"What's the matter with those fellows!" inquired Tom of himself."Haven't I given them enough of the road, or has their steering gear broken?"He looked back over his shoulder, and it needed but a glance to show that the car was all right, as regarded the steering apparatus.And it needed only another glance to disclose the reason for the shrill sound of the siren.
"Andy Foger!" exclaimed Tom."I might have known.And Sam and Pete are with him.Well, if he wants to make me get off the road, he'll find that I've got as much right as he has!"He kept on a straight course, wondering if the red-haired, and squint- eyed bully would dare try to damage the motor-cycle.
A little later Andy's car was beside Tom.
"Why don't you get out of the way," demanded Sam, who could usually be depended on to aid Andy in all his mean tricks.
"Because I'm entitled to half the road," retorted our hero.
"Humph! A slow-moving machine like yours hasn't any right on the road," sneered Andy, who had slowed down his car somewhat.
"I haven't, eh?" demanded Tom."Well, if you'll get down out of that car for a few minutes I'll soon show you what my rights are!"Now Andy, more than once, had come to personal encounters with Tom, much to the anguish of the bully.He did not relish another chastisement, but his mean spirit could not brook interference.
"Don't you want a race?" he inquired of Tom, in a sneering tone."I'll give you a mile start, and beat you! I've got the fastest car built!""You have, eh?" asked Tom, while a grim look came over his face."Maybe you'll think differently some day.""Aw, he's afraid to race; come on," suggested Pete."Don't bother with him, Andy.""No, I guess it wouldn't be worth my while," was the reply of the bully, and he threw the second gear into place, and began to move away from the young inventor.
Tom was just as much pleased to be left alone, but he did not wantAndy Foger to think that he could have matters all his own way.Tom's motor-cycle, since he had made some adjustments to it, was very swift.In fact there were few autos that could beat it.He had never tried it against Andy's new car, and he was anxious to do so.
"I wonder if I would stand any chance, racing him?" thought the young inventor, as he saw the car slowly pulling away from him."I think I'll wait until he gets some distance ahead, and then I'll see how near I can come to him.If I get anywhere near him I'm pretty sure I can pass him.I'll try it."When Andy and his cronies looked back, Tom did not appear to be doing anything save moving along at moderate speed on his machine.
"You don't dare race!" Pete Bailey shouted to him."Wait," was what Tom whispered to himself.
Andy's car was now some distance ahead.The young inventor waited a little longer, and then turned more power into his machine.It leaped forward and began to "eat up the road," as Tom expressed it.He had seen Andy throw in the third gear, but knew that there was a fourth speed on the bully's car.
"I don't know whether I can beat him on that or not," thought the lad dubiously."If I try, and fail, they'll laugh at me.But I don't think I'm going to fail."Faster and faster he rode.He was rapidly overhauling Andy's car now, and, as they heard him approach, the three cronies turned around.
"He's going to race you, after all, Andy!" cried Sam.
"You mean he's going to try," sneered Andy."I'll give him all the racing he wants!"In another few seconds Tom was beside the auto, and would have passed it, only Andy opened his throttle a little more.For a moment the auto jumped ahead, and then, as our hero turned on still more power, he easily held his own.
"Aw, you can never beat us!" yelled Pete."Of course not!" added Sam.
"I'll leave him behind in a second," prophesied Andy."Wait until I throw in the other gear," he added to his cronies in a low voice."He thinks he's going to beat me.I'll let him think so, and then I'll spurt ahead."The two machines were now racing along side by side.Andy's car was going the limit on third gear, but he still had the fourth gear in reserve.Tom, too, still had a little margin of speed.
