The Motor Boys on the Pacific | Page 6

with this crowd here."
"Chunky can argue it any way he likes," declared Ned. "No use trying
to corner him, Jerry."
"No, I guess not. But I'm hungry enough to eat almost anything."
As they were turning away from the clerk's desk, having been assigned
to rooms, the boys saw a youth, about their own age, standing near a
bulletin board fastened on the side wall. The youth was tacking up a
notice and, as he turned, having finished, Jerry exclaimed in a whisper:
"Noddy Nixon! What's he doing here?"
At the same moment, Noddy, the long-time enemy of the motor boys,
saw them. His face got red, and he swung quickly aside to avoid
speaking to the three chums.
The last they had seen of the bully was when he started to accompany
them back to Cresville, after his disastrous attempt to make money
from a Florida cocoanut grove. Noddy was wanted as a witness by the
government authorities, in connection with the attempted wreck of a
vessel, in which Bill Berry was concerned; but, after the motor boys
had rescued Noddy from an unpleasant position in Florida, and he had
agreed to return to Cresville, he suddenly disappeared in the night. This
was the first they had seen of him since. They had learned that the
government no longer desired his testimony.
"Let's see what notice he put up," suggested Ned. "Maybe he has lost
something."
They walked over to the bulletin board. There, in Noddy's rather poor
handwriting, was a challenge. It was to the effect that he would race, on
the track near the hotel, any automobilist who would choose to compete
with him, for money, up to five hundred dollars, or merely for fun.
"Noddy must have a new car," remarked Ned. "His old one couldn't go

for a cent. We beat it several times."
"What's the matter with trying again?" asked Jerry, a light of
excitement coming into his eyes. "I'd like to have a race. Maybe several
cars will enter, and we can have some fun out of it. Our machine has a
lot of 'go' left in it yet."
"That's the stuff!" exclaimed Bob. "I'm with you. But let's get supper
first, maybe--"
"I guess he's afraid there won't be any left," remarked Jerry. "But come
on, I can eat a bit myself."
As the boys left the office of the hotel, they saw several men reading
the notice Noddy had tacked up.
"A race on this circular track here!" exclaimed one man to a friend as
the boys passed him. "It's very risky! The turns are not banked enough.
I wouldn't do it, but I suppose some will take the chance."
"Yes, it will be a dangerous race," responded the other. "Who is this
Noddy Nixon?"
"A son of that rich Nixon over in Cresville, I believe. His father made a
lot of money in stocks lately, and, I guess the son is helping spend it.
He has a powerful car."
The motor boys did not stay to hear more, but went to their rooms to
change their clothes, and were soon eating supper. There was talk of
nothing but automobile topics in the hotel corridors and office that
evening. Many motorists were planning to leave the next day, but some
said they would stay and see if the Nixon race would amount to
anything.
"Let's accept the challenge," suggested Jerry.
"I don't want to have anything to do with Noddy," objected Ned.
"We don't have to," replied Bob, "I was talking to the clerk about it. All

we have to do is register our names, and the name of the car. It's an
informal affair, only for fun. They won't race for money. Come on, let's
go in it."
Hearing this, Ned agreed, and the boys put their names down. As
Noddy had stipulated there must be four passengers in each car it
would necessitate the motor boys getting some one else to ride with
them. This the clerk agreed to arrange.
There were six entries in the race, which was to take place the next day.
Early in the morning, before breakfast, Ned, Jerry and Bob went out in
their car to try the course. When they were half way around it they
heard a car coming behind them. In a moment it had passed them, and
they recognized it as the same machine that had nearly collided with
them in Cresville.
"Look who's in it!" cried Bob.
"Who?" asked Ned.
"Noddy Nixon. If that's his car, we haven't any show."
"Humph! I'm afraid not," answered Jerry rather ruefully. "Still, I'm not
going to give up now. He's got a new car, but maybe we can beat him.
He's a poor driver."
Several other autos soon appeared on the track to