Part 2 (1/2)
How delightfully cheery did the rapid clatter of the exhausts sound to their ears, after having been deprived of this fa their ardener, who had later on brought them to the city, concealed under a load of produce
They kept as close together as safety alloith Rod as usual in the lead Well did the other two know they could always depend on hiht Rod carried a little map of the country with hihly that in most cases he could tell the lay of the land without consulting the chart
”This is the life!” called Hanky Panky, who brought up the rear, squatted in his saddle soe toad; for Hanky had a peculiar ”style” of his own, entirely original, which he claiood points as a horse jockey'son the neck of his mount
”Pity our two poor chums who had to set out for ho himself on account of the wonderful possibilities for excite up above the horizon just then
”Well, their machines ith thenorance is bliss 'tis a folly to be wise' Right now theyleft behind in the land of the Great War”
”This is a hunky-dory road, all right!” ventured Hanky Panky shortly afterward ”Why, we see as so twice as fast, if anted to”
”No need of that,” said Rod, hearing the remark, which was, however, intended only for Josh; ”we'll pass through Ostend and Dunkirk, reaching Calais in short order Then, like as not, we'll have to spend the rest of the day there, and to-night in the bargain”
”Shucks! what's the use of all that, Rod?” de line again, and witness hts that had thrilled hiive an account of ourselves, o into France,” he was told
”Say, fellows,” called out Hanky Panky just then, ”there's a car whirling along right now in a cloud of dust, with two men aboard
Wouldn't it be a joke on us if that was the Jules Baggott the wo us give up the paper she entrusted to Rod here?”
CHAPTER III
THE PURSUIT
Of course when Hanky Pankystatelances back along the road over which they were spinning so grandly
”What d'ye think of it, Rod?” demanded Josh quickly
”They act as if they ht,” the boy in the van declared, without hesitation; ”but I couldn't say for certain whether one of theht_ I had a glimpse of him at the time we talked with Jeanne on the Antwerp street”
”Shall we let theerently, for Josh was sohter in his way, and always had a ”chip on his shoulder”
”We are looking for no scrap, if it can be helped,” said Rod; ”so first of all we can try letting out a little more speed”
”And if they follow suit, then what?” asked Hanky Panky, with a vein of anxiety in his voice; for being in the rear he iet for any stray leaden ht come that way
”In the first place we'll feel pretty certain they'reto overtake us,” Rod called back, as he increased his pace considerably, an easy thing to do, although he knew the danger of going at headlong speed over an unknown road, where at anythe whole thoroughfare, and concealed by soht!” called Hanky Panky, from his position in the rear
”And believe !” exploded Josh; ”why, it can give us a run for our et away”