Part 26 (1/2)

One of the tires had burst.

CHAPTER XV

AN AUTOMOBILING ADVENTURE

”What did you run over?” asked Sam.

”Look for yourself,” returned his big brother. ”This is an outrage! I wish I could catch the party responsible for it,” he added bitterly.

d.i.c.k had stopped the touring car in the midst of a quant.i.ty of broken gla.s.s bottles. The gla.s.s covered the road from side to side, and had evidently been put there on purpose.

”Say, do you think that chauffeur had anything to do with this?”

demanded Tom.

”Hardly,” answered d.i.c.k. ”If his story about the fire was not true he'd know he'd be found out.”

”Maybe it was done by some country fellow who is running an auto repair shop,” suggested Sam. ”I've heard of such things being done--when business was dull.”

”Well, we'll have to fix the tire, that is all there is to it,” said the oldest Rover. ”Might as well get out while we are doing it,” he added to the girls.

”Lucky you stopped when you did,” said Tom as he walked around the machine. ”If you hadn't we might have had all four tires busted.”

”What a contemptible trick to play,” said Dora as she alighted,

”Can you mend the tire?” asked Nellie as she, too, got out, followed by her sister.

”Oh, yes, we can mend it--or rather put on another,” said d.i.c.k. ”But we'll examine all the tires first,” he added, taking off a lamp for that purpose.

It was found that each tire had some gla.s.s in it, and the bits were picked out with care. While this was going on d.i.c.k suddenly swung the lamp around so that its rays struck through the trees and bushes lining the roadway.

”Look! look!” he cried. ”There is somebody watching us!”

”The fellow who is guilty,” added Sam.

”Catch him!” came from Tom, and he made a quick rush forward.

”Say, we've got to get out of here,” came in a low voice from among the trees. ”Run for all you are worth!”

”I told you to get back,” said another voice ”Come on this way.”

A cras.h.i.+ng through the brushwood back of the trees followed. d.i.c.k held up the lamp and threw the rays in the direction of the sounds. He and his brothers caught a glimpse of two boys or men hurrying away.

”Stop, or I'll shoot!” cried Tom, although he had no weapon at his command. But this cry only made the fleeing ones move the faster.

”Sam, you stay with the girls,” said d.i.c.k quickly. ”Tom and I can go after those rascals.”

”All right, but take care; they may be dangerous,” answered the youngest Rover.