CHAPTER XXII.
JACK PENDER'S TRICK.
It was on Saturday, when they had once more gone to the track forpractice, that the boys had another encounter with Noddy Nixon and JackPender. The three chums had been making several rounds, and, as it wasrather warm, had left the oval and gone to lie down in the shade of sometrees. Their machines they had left in the rear of the club house, notfar away.
"Do you know what I think we ought to do?" asked Bob as he reclined atlength in the grass, chewing a straw.
"What new plan have you on foot now, Chunky? A scheme to get some one torace for you, or an arrangement to get out of training?" asked Jerry.
"Neither one," was the reply, "but I think we ought to begin to think ofwhat we will do with our touring automobile."
"Wait until one of us wins it," advised Ned. "We don't stand any betterchance than a dozen others."
From off in the distance there sounded the loud explosions of anapproaching motor cycle.
"That's Noddy's machine," said Jerry. "I hope he doesn't come aroundhere bothering us."
The noise sounded nearer and, in a few minutes Noddy rode up on hiscycle. He got off, ran his machine close to where the three chums hadstored theirs, and then came to where Bob, Ned and Jerry were takingtheir ease.
"You fellows going in the race?" asked Noddy, in rather more friendlytones than he was in the habit of using to those he did not care for.
"We expect to," answered Jerry.
"And you think you'll all win, I s'pose?" went on the bully, in asneering tone.
"One of us hopes to take a prize," said Jerry, preserving a calm voice.
"You haven't any of you one chance in a hundred," said Noddy decidedly."Some of the best motor cyclists in the country are going in the race."
"I guess we stand as good a chance as any one," put in Ned. "This isn'tlike bicycle riding. A great deal depends on the machine, and we havegood ones."
"I tell you none of you can win."
"You wait and see," advised Jerry.
"Do you want to back your opinion with any money?" asked Noddy. "If youdo, say the word and I'll bet you any amount." He pulled out quite aroll of bills.
"We don't bet," returned Jerry quietly.
"Oh! I suppose you're afraid you'll lose," came with a sneer.
"No, it isn't that," went on Jerry, looking the bully square in the eye."We don't bet on principle, but we do think we'll win, and, if we didbet it would not be with you, Noddy Nixon."
"Do you mean to say I'm not good enough to bet with?" demanded Noddy,advancing toward Jerry.
"I didn't say that, but you can take my remark any way you choose,"replied Jerry.
"And I'll take it that you want to insult me!" exclaimed the bully.
"Very well."
"And I allow no one to insult me without paying for it," proceededNoddy, in a blustering tone. "You'll have to fight me."
"Look here!" exclaimed Jerry. "You seem to want to pick a quarrel, NoddyNixon. Let me tell you I'm not afraid of you. I don't want to fight,but, if I have to you'll be the first to cry 'quits.' I'm not anxiousto fight, but I'm not going to run away."
"Nor I!" cried Ned and Bob.
"You can fight us all, one after the other," suggested Ned.
"You mind your own business; I wasn't talking to you," called Noddy, nowthoroughly angry.
"The business of one of us is the business of all of us," replied Jerrywith a laugh. "Better be careful Noddy."
The bully growled out something in reply, and cast a glance over hisshoulder. He gave a start as he did so, and then, turning quickly madeoff on his machine. Jerry looked in the direction Noddy had peered.
"We'd better be getting over to our machines," said Jerry suddenly. "Ithought I saw some one moving about near them."
"Only boys watching to see how they work," said Bob, who felt toocomfortable to move.
"I'm going over to see who they are, though. Looks like a pretty bigboy, and I don't want my machine put out of gear when the race is onlyfour days off."
"That's so, those youngsters might get something out of kilter," agreedNed, springing up.
He and Jerry went over to where the motors had been left. The cycleswere surrounded by a crowd of small boys, but, as Jerry had remarked,one of the lads seemed to be well grown. Suddenly the group ofyoungsters parted and a tall youth came from their midst. He glanced inthe direction of Jerry and Ned, and then, with a quick motion, brokeinto a run. He hurried around the corner of the club house and, the nextinstant there came the sound of a motor cycle in motion. A second latera red machine was observed moving off in the distance.
"That was Jack Pender!" cried Jerry.
"That's who it was!" agreed Ned. "And he was up to some trick, I'll bet."
"If he's damaged my machine he'll pay for it," vowed Jerry.
The two boys, who were joined by Bob in a little while, reached theirmachines. The crowd of small lads who had not gone watched the threechums as they made a careful examination of their wheels.
"That fellow said he was fixing them," volunteered a little boy in shorttrousers.
"What fellow?" asked Ned.
"The one that just went away from here. He had a wrench and screw driverand he was doing something to the engine."
"Who was he?" asked Jerry, wanting to make sure.
"I know! It was Jack Pender!" exclaimed another of the small boys.
Jerry was the first to finish the examination of his motor.
"Well, he's fixed mine all right!" he exclaimed, straightening up. "He'staken off part of the carburetor and the motor is no good until I get anew one."
"He's done the same thing to mine!" cried Ned, just discovering thedamage which had been done.
"And to mine," added Bob.
"Boys, this is very serious," said Jerry when he had drawn his two chumsout of hearing of the group of small boys. "The machines can't runwithout those parts."
"But can't we easily get them?" asked Bob.
"We could in New York, or Boston or some large city," said Jerry. "Buthave we time to send? To-day is Saturday, the race takes place Thursday.We can't get word to any supply store until Monday morning, and it's aquestion whether we would receive the parts in time."
"We can telegraph," said Bob.
"Even that takes time. Jack Pender laid his plans well for this trick.He means to keep us out of the race!" Jerry said.
"Can't we get the parts in Cresville?" asked Bob.
"Not a store keeps them that I know of," replied Jerry. "I'm afraidwe're done for. Most likely Pender broke the parts and threw them away."
"No, we're not done for!" exclaimed Ned.
"Why not?"
"Because I'll ride into Boston to-night and get the new parts!"
"But none of our machines can be run," objected Bob.
"I'll borrow Mr. Wakefield's," said Ned. "He'll lend it to me when Itell him how the case stands!"
"Hurrah!" exclaimed Bob. "You're the stuff Ned!"
"I doubt if you can do it," objected Jerry. "There is no moon to-night,and the roads are hard to find."
"I'm going to try," insisted Ned. "Jack Pender shall not keep us out ofthe race if I can prevent it!"
"Well, hurry and find Mr. Wakefield," urged Jerry. "There's no time tolose. Bob and I will see to your machine and you can start at once."