the steps of the auto and rolled over and overin the road, screaming with pain and fright.
"And there's one for you!" shouted Ned, taking aim at the tramp in frontof the machine, and once more the hissing sound was heard.
"Wow!" cried the fellow, and, whirling around, he dashed off, fullspeed, down the road.
"Bully for you! Hit 'em again--knock 'em out--smash--bang--never saydie--hear 'em yell--do it again--siss--boom--ah! Whoop!" cried Andy,standing on the seat and waving his cap.
The two tramps who had fallen to the road got up, and, still yelling inpain, followed their companion.
"Start off!" exclaimed Ned to Bob. "I guess they won't bother us againvery soon."
"What in the world did you do to them?" asked Jerry.
"Used an ammonia squirt-gun on each one," said Ned.
He showed the boys two affairs that looked like small revolvers, onlythe ammunition was liquid spirits of ammonia, quite strong, containedin a rubber bulb in the handle. By pressing the bulb a fine stream ofammonia could be shot for quite a distance.
"I saw 'em advertised in a magazine," said Ned. "They were just thethings for vicious dogs and men, it said, for they blind a persontemporarily and make his face smart like sixty, but no permanent injuryis done. I had 'em in my valise and I just happened to think of themwhen those chaps held us up."
"Lucky you did," commented Jerry. "I thought we were surely going to berobbed."
"I guess they thought they were killed when they felt that ammonia,"said Bob. "Ned, you're all right, that's what you are!" he finished,heartily.
"I guess we'd better move along, or Mr. Wakefield may be worried aboutus," suggested Jerry.
So Bob threw the gear into place and the machine moved away. No furthersign of the tramps was seen, and the boys reached Norwich withoutfurther incident. They found the hotel Mr. Wakefield had arranged tomeet them at, and soon were eating a good supper. The adventure with thetramps was related, and Mr. Wakefield congratulated the boys on theirpluck.
An early start was had next morning and good progress was made, so thatby noon the travelers were in Waterbury, Conn., where dinner was eaten.Mr. Wakefield said that by swift traveling New York could be reachedlate that night, but he did not advise it. Instead, the night was spentin Danbury.
By noon the next day more than half the distance between their laststopping place and New York had been covered, and late that afternoonfound the two autos speeding down Riverside Drive, leading to themetropolis. Not an accident had occurred since the hold-up by the trampsand the blowing out of the tire on the boys' auto, and each one wascongratulating himself that the trip was being made under the best ofluck.
The travelers were about opposite Grant's tomb, and were moving alongslowly, when suddenly, with a noise like a shot, one of Mr. Wakefield'stires burst. A young woman, driving a spirited horse, was passing hisauto at the time, and the animal, taking fright, took the bit in histeeth and bolted.
The young woman screamed in fright, lost her hold on the reins and clungdesperately to the seat. There were no vehicles on the drive in thatvicinity just then, excepting the two autos and the runaway.
"Quick!" cried Mr. Wakefield to the boys, as he brought his machine to astop. "Take after her! There may be an accident! I can't go on until Imend this break!"
Ned was steering, and made a turn. Like a flash he threw on the thirdgear and the auto sprang forward like an unleashed hound. Bob, Andyand Jerry clung to the seats, while Ned steered the machine after therunaway horse.
The animal was now galloping at top speed, but the auto was creepingup on him. It made scarcely a sound, only a purring as the cylindersexploded, one after another.
"What are you going to do?" asked Jerry. "Go close enough so one of uscan jump in the carriage?"
"Watch!" was all Ned replied.
Faster and faster went the auto. At length it passed the gallopingsteed, and the boys could see the young woman clinging in desperation tothe seat. Then, as Ned steered the machine ahead of the horse, the boyssaw what his plan was.
The animal was now directly behind the auto, coming on like the wind.Ned gave one glance back. Then he quickly threw the gears to firstspeed. So quickly was it done that the horse nearly rammed his noseinto the rear of the tonneau. The animal did not think of dashing to oneside and so passing the car. Instead he kept his place behind it.
Then Ned shut off the power and allowed the machine to drift along. Thehorse, seeing the obstruction continually in front of him, graduallyreduced his speed, and finally, when the auto came to a stop, the animaldid likewise.
Jerry jumped from his seat and, running back, grasped the bridle. Hespoke soothingly to the animal, and soon had him quieted. The youngwoman, pale and trembling, regained her composure.
"I'm so much obliged to you," she said. "Really, I don't know whatpossessed Dexter. He never was frightened at autos before. I'm a littleashamed of myself, too. I ought to have kept hold of the reins and Icould have managed him."
"Are you sure you will be all right now?" asked Jerry. "If not, one ofus will go with you."
"Oh, I can take care of him now," replied the lady. "Dexter will be allright. I thank you boys very much," she added, sweetly, and a momentlater drove off.
The boys turned the auto around and speeded back to where they had leftMr. Wakefield. He had repaired the break in the tire in the meanwhileand was ready to proceed.
In a short time the travelers steered for the hotel, uptown, where Mr.Wakefield had engaged rooms for all. The machines were sent to a garage,and the boys prepared to wash up for supper. It was getting quite dark,and the electric lights in the streets were gleaming. Jerry was lookingfrom the window of the sitting-room of the suite which the boys had onthe third floor.
Suddenly he gave a start and cried:
"There he goes!"
"Who?" asked Ned.
"Noddy Nixon!" replied Jerry, dashing from the room.