Part 11 (1/2)

”Say, Bert,” said Jim Dawson, breaking the long silence, ”that race is as good as won already. I'm sure that with this machine and you driving it, we couldn't lose if we tried. What do you think?”

Bert did not answer for a moment, and when he did his eyes twinkled merrily. ”Well, Jim,” he said, ”I don't know whether we'll win or not and that 'Gray Ghost' is certainly some racer. From what I have seen of our old 'Red Scout' to-day, however,--but there, I'm not going to say any more just now. There is no use raising your hopes, and then perhaps have nothing come of that in the end.” And with that they were forced to be content.

By this time they had almost reached the camp, and could see the smoke of the fire. Soon they rolled smoothly into camp, and Mr. Hollis came to meet them with a relieved look on his face. At first he seemed inclined to blame them, but Bert soon explained matters to his entire satisfaction.

The boys mingled with their comrades, and many were the exclamations of wonder over their day's experiences. After a short rest, supper was prepared, and while they all voted it delicious, still they claimed that nothing had ever tasted quite as good as their lunch in the old barn.

As Tom and Bert were dropping off to sleep that night, Tom murmured drowsily, ”Say, Bert, did we or didn't we have a bully time to-day, eh?”

”Just bet your hat we did.”

”Well, say, isn't the old 'Red Scout' about the greatest automobile that ever turned a wheel?”

”That's whatever it is,” concurred Bert, and dropped off to sleep with a smile on his face, and the image of a big red automobile enthroned in his heart.

CHAPTER X

QUICK WORK

”You fellows get it all,” complained Steve Thomas, with as ugly a look as such a round good-natured face as his could wear.

”You sure do seem to move in a charmed circle,” chimed in another grumbler.

”Don't they?” echoed a third. ”They ought to be called the lucky three.

This is the fourth time in less than two weeks that they've had the auto.”

The ”lucky three,” to whom these remarks were addressed, stood grinning happily at the disgusted faces of the other fellows in camp.

The question to be settled was as to what ones should take the auto into town for some supplies that were unexpectedly but urgently needed. There had been quite a lively dispute, waxing louder and louder until it threatened to end in a genuine quarrel.

Mr. Hollis, busily finis.h.i.+ng some letters that he wanted to send into town by the boys, was at first too absorbed in his writing to notice the unusual disturbance, but as the recriminations grew hotter he saw that immediate action was necessary.

Rising hastily and taking in his hand a sheet of paper on which he had been writing, he stepped from his tent into the group of heated boys.

The clamor ceased at once and when he learned the cause of the discussion, Mr. Hollis proposed to draw lots. The fellows who should draw the numbers one, two and three were to be the autoists for the trip.

This seemed fair to all, and cutting the paper into equal strips Mr.

Hollis wrote a number on each and, shaking them well in a hat pa.s.sed them around. When they had all been drawn, each one turned over his slip and looked eagerly for the sign that fate had been good to him.

The lot had fallen to Bert, Tom, and Ben. There was no appeal and the rest of the camp had to submit, some, however, with so poor a grace that Mr. Hollis, smilingly genially remarked:

”Come, boys, be sports. Any fellow can growl but it takes an all-around manly one to bear defeat smilingly. There's always the chance of better luck next time.”

His words and manner speedily dissipated what shreds of ill-temper remained, so that the boys gave a rousing cheer for a send-off as the car, gleaming like red gold in the brilliant morning suns.h.i.+ne, shot off up the road and disappeared from their longing eyes.

As for the fortunate three in the car, everything unpleasant was forgotten in the twinkling of an eye. A great splendid flying auto is no place for disagreeable memories, and the woods rang with song and jokes and laughter as the car flew on.