Part 3 (2/2)

When the car did stop Josh was only a dozen paces away The friendly bushes allowed hilireat interest

”Shucks! I do believe the chauffeur is nantly, only to hastily add in a gratified way: ”No he isn't either, for there he ju inside Now's oes, then!”

With the last words Josh was hurrying through the bushes as fast as he could make time Of course his pulses were thrilled with the sense of responsibility that rested upon his shoulders Would one of the men come out unexpectedly, and catch him busy with the car? Josh hoped not; at the same time he had his mind made up just what he meant to do under such conditions

If either or both of his chu back just then they oal, and was alongside the red racer

Josh flitted fro with all the vim of which he was capable, and every ti sound, as though some restrained captive hailed freedom in a joyous fashi+on

After all Josh was not detained there h it er to the anxious lad, for his heart beat so tumultuously that it really threatened to smother him

He could constantly hear theto one another in French Evidently they ondering where the ht at any instant begin to suspect that a clever trick had been played upon the forth to protect their own car, upon which the continuance of the pursuit depended wholly

At last Josh seemed to have finished his work, whatever it may have been, for he turned away fro to reach the spot where his h time to arrive and lay hands on the precious h at any effort on the part of theplace of the wheel he heard a loud shout from the rear This announced that his presence had been discovered by one or both of the Frenchht would be to leap into the car and try to speed after hilee as he conteust when they found that no matter how hard they tried they could not coax the red racer toas he dragged his machine out on the road

One look back was sufficient to show hi out of the stalled car, wild to make a hasty examination in order to discover why it would notaway tumultuously all the while, just as they had left it

”The crack I gave that self-starter rod bent it, and placed it out of coht,” Josh exclaimed, as he drew his machine to the middle of the road, and deliberately prepared to follow after his chu; the worst is yet to cory shouts from the direction of the house The men must have learned the full nature of their troubles Josh saw the toward hih to await their co

”Not for Joseph; not if he knows it!” he called out, as he turned on the current, and i the roadway

There was a sudden spiteful crack from the rear, and Josh ducked his head involuntarily as he heard some object whistle past close to his ears

”Wow! they're trying to winglow in his saddle, so as to present as little body surface as possible to the ai

Several ne corks Doubtless the marksman, no other than Jules hiht be a clever shot under ordinary conditions, just then he failed to acco his hand derisively when he felt that he was safe beyond pistol shot The boy was tre the wonderful success of the little plan which Rod had conceived, and left to hiot to have your eye-teeth cut when you run afoul of the Big Five Motorcycle Boys, and don't forget that!” he shouted over his shoulder, as he sped along; although of course the outwitted pursuers could hardly have caught the words, and even if they did ht not understand their import

Rod and Hanky Panky had halted half a ht be they meant to turn back, and come to the assistance of their comrade, should Fate play a scurvy trick on Josh, so that he fell into the hands of the eneht the fa open, both Rod and Hanky Panky felt like giving shouts of exultation, for they had already discovered that the twosome difficulty with their car, after Josh had ”fiddled” with the same

Then came the shots, and of course they felt a new anxiety lest Josh be brought to grief through thislow over his handlebars, will you?” cried Hanky Panky, lost in ad the trick, which perhaps he had seen riders in the Wild West Shohen pursued by Indians of the plains

”It's all right, and Josh has saved the day for us!” exclaiin to wonder what sort of boys they raise over in the States, when he finds out what happened”

”But what did Josh do to the car, Rod?”

”You'll have to ask hiear out of coreat rate”