The Motor Boys | Page 2

and Bob flashed up two seconds later. "Honest, I didn't."
"Nor I," came from Bob. "You must have been practicing lately."
"Well, I thought I ought to try and improve my wheel-work," said Jerry modestly. "I'm thinking of going in the club races that will be held soon, and I wanted to stand some sort of a show."
"I'd say you stood a pretty good one, if you ride like you did to-day," interposed Ned. "You went past us flying, and Bob and I weren't going so slow, either; were we, Bob?"
"Not exactly."
For a few minutes the boys lolled lazily in the grass, enjoying the fresh air and sunshine. Then Bob took three apples from his pocket and treated.
"Do you fellows know what I wish?" began Jerry, who had finished his light lunch first. "I wish we all had motor-cycles."
"It wouldn't be a half-bad idea," agreed Bob, after a little thought. "I'm beginning to get a little tired of this leg-work, myself. How about you, Ned?"
"I think I could use a motor-cycle if one came my way," replied Ned. "That is after I learned how to operate one, and wouldn't blow myself and the immediate neighborhood up with gasolene."
"They're easy to run," affirmed Jerry, "and no more dangerous than a horse. The catalogue I have says so."
"That reminds me, are you two going in the bicycle races?" asked Jerry. "You know there are going to be some fine prizes."
"You mean the Cresville Athletic Club races?" asked Ned.
"Yes," replied Jerry.
"I hadn't thought much of it," said Bob. "I heard about 'em, but it takes a lot of time to train, and you have to almost starve yourself."
"How about you, Ned?"
"Well, if you and Bob go in for it, Jerry, I s'pose I might as well too. Tell us what you know about the races."
Jerry related what he had heard about the plans of the athletic club to hold an out-door meet on their grounds three weeks hence. As he had said, several valuable prizes were to be awarded, and there were many classes of handicap contests, so that the boys would have plenty of chances to enter, and stand a good show of winning one or more of the trophies.
"It sounds good," said Ned at length.
"I'm going to enter, and begin training at once," decided Chunky.
"Same here, then," came from Ned. "Have you entered yet, Jerry?"
"No, but I've begun to train some. There's plenty of time to send in your name if you want to enter. The lists are open until five days before the races."
"All right, then it's settled," exclaimed Ned, slowly rising from his comfortable berth in the grass.
The three boys mounted their wheels and started slowly homeward. They took their time, keeping close together and talking now of the coming races and again of the prospects of owning motor-cycles. At the top of a long, gentle sloping hill, that led down, almost to the centre of the town, the boys put their feet on the coasters and let their wheels glide down by gravity. Soon they were going at a rapid rate, with Ned slightly in the lead.
At the foot of the hill another road crossed at right angles. By reason of a turn to this second road, and a clump of trees, any one passing along it could not be seen until he was nearly in the middle of the hill road.
Suddenly there shot from behind the clump of trees lining the cross-road, a figure on a wheel.
"Look out!" yelled Bob and Jerry.
Ned looked up and saw, but was too late. He could not check his speed, and the only thing to do was to turn to one side, and try to avoid the other rider. Unfortunately the other rider, also seeing the danger, took the same turn as had Ned.
"There's going to be a smash!" called Jerry in excited tones.
The shock threw Ned and the other cyclist from their wheels into the dusty road. The bicycles went in one direction and the riders in another. Both boys were lying still on the highway when Bob and Jerry came running up.
"Are they killed?" asked Jerry in a trembling voice.
"No, only stunned, I guess," answered Bob, feeling of Ned's heart, and finding it beating. "Let's see who the other fellow is."
He turned the boy who had collided with Ned over.
"Noddy Nixon?" he said. "He'll be sure to say this was Ned's fault, and it may make trouble. I wish Ned had put on his brake."
Ned sat up and opened his eyes. A few seconds later Noddy Nixon did likewise.
"What happened?" gasped Ned, rubbing the dust from his eyes.
"You had a little spill, that's all," answered Bob.
"A little spill? I should say we did," snarled Noddy, who was larger and stronger than any of the three chums, and older, being about eighteen.