“We ought to go back and punch his head,” was Sam’s comment.
“Wonder if they’ll try that game on the other auto,” said Fred, as he arose to look back.
He saw the street rough throw a lighted firecracker at the other machine. It landed on the floor of the tonneau, but like a flash Tom was after it. The fun-loving Rover held it up, took aim, and sent it straight at the fellow who had first launched it. Bang! went the firecracker, right close to the rough’s left ear. He set up a howl of pain, for he had been burnt enough to make it smart well.
“There, he’s paid back,” said Fred, and then the two automobiles passed on, leaving the roughs in the distance.
CHAPTER XIII
A WILD AUTOMOBILE RIDE
“This is glorious!”
“It certainly could not be finer, Dick.”
“Some day, Dora, I am going to take you for a long ride,” went on Dick. “I mean some day after we get home with that treasure,” he added, in a lower tone, so that the chauffeur might not hear.
“That’s a long time off, Dick.”
“Perhaps not so long.”
“And what are you going to do after this hunt is over?”
“Go to college, I guess. It is not yet fully decided, for we don’t know what college to go to.”
“I hope—” Dora broke off short.
“What, Dora.”
“Oh, I was just thinking. Mamma thinks that I might go to college. If I went it would be nice if we went to two places that were near each other.”
“Nice? It would be the best ever!” cried Dick, enthusiastically.
They were running along a country road a good many miles from Philadelphia. All the noise of the city had been left behind and it was as calm and peaceful as one would wish. The second machine was only a short distance behind the first, and each was making not less than thirty miles per hour.
“Do you know, some day I am going to make a regular tour in an auto,” remarked Sam. “I am sure a fellow could have lots of fun.”
“You can have this machine any time you want to,” said the chauffeur, who had taken greatly to, the party.
“We’ll remember,” answered Dick, indifferently. He did not particularly fancy the fellow, for he was rather familiar and his breath smelt of liquor. Twice he had talked of stopping at road houses, but Dick had told him to go on, fearful that he might drink too much.
A hill was before the automobiles, but both machines climbed it without an effort. From the top of the hill a fine view was to be obtained, and here a hotel had been located, and this displayed a sign which interested the boys and girls very much:
ICE CREAM. SODA WATER.
ROOT BEER. BEST CANDY.
“Let us stop for some ice cream,” suggested Songbird. And he yelled to those in the automobile ahead.
All of the girls loved ice cream, so despite Dick’s anxiety over his chauffeur, a stop was made, and the boys and girls filed into the hotel for the treat. Dick lingered behind to speak to both of the machine drivers, for he saw that the second man was of the same “thirsty” type as the other.
“Do you smoke?” he asked.
“Sure,” was the reply from both.
“Then here is a quarter with which you can buy some cigars. And please remember, no drinking,” he added, significantly.
“Can’t a fellow have a drink if he wants it?” demanded the chauffeur of the first car.
“Not while you have my party out,” was Dick’s reply.
“Well, a fellow gets thirsty, driving a car in this dust,” grumbled the second chauffeur.
“If you are thirsty, there is plenty of water handy and root beer and soda water, too. I meant liquor when I spoke.”
“Oh, we’ll keep straight enough, don’t you worry,” said the first chauffeur, and then both of them turned away to a side entrance of the hotel.
Dick was much worried, but he did not let the rest see it. He joined the crowd in the ice cream pavillion attached to the hotel, and there they spent an hour, eating ice cream, water ices, and cake. Then some of the lads went off and got several boxes of bonbons and chocolates to take along on the rest of the trip.
When they went out to the two automobiles the chauffeurs were missing. A man was trimming a hedge nearby and Dick asked him if he had seen the pair.
“Must be over to the barroom,” said the gardener. “That Hellig loves his liquor, and Snall likes a glass, too.”
“Was Hellig the driver of this first car?”
“Yes, and Snall ran the second.”
Just then Tom came up, having placed Nellie in the second car.
“What’s the trouble, Dick?” he questioned.
“I am afraid both our men have gone off to drink. This man says they both love their liquor.”
“They do, and both of ’em have been locked up for reckless driving but don’t say I told you,” said the gardener.
“Humph! This is serious,” murmured Tom. “I don’t like to trust a chauffeur who drinks.”
“Come with me,” said his brother, in a low tone. “Just wait for us,” he shouted to the others, who were now in the two cars.
He walked behind the ice cream pavillion, Tom at his side, and then the pair reached a side door, connecting with the hotel barroom. They looked in and at a small table saw the two chauffeurs drinking liquor from a bottle set before them. Both were rather noisy and had evidently been imbibing freely.
“I won’t let no boy run me and tell me what I shall take,” they heard Hellig say thickly.
“I’ll drink what I please and when I please,” answered Snall. “Let us have another, Nat.”
“Sure.”
“This is the worst ever!” murmured Tom. “They are in no fit condition to run the cars. I wouldn’t trust my neck with either of them.”
“And I am not going to trust the lives of the girls in their care,” answered Dick, firmly.
“What are you going to do?”
“I don’t know yet. But one thing is settled—, they shan’t take us back.”
“I think I could run one car—if we didn’t go too fast,” suggested Tom, who had run several machines at various times in his lively career.
“I could run the other.”
“Then let us do it, Dick. Those fellows don’t own the cars, and we didn’t hire from them, we hired from the owner of the garage. I guess we have a right to run them under the circumstances.”
The two boys walked back to the automobiles. All of the others were now anxious to know what was wrong and they had to give the particulars.
“Oh, Dick, you must not let them run the cars!” cried Grace, turning pale.
“I’d rather have you and Tom run them ten times over,” declared Dora.
While the party was talking the two chauffeurs came from the hotel and walked unsteadily towards the automobiles. Their faces were red and their eyes blinked unsteadily.
“Stop!” called Dick, when they were some distance away, and the gardener and some guests of the hotel gathered around to see what was the matter.
“What yer want?” growled Hellig, thickly.
“We are going to leave you both here and run the cars ourselves,” answered Dick, coldly. “You are not fit to run them.”
“What’s the reason we ain’t?” mumbled Snall. He could hardly speak.
“You’ve been drinking too much—that’s the reason.”
“Humph!”
“We are going to run them machines an’ don’t you forgit it,” mumbled Hellig, and lurched forward.
“Don’t you ride with those intoxicated fellows,” said one of the hotel guests.
“We don’t intend to,” answered Dick. “All ready, Tom?” he called out.
“Yes.”
“Then go ahead. I’ll catch
up to you.”
“Hi, you stop!” screamed Snall, as one of the automobiles began to move off down the road. But Tom paid no attention to him.
Running swiftly, Dick reached the other car and hopped up to the chauffeur’s seat. He had watched the driver operate the car and knew exactly what to do. He soon had the engine running and then he threw in the speed clutch just as Hellig lurched up.
“You mustn’t ran away with that machine!” he roared.
“Keep away!” cried Sam, and leaning out of the car he gave the chauffeur a shove that sent him flat on his back in the dust of the road. Then the car moved off. As those in the automobile looked back they saw Hellig arise and shake his fist after them and Snall waved his arms wildly.
“We’ll hear from them again, I suppose,” said Sam.
“And they’ll hear from me,” answered Dick. “and the fellow who sent them out to run the cars for us will hear from me, too,” he added.
Tom was quite a distance ahead, but they soon caught up to his car. By this time they were out of sight and hearing of the hotel, and going down the other side of the hill they had come up.
“If you wish, you can take the lead,” said the fun-loving Rover to his older brother. “I don’t know a thing about these roads.”
“We’ll have to trust to luck and the signboards,” returned Dick.
“It will be all right if only you don’t get on some road that is impassible,” put in Fred.
“And get stuck thirty miles from nowhere,” added Songbird.
“You stick to dem roads vot haf stones on de got,” said Hans wisely. “Ton’t you vos, drust der car to der tirt roads, no!”
“I shall follow Hans’ advice and stick to the good roads,” said Dick. “I think the signboards will help us to get back to Philadelphia sooner or later.”
They sped down the hill and there found the road turned to the left and crossed a small stream. Then they reached a corner with several signboards.
“Hurrah! that’s the way to Philly!” cried Sam.
“But it doesn’t say how many miles,” protested Grace.
“Never mind, we are bound to get there before dark, and that is all we care,” came from Nellie.
In the exhilaration of running the cars, Dick and Tom soon forgot about the trouble with the chauffeurs. It was great sport, and as soon as Dick “got the hang of it,” as he said, he let the speed out, notch by notch. His car ran a trifle more easily than did the other and before long he was a good half mile ahead of that run by Tom. Those in the rear shouted for him to slow down, but the wind prevented him from hearing their calls.
“This is something like, isn’t it?” said Dick to Dora, who was beside him.
“Oh, it is splendid!” she replied enthusiastically. “I feel as if I could go on riding forever!”
“An auto certainly beats a team all to bits, if the road is good.”
They passed up another hill, and then through a patch of woods. Then they made a sharp turn, and the car began to descend over a road that was filled with loose stones.
“Say, Dick, you’d better slow up,” cautioned Sam, as the machine gave a quick lurch over a stone. “This road isn’t as smooth as it was.”
“I know it.”
“I saw a road to our right,” said Grace. “Perhaps we should have taken that.”
There was no time to say more, for the automobile was jouncing over the stones in too lively a manner. Alarmed, Dick, who had already shut off the power, applied the brake, but he was not used to this and he jammed it fast so it did not altogether prevent the car from advancing.
“Oh, we must stop!” screamed Dora, a moment later. “Look ahead!”
Dick did so, and his heart gave a leap of fear. Below them the stony road was narrow, and on one side was a rocky gully and on the other some thick bushes. In the roadway was a farmer with a large farm wagon filled with lime. Should they hit the turnout below somebody would surely be hurt and perhaps killed.
CHAPTER XIV
WHAT A ROMAN CANDLE DID
It was a time for quick action, and it was a lucky thing that Dick Rover had been in perilous positions before and knew enough not to lose his presence of mind. As the others in the automobile arose to leap out he called to them:
“Sit down! Don’t jump! I’ll look out for things!”
Then, even as he spoke, Dick turned the steering wheel and sent the big machine crashing into the bushes to one side of the roadway. He chose a spot that was comparatively level, and in five seconds they came to a halt just in front of half a dozen trees.
“We must take care of Tom’s machine!” cried Sam, and leaped over the back of the automobile. The machine had cut down the bushes, so the path was clear and he ran with might and main to the roadway. At the top of the hill was the second car, coming along at a good speed.
“Stop! stop!” he yelled, frantically, and waved his arms in the air.
Tom saw the movement and knew at once something was wrong. He threw off the power and applied the emergency brake and the automobile just passed Sam and no more.
“What’s the matter?” came from everyone in the second car.
“That’s what’s the matter,” answered Sam, pointing to the foot of the rocky hill. “That wagon—Well, I declare!”
The youngest Rover stared and well he might, for the farmer’s turnout with the load of lime had disappeared from view. The farmer had turned into a field at the bottom of the hill just as Dick turned his car into the bushes.
“I don’t see anything,” said Nellie. And then Sam had to explain and point out the situation of the first car.
“I guess I can get down the hill well enough,” said Tom. “But this appears to be a poor road. We ought to try to find something better.”
All those in the second car got out and walked to that which was stalled in the bushes. They found Dick and Fred walking around the machine trying to learn if any damage had been done.
“We might have kept right on,” said Sam, and explained why.
“Well, we are here, and now comes the problem of getting back on the road,” said the eldest Rover. “I don’t think I can back very well in here.”
“Better make a turn on the down grade,” suggested Sam. “We can cut down some of the big bushes that are in the way, and fill up some of the holes with stones.”
It was decided to do this, and all of the boys took off their coats and went to work. Soon they had a fairly clear path, and after backing away a few feet from the trees, Dick turned downward in a semi circle, and got out once more on the road. This time he was mindful to use the brake with care, and consequently he gained the bottom of the stony hill without further mishap, and the second machine came after him.
“There is that farmer,” said Songbird. “Why not ask him about the roads?”
“I will,” said Dick, and stalked into the field.
“This ain’t no good road to Philadelphia,” said the farmer, when questioned. “Better go back up the hill and take the road on the right.”
“We can’t get back very well.”
“Then you had better go along this road and take the first turn to the left and after that the next turn to the right. You’ll have about three miles o’ poor roads, but then you’ll be all right, but the distance to the city is six miles longer.”
There was no help for it and they went on, over dirt roads which were anything but good. They had to go slowly, and Tom kept the second car far to the rear, to escape the thick dust sent up by the leading machine.
“This isn’t so fine,” declared Dick, with a grimace at Dora. “I am sorry we took that false turn at the top of the hill.”
“Oh, we’ll have to take the bitter with the sweet,” answered the girl, lightly.
“I shan’t mind it if you don’t, Dora.”
“Don’t
worry, Dick, I am not minding it a bit. I am only glad we got rid of that intoxicated chauffeur. He might have gotten us into far more trouble than this.”
Inside of an hour they found themselves on a good stone road and reached a signboard put up by the automobile association, telling the exact distance to Philadelphia. This set them at ease mentally, and they started off at a speed of twenty miles an hour. Tom wanted to “let her out,” as he put it, but Nellie demurred and so he kept to the rear as before.
“But some day I am going to have a machine of my own,” said he, “and it is going to do some speeding, I can tell you that.”
“Yah, and der first dings you know, Dom, you vos ub a dree odder you sphlit a rock insides owid,” warned Hans. “Ven I ride so fast like dot I valk, I pet you!”
It was dark long before the city was reached and they had to stop to light the lamps, and they also had to fix the batteries of the second car. Fred, who was getting hungry, suggested they stop somewhere for something to eat, but the girls demurred.
“Wait until the ride is ended,” said Dora. “Then we can take our time over supper.”
As night came on they saw fireworks displayed here and there and enjoyed the sights greatly.
“I’ve got some fireworks on the yacht,” said Tom. “I reckon I’ll be rather late setting them off.”
While they were yet three miles from the river they stopped at a drug store and there Dick telephoned to the owner of the machines, explaining matters, and asking the man to send down to the dock for the cars.
“He’s pretty angry,” said Dick, as he leaped into the automobile again. “He says we had no right to run off with the cars.”
“Well, he had no right to send us off with those awful chauffeurs,” answered Dora.
“Oh, I’m not afraid of anything he’ll do,” answered Dick.
Nevertheless, he was a bit anxious as he reached the dock, and he lost no time in sending the girls to the yacht with Songbird, and he asked his chum to send Mr. Rover ashore.
A minute later a light runabout spun up and a tall, thin man, with a sour face, leaped out and strode up to the two machines.
“Who hired these machines, I want to know?” he demanded. “I did,” answered Dick boldly. “Are you the manager of the garage?”
The Rover Boys Megapack Page 191