The Motor Boys | Page 2

until he reached the oak, where he leaped off,
and cast himself down in the shade to rest.
"I didn't think you could do it, Jerry," panted Ned, as he 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