The Speedwell Boys and Their Racing Auto: or, A Run for the Golden Cup

CHAPTER XIII
A SHARP TURN

Billy Speedwell, in the hood of the robbers’ car, speeding over these lonely roads at this late hour of the night, had many sensations. He had his own anxieties and fears – nor were they much connected with the wrecked automobile in the tree-tops; nevertheless, they were poignant troubles.

Billy was much shaken as the motor car bounced over the way. The pace was not quite so wild, however, as it had been on the run down to the Falls. George was handling the car with more caution. Billy could hear a low murmur of voices – now and then a little cry. The man who had been shot, and who had kept perfectly still while at Rebo’s garage, was having his wound dressed, without doubt.

Nothing occurred to alarm Billy, or to spur his wit to any action, until the car suddenly took the turn into the lane, where the second maroon machine was in hiding. The short turn surprised Billy quite as much as it surprised his brother and those with him.

Billy heard the shouting, saw a light flashed, and realized that the car he was with had barely grazed another touring automobile standing without lights in the narrow roadway. Then he recognized his brother’s voice as Dan shouted his name!

Billy could do nothing but wave his hand – and he did not know that the signal was seen. He realized on the instant, however – as did the three robbers – that they were pursued. Somehow, Billy’s written information had reached Dan Speedwell’s ear, and he – with others – were out to catch the men who had looted the Sudds’ house and who (so Billy believed) had robbed the Riverdale bank.

Billy knew quite well the direction in which he was traveling. In a very few minutes they would pass a spot in the big swamp which lay less than half a mile from his own home. And Billy Speedwell very much wished that he was safe in his home at that moment!

Lights flashed beside the road, but at some distance ahead. Billy knew that they were already in the thick woods lying behind his own home. The flaring of the lights assured him that they had come upon a hunting party.

Indeed, as George shut off the power, and the noise of the engine ceased, the yelping of the dogs could be plainly heard. They had treed something right beside the highway.

“Switch on the lights quick!” whispered the man who seemed to command the trio. “They are too busy to have seen us yet.”

“But can’t we take some side road?” asked the wounded one.

“There is none, I tell you; I know the country like a book. We have got to pass that crowd of fools.”

The lamps were already alight; the chauffeur spun the flywheel and the car moved on. It might have seemed to any of the party of hunters, who noticed at all, that the automobile had only then flashed around the curve in the road.

It leaped ahead again, but not before Billy heard the approaching purr of the car in pursuit. Dan and his friends were close behind!

“Hold on!” yelled somebody. “Look out for the dogs.”

The thieves uttered exclamations of anger, but George slowed down. The excited canines were leaping about in the roadway. The ’coon had taken to a tall, straight tree, directly on the line of the highway. The branch on which the animal crouched overhung the road.

The torches and lanterns flashed in front of the car. The chauffeur brought it down to a creeping pace. Those beside the road obtained a good view of the car, and of the men in it. This was in all probability not to the liking of the latter. Beside, there was the license plate behind – no dragging robe covered those numbers now.

Already a man with an axe was at the base of the tree. He struck a blow, or two, before the motor car crawled past. They were going to fell the tree so as to get their quarry.

The maroon car passed. Billy heard the sound of the pursuing auto, growing louder and louder. He decided that the moment had come for him to escape from the car, for the hunters would protect him from the vengeance of the criminals.

And even as he was about crawling out of the canopy, and dropping to the lighted roadway, the boy was startled by a sharp detonation – followed by the shaking of the automobile as it was brought to a sudden stop.

“A blow-out!” thought Billy.

The car was stalled. He heard the three thieves express their fear and anger. He knew he would be less likely to be observed by them now than at any time. He leaped down and scuttled into the bushes in a moment.

“Hullo!” shouted one of the men of the hunting party. “A breakdown?”

Then another hunter heard a fast-approaching car, and uttered a cry of warning:

“Look out for the dogs! Here’s another of those plaguy autos.”

Billy was aware, from his place of concealment, that the three robbers were extremely busy men. They soon had a lantern beside the burst tire, and tools spread about the road. George and the wounded one were jacking up the car so as to get off the old tire and replace it with a new one.

With a sudden shout, the leader of the trio of robbers left the car and bounded toward the ’coon tree. He passed Billy so near that the boy shrank back with an affrighted cry. He thought he had been discovered.

But the man did not stop for Billy Speedwell. Indeed, he probably did not hear the lad’s cry. He had seen the lights of the pursuing automobile at the turn in the road.

He dashed in among the hunters who, with their flaring torches and lanterns and dogs, were gathered about the tree in which the ’coon had taken refuge. The man with the axe had already cut half through the tall trunk.

Without a word, but giving the axeman a strong push to one side, the leader of the thieves seized the axe, wrenching it from the other’s hands. Then, with mighty blows, he set upon the work of felling the tree. The hunters were amazed. They did not know whether it was a joke, or not. But suddenly one observed the object of the stranger.

“Look out, there!” he cried. “You’ll have that tree down across the road.”

And, even as he spoke, with the second motor car still some rods away, and slowing down, the event he had prophesied occurred! With a crash the tree fell. The motor rascal was an excellent woodsman. He had known just how to slant his axe to make the tree fall in the right direction.

As it came down to earth the yelping dogs made a dash for the ’coon, and for some moments there was a lively scrimmage in the brush across the highway; but nobody had paid any attention to this event.

The pursuing car stopped in bare season to escape collision with the fallen tree. It had been completely blocked from further pursuit.

“Stop them! Hold them!” shouted Mr. Briggs and Mr. Armitage.

“Are you there, Billy?” yelled Dan Speedwell.

The leader of the party in the first maroon car leaped back toward that crippled machine. At the moment one of his mates whistled a shrill signal, while George, the chauffeur, shouted:

“All ready! We’re off!”

Mr. Polk, as well as several of the hunters, made for the man. He eluded them with ease, sprang into the middle of the road, and sprinted for the forward car. There was only Billy Speedwell between him and escape.

CHAPTER XIV
A FAILURE AND A SUCCESS

But Billy was a factor to be counted on. There was peril in any attempt to halt the leader of the bank robbers. The lad knew that well enough. He would have tackled either of the others with a better liking for the job; he knew them to be less desperate.

He shot out of the shadow of the bushes, still on hands and knees, and threw his body across the track of the running man. The fellow could neither dodge, nor overleap the boy; the latter had timed his intervention too well. So he tripped upon Billy, and sprawled like a huge frog in the roadway.

Billy was not hurt. He sprang up, saw that his antagonist was down, and immediately jumped upon his back, shouting:

“Come on! Come on! I’ve got him! Help!”

The fellow struggled to get up. He was able to lift the boy’s weight with ease. In half a minute Billy knew he would be shaken off. Why didn’t some of those ’coon hunters take a hand in the proceedings?

Billy heard the sound of running feet behind him; but it was a long way behind. Then came an answering shout from Dan:

“Hold to him, Billy! Hang to him!”

Billy did his best. But he was light weight for the leader of the motor-robbers. That individual got to his feet, reached behind him, and shoved the lad loose, pushing him far from him upon the road.

Fortunately he did not stay to punish the boy, but bounded on. Dan was beside his brother in a moment, leaning over him and seizing Billy’s shoulder in an anxious grip.

“You’re not hurt, Billy? Say you’re not hurt?” he cried. “Did that man – ”

“Oh, ouch!” gasped the younger boy, getting his breath. “Never mind me! Get him, Dan!”

But with a loud blast the robbers’ automobile shot ahead. They were off.

Mr. Briggs wanted to run back and take the Speedwells home; but there was a path through the woods right here to their house, and the boys refused to cause any trouble. The hunters cut up the tree and cleared the roadway so that the maroon car could go on; but the automobile driven by the men who had robbed Mr. Sudds and the bank was then far, far out of reach.

Everywhere in town there was talk of the robbers. Mr. Sudds had lost anywhere from ten to a hundred thousand dollars’ worth of jewelry, so gossip said. But the Speedwell boys did not add to it, although they might have told some interesting particulars of the robbery and how the thieves had gotten away.

Josiah Somes, having been able to do nothing but annoy Mr. Briggs and his friends, was discreetly silent regarding the telephone message he had received from Rebo’s garage at Upton Falls. So nobody stopped Dan, or Billy, to ask them about the midnight race of the automobiles.

The boys hurried home and begged permission to remain away from classes that morning. They would make the time up on their lessons later; it was quite important that they should get the car out of the tree before further trouble ensued. Billy’s motorcycle was hidden down there on the river road, too.

The brothers got the new post Dan cut at midnight, and another stick for the arm of the derrick, hurried to the place, and raised a new lifting apparatus. The auto and the motorcycle were both safe, nor did anybody come to trouble them while they worked.

There was a steep path down to the shore of the river, and up this Billy lugged the tangle of rope and chain, with the hoisting tackle, that had fallen with the derrick when their enemy had cast the apparatus over the precipice.

Meanwhile, Dan dug a hole for the new post, and it was set up, and the derrick re-rigged. It was Billy who climbed down to the overturned auto again. He fastened it in a strong sling, brought the ends of the rope in a loop over it, and hooked the falls into it, which Dan pulled taut.

The latter had already unhitched the horses from the wagon, and now had them rigged to the second pulley, ready to start the weight of the wrecked car out of the tree. Billy refused to come up.

“I must see her start, Dan. Perhaps something will catch – we mustn’t break or mar it any more than possible,” declared Billy, quite nervously.

“Look out for yourself, old man,” Dan returned, and then spoke to the horses.

Bob and Betty strained to their collars; the rope tauntened; the motor car began to squeak and the tree branches to rustle.

“She’s coming!” yelled Billy.

He stood on a limb, clinging to another with one hand. The car started, stuck a little, and then came loose with so sudden a jerk that the bulk of it was dashed against the boy!

“Whoa!” cried Dan; and it was well he stopped the team. Billy was flung off his unstable footing; but he had presence of mind enough to seize the car itself, and so hung on, his body swinging with the auto.

“Are you all right, Billy?” demanded Dan, anxiously.

“Right – oh!” returned the younger boy. “Let her go! I’m coming up with her.”

And he did. In five minutes the scratched automobile was hoisted out of the gulf, and the boys worked it over the farm wagon body. Upon that they lowered it carefully.

It was safe! And as far as Billy and Dan could see, it was not much damaged – not materially so, at least.

They dismantled the derrick and let the posts fall over the cliff, with those that had been cut down in the night. Then Billy went down below again and got the fisherman to help him up the path with the cushions and the rest of the automobile outfit, Dan meanwhile filling up the holes in the bank, and replacing the turf.

Everything once loaded on the wagon, the boys drove away. In passing through the town several people remarked upon the condition of the wrecked vehicle which the boys had purchased of Maxey Solomons, and more than one intimated that the Speedwells had spent their good money for something that neither they – nor anybody else – could make use of!

The boys knew that they would have to take the wrecked car to the Darringford shops to have it rebuilt and put in running order; but first they wished to assemble the parts as well as they could in their own workshop. Upside down as the car lay, Dan and Billy could see several bad breaks in the mechanism. The boys were not altogether sure that they would be able to put the wrecked car into good condition with the five hundred dollars that remained of their savings-bank hoard. But they said nothing to each other regarding these doubts.

CHAPTER XV
SECRET SERVICE

Mr. Speedwell possessed some little ingenuity in mechanics himself, and perhaps Dan had inherited his taste for the same study. The boys knew they had a hard task before them when, on getting the wrecked car out of the farm wagon, they turned it over and ran it in upon the shop floor. Their father’s opinion was anxiously awaited by the brothers.

He was not a man who grew enthusiastic without cause, and was slow in forming his judgment. It was not until he had been able to thoroughly go over the wrecked car that he told Dan and Billy what he thought of their bargain.

“If we had the tools here, we three could put that car in as good condition as she was when she came from the shop,” he finally said, wiping his hands on a bit of waste. “As she stands she is worth three times what you gave for her, I am sure. And after we have made all the repairs we can make, the expense of putting her in first-class shape and repainting her – if you are content with a plain warship drab color – ought not to be above seventy-five dollars.”

“Bully!” shouted Billy, flinging his cap into the air.

“And can you help us at once, Dad?” asked Dan, eagerly. “We want to enter for that thousand mile endurance test if we can. It will come in Thanksgiving week, and we sha’n’t have to miss school.”

“I will go to work on it this very day,” returned Mr. Speedwell, smiling at their enthusiasm.

But he pointed out again that there would be many things besides the repainting of the car that they could not do. And so, after school the next afternoon, Dan and Billy went over to the Darringford shops to see what kind of an arrangement they could make for the repair of the drab car.

The boys had a friend in Mr. Robert Darringford, who was really the head of the concern; but they did not wish to seem to ask a favor of him, so went directly to the overseer of the department in which the wrecked car would have to be repaired. This overseer was the father of one of their fellow-club members, “Biff” Hardy, and Biff himself worked in the shop.

“Fred was telling me about the car you boys got hold of,” said Mr. Hardy. “I guess he knows something about it, and he saw it in the tree.”

“What does he say?” asked Billy, quickly.

“Says we can fix it up like new.”

“And you can do it at once?”

“Don’t see any reason why we shouldn’t. Of course, Mr. Avery can tell you better than I,” said the foreman.

Dan and Billy looked doubtfully at each other. They did not like to ask any favor of the superintendent of the shops, for Francis Avery, Chanceford’s brother, was not their friend.

“You know of nothing now that will be ahead of our job?” asked Dan, gravely.

“Not a thing. I was just going over the order book. There is very little outside repairing to be done just now.”

“Then, if we get the machine down here to-morrow it’s likely that you can go right to work on it?”

“Guess so,” said Mr. Hardy, confidently.

As they walked up town the brothers chanced to pass the Farmers’ National Bank. Through the barred window Mr. Baird, the cashier, saw them, and beckoned them to enter.

“Boys, I have a very serious proposal to make you,” the cashier said. “We have just had a conference with Mr. Briggs, one of our big depositors. He has told us of the race he had with the car of those robbers who broke into Mr. Sudds’ house, and whom we are sure are the same that robbed this bank.”

“And I am positive they are the same men,” said Dan.

“Me, too,” agreed Billy. “And they’ve got some automobile! It’s as good a car as Mr. Briggs’ new one.”

“Well, as to that I cannot say,” returned the cashier. “But Mr. Briggs has told us of the connection of you two brothers with the thieves, and he has put a thought into my mind.”

“And that is?” asked Dan, seriously.

“That you boys – at least, Billy, here – will be able to recognize and identify those robbers.”

“I should say I would!” declared Billy. “At least, the fellow who bosses them, and the man who was wounded at Mr. Sudds’, were both without masks or goggles for part of the time. I’d know them anywhere. And the chauffeur, George, I believe I should know by his figure.”

“I couldn’t be sure myself,” said Dan, doubtfully. “I made a mistake in that matter of identification once. I took Henri, Mr. Briggs’ own chauffeur, for one of the thieves.”

“Well, we will say, then, that Billy is the only one who can positively identify the men; but you both know the car.”

“If I ever see one like it it will either be the robbers’ car or Mr. Briggs’,” laughed Dan. “They can’t spring a third one on me.”

“Well. You see what I am getting at,” said Mr. Baird, impressively. “It is in your power to aid the bank. I understand that you boys have bought a motor car?”

“Yes, sir.”

“And you will be riding around the country in it a good deal.”

“We hope to,” declared the brothers, in chorus.

“Then, it is my firm belief, boys, that you will some day run up against those three men, either with or without the maroon car,” declared Mr. Baird, impressively.

“Oh, do you think so?” cried Dan.

“They have been successful in at least two robberies. Of course, the whole county – half the state, indeed – is awake to their actions now, and they will have to keep quiet for a while. But, having been so successful in this manner of work – this automobile-highway robbery – they will wish to try it again.”

“That seems reasonable,” admitted Dan.

“And if we could only find them!” cried Billy.

“That is the idea,” said Mr. Baird. “If you find them, bring about their arrest. The bank will back you up in it, no matter how much it costs, in time, trouble, or money. And, boys, you will lose nothing yourselves if you bring about the arrest of the thieves.”

The Speedwells went forth considerably excited. “I tell you, Dan!” Billy whispered, “wouldn’t it be great if we came across those three rascals?”

“It would give me a whole lot of satisfaction to see them put where the dogs wouldn’t bite them!” agreed the older boy. “But I’d like to have their car.”

“Do you suppose it is a Postlethwaite, like Mr. Briggs’?” asked Billy.

“It’s a six-cylinder car without doubt, and looks enough like Mr. Briggs’ to be own sister to it. Hullo! Here’s Burton Poole and his car,” Dan added.

“Come along!” said Billy, shortly. “Chance Avery is with him. I could give that fellow a piece of my mind.”

“It wouldn’t do any good,” admonished Dan. “We don’t know that he chopped down our derrick.”

“Well, I’m pretty sure. Who else would be mean enough? We haven’t many enemies, I hope.”

“No. Hullo, Burton!”

The car Dan had mentioned came to a halt right beside the Speedwell boys, and its owner hailed Dan. Therefore the latter had to speak. Chance Avery, who was driving it, had shut off the power, and now he got down and took out the gasoline can. They were all in front of Appleyard’s store.

“I hear you got Maxey’s car out of the tree, all hunky-dory,” said Burton, heartily, “and I’m glad of it.”

“You don’t suppose your partner will offer us his congratulations; do you?” asked Billy, significantly, as Chance went off, scowling, to buy gasoline.

“Oh, well, he has a grouch,” laughed Burton Poole. “But, he’s making this old car hum! I never could get such speed out of her.”

“You don’t give her enough attention,” laughed Dan, as Burton got out lazily, and opened the gasoline tank.

“Never mind; I add weight to her when we’re racing,” chuckled Poole.

He turned carelessly away from the open tank as he spoke and suddenly spied a youngster standing on the curb – a little fellow of not more than ten years with a lighted cigarette stuck in his mouth! Poole suddenly grew angry.

“Ted Berry! What are you smoking that thing for?” he demanded, sharply.

Little Berry was Burton’s nephew, and in spite of Burton’s haughtiness and laziness, he was rather a decent fellow, and took an elder-brotherly interest in his sister’s boy.

“G’wan!” returned Teddy Berry, who had begun to run with a pretty rough set of youngsters, and resented his young uncle’s interference. “You didn’t pay for this smoke.”

“Let me get my hands on you!” began Burton, in wrath, leaping for the saucy little fellow.

Ted, however, was as elusive as an eel. He dodged under Burton’s arm and would have got away had he not slid on the mud in the gutter, right behind the automobile.

“Now I’ve got you!” cried Burton, leaping again and catching the little fellow by the shoulder.

Ted had withdrawn the cigarette from his mouth. It was in his hand as his uncle grabbed him. The next instant it flashed through the air – both Dan and Billy saw it – and there sounded a deafening explosion and a tongue of flame leaped from the auto’s gasoline tank!