diff options
Diffstat (limited to 'old/50975-h/50975-h.htm')
| -rw-r--r-- | old/50975-h/50975-h.htm | 5754 |
1 files changed, 0 insertions, 5754 deletions
diff --git a/old/50975-h/50975-h.htm b/old/50975-h/50975-h.htm deleted file mode 100644 index 4dd8cd7..0000000 --- a/old/50975-h/50975-h.htm +++ /dev/null @@ -1,5754 +0,0 @@ -<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" - "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> -<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en"> - <head> - <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=iso-8859-1" /> - <meta http-equiv="Content-Style-Type" content="text/css" /> - <title> - The Project Gutenberg eBook of Motor Matt's Prize; or, The Pluck that Wins, by Stanley R. Matthews. - </title> - <style type="text/css"> - -body { - margin-left: 10%; - margin-right: 10%; -} - - h1,h2,h3 { - text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ - clear: both; -} - -p { - margin-top: .51em; - text-align: justify; - margin-bottom: .49em; -} - -hr { - width: 33%; - margin-top: 2em; - margin-bottom: 2em; - margin-left: auto; - margin-right: auto; - clear: both; -} - -hr.tb {width: 45%;} -hr.chap {width: 65%} -hr.full {width: 95%;} - -hr.r5 {width: 5%; margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em;} - -table { - margin-left: auto; - margin-right: auto; -} - - .tdl {text-align: left;} - .tdr {text-align: right;} - .tdc {text-align: center;} - -.pagenum { /* uncomment the next line for invisible page numbers */ - /* visibility: hidden; */ - position: absolute; - left: 92%; - font-size: smaller; - text-align: right; -} /* page numbers */ - -.bb {border-bottom: solid 2px;} - -.bt {border-top: solid 2px;} - -.br {border-right: solid 2px;} - -.bbox {border: solid 2px;} - -.center {text-align: center;} - -.smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} - -.u {text-decoration: underline;} - -/* Images */ -.figcenter { - margin: auto; - text-align: center; -} - -/* Transcriber's notes */ -.transnote {background-color: #E6E6FA; - color: black; - font-size:smaller; - padding:0.5em; - margin-bottom:5em; - font-family:sans-serif, serif; } -img { border: 0; } -.huge { font-size: 200%; } -.large { font-size: 150%; } -.medium { font-size: 125%; } -.small { font-size: 75%; } -.chaptitle { text-align: center; } -.sig { text-align: right; margin-right: 1.5em; } - </style> - </head> -<body> - - -<pre> - -The Project Gutenberg EBook of Motor Matt's Prize, by Stanley R. Matthews - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most -other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of -the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have -to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. - -Title: Motor Matt's Prize - or, The Pluck That Wins - -Author: Stanley R. Matthews - -Release Date: January 20, 2016 [EBook #50975] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MOTOR MATT'S PRIZE *** - - - - -Produced by David Edwards, Demian Katz and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (Images -courtesy of the Digital Library@Villanova University -(http://digital.library.villanova.edu/)) - - - - - - -</pre> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 400px;"> -<a href="images/coverlarge.jpg"><img id="coverpage" src="images/cover.jpg" width="400" height="564" alt="Unaware of his narrow escape -the king of the motor boys -flung the Sprite onward -to victory." /></a> -</div> - -<hr class="chap" /> - - -<h1>MOTOR STORIES</h1> - -<table summary="scaffold"> -<tr> -<td style="width: 50%; padding-right: 1.5em;" class="tdr"> -THRILLING<br /> -ADVENTURE -</td> -<td style="width: 50%; padding-left: 1.5em;" class="tdl"> -MOTOR<br /> -FICTION -</td> -</tr><tr> -<td class="bb bt tdl"> -NO. 23<br /> -JULY 31, 1909. -</td> -<td class="bb bt tdr"> -FIVE<br /> -CENTS -</td> -</tr><tr> -<td class="tdl large"> -MOTOR MATT'S<br /> -PRIZE -</td><td class="tdr large"> -<span class="smcap">or</span> THE PLUCK<br /> -THAT WINS -</td> -</tr><tr> -<td> </td><td class="tdl"> -<span class="smcap"><i>by The Author<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">of "MOTOR MATT"</span></i></span> -</td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdl" colspan="2"> -<span class="smcap">Street & Smith</span><br /> -<span class="smcap" style="margin-left: 1em;">Publishers</span><br /> -<span class="smcap" style="margin-left: 2em;">New York</span> -</td> -</tr></table> - -<hr class="chap" /> - - -<table summary="scaffold" class="bbox"> -<tr><td colspan="2" class="tdc huge">MOTOR STORIES</td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr large" style="padding-right: .25em;">THRILLING ADVENTURE</td><td class="tdl large" style="padding-left: .25em;">MOTOR FICTION</td></tr> -</table> - -<p><i>Issued Weekly. By subscription $2.50 per year. Entered according to Act of Congress in the year 1909, in the Office of the Librarian of Congress, -Washington, D. C., by</i> <span class="smcap">Street & Smith</span>, <i>79-80 Seventh Avenue, New York, N. Y.</i></p> - -<table summary="scaffold" class="bb bt"> -<tr><td style="width: 33%;" class="tdl">No. 23.</td><td style="width: 33%;" class="tdc">NEW YORK, July 31, 1909.</td><td style="width: 33%;" class="tdr">Price Five Cents.</td></tr> -</table> - - - - -<p class="center huge">MOTOR MATT'S PRIZE</p> - -<p class="center">OR,</p> - -<p class="center large">The Pluck that Wins.</p> - -<hr class="r5" /> -<p class="center">By the author of "MOTOR MATT."</p> -<hr class="r5" /> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<h2><a name="CONTENTS" id="CONTENTS">CONTENTS</a></h2> - -<p class="center"> -<a href="#CHAPTER_I">CHAPTER I. A CLASH IN BLACK AND YELLOW.</a><br /> -<a href="#CHAPTER_II">CHAPTER II. PICKEREL PETE'S REVENGE.</a><br /> -<a href="#CHAPTER_III">CHAPTER III. A "DARK HORSE."</a><br /> -<a href="#CHAPTER_IV">CHAPTER IV. PLANS.</a><br /> -<a href="#CHAPTER_V">CHAPTER V. AN ORDER TO QUIT.</a><br /> -<a href="#CHAPTER_VI">CHAPTER VI. FACING THE MUSIC.</a><br /> -<a href="#CHAPTER_VII">CHAPTER VII. GATHERING CLOUDS.</a><br /> -<a href="#CHAPTER_VIII">CHAPTER VIII. THE PLOTTERS.</a><br /> -<a href="#CHAPTER_IX">CHAPTER IX. FIREBUGS AT WORK.</a><br /> -<a href="#CHAPTER_X">CHAPTER X. SAVING THE "SPRITE."</a><br /> -<a href="#CHAPTER_XI">CHAPTER XI. OUT OF A BLAZING FURNACE.</a><br /> -<a href="#CHAPTER_XII">CHAPTER XII. WHAT ABOUT THE RACE?</a><br /> -<a href="#CHAPTER_XIII">CHAPTER XIII. MART RAWLINS WEAKENS.</a><br /> -<a href="#CHAPTER_XIV">CHAPTER XIV. THE RACE—THE START.</a><br /> -<a href="#CHAPTER_XV">CHAPTER XV. THE FINISH.</a><br /> -<a href="#CHAPTER_XVI">CHAPTER XVI. CONCLUSION.</a><br /> -<a href="#TRICKED_BY_TWO">TRICKED BY TWO.</a><br /> -<a href="#HOMES_ON_THE_RIO_GRANDE">HOMES ON THE RIO GRANDE.</a><br /> -<a href="#PIGEONS_AS_PHOTOGRAPHERS">PIGEONS AS PHOTOGRAPHERS.</a><br /> -</p> -<hr class="chap" /> - - - - -<div class="bbox"> -<h2><a name="CHARACTERS_THAT_APPEAR_IN_THIS_STORY" id="CHARACTERS_THAT_APPEAR_IN_THIS_STORY">CHARACTERS THAT APPEAR IN THIS STORY.</a></h2> - - -<blockquote> - -<p><b>Matt King</b>, otherwise Motor Matt.</p> - -<p><b>Joe McGlory</b>, a young cowboy who proves himself a lad of worth -and character, and whose eccentricities are all on the humorous -side. A good chum to tie to—a point Motor Matt is quick to -perceive.</p> - -<p><b>Ping Pong</b>, a Chinese boy who insists on working for Motor Matt, -and who contrives to make himself valuable, perhaps invaluable.</p> - -<p><b>George Lorry</b>, who, befriended by Motor Matt at a critical time in -his career, proves a credit to himself and to his friends.</p> - -<p><b>Mr. Lorry</b>, George's father; a man who knows how to be generous.</p> - -<p><b>Ethel Lorry</b>, George Lorry's sister; an admirer of Motor Matt.</p> - -<p><b>Pickerel Pete</b>, whose elemental mind evolves a grievance against -Motor Matt and is further worked upon by an unscrupulous -enemy of Lorry and Matt. The result is almost a tragedy.</p> - -<p><b>Ollie Merton</b>, a rich man's son with many failings, but rather deeper -than he appears.</p></blockquote> -</div> - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<h2><a name="CHAPTER_I" id="CHAPTER_I">CHAPTER I.</a></h2> - -<p class="chaptitle">A CLASH IN BLACK AND YELLOW.</p> - - -<p>"Woosh!"</p> - -<p>"Fo' de lan' sakes!"</p> - -<p>Then followed a bump, a clatter of displaced stones, -and sounds of a fall. When quiet once more ensued, two -surprised youngsters were on hands and knees, peering -at each other like a couple of hostile bantams. Between -them lay a string of perch, and off to one side -a hickory fishpole, and an old tomato can with a choice -assortment of angleworms squirming out of it.</p> - -<p>One of the lads was a fifteen-year-old Chinese, in fluttering -blouse, wide trousers, wooden sandals and straw -hat; the other was a diminutive moke, black as the ace -of spades, barefooted, and wearing a "hickory" shirt and -ragged trousers.</p> - -<p>The bank of Fourth Lake, where they had come together -so unexpectedly, was an admirable place for such -collisions. In this place the bank was some thirty feet -high, steep and rocky. A narrow path, thickly bordered -with bushes, angled from top to bottom. At the foot of -the path was a boathouse.</p> - -<p>Now, if a Chinese boy, in a good deal of a hurry, went -slipping and sliding downward from the top of the path, -it will be readily understood that he could not put on the -brakes in time to avoid an obstruction appearing suddenly -in front of him as he scrambled around a bushy -angle.</p> - -<p>And if that obstruction happened to be a diminutive -darky, sitting squarely in the path, sunning himself and -half asleep, too drowsy to take notice of sounds above -and behind him, it will also be understood that a collision -was certain.</p> - -<p>It happened. The Chinese took a header over the -darky, and when each flopped to his hands and knees, -they were looking into each other's eyes with growing -animosity.</p> - -<p>"By golly!" flared the negro, "is dem glass eyes en -yo' haid? Ef dey ain't, why doan' yu use dem?"</p> - -<p>"Why blackee boy makee sit in China boy's load?" -gurgled the other.</p> - -<p>"Yo' own dishyer lake?" taunted the little moke; "yo' -gotter mo'galidge on dishyer bank? Go on wif yo' -highfalutin' talk! Ah'll sot wherebber Ah wants, en ef<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_2" id="Page_2">[Pg 2]</a></span> -yo' comes erlong en goes tuh shovin', by golly, yo'll fin' -Ah kin do some shovin' mahse'f."</p> - -<p>"My gottee light comee down bank," asserted the -Chinese boy, picking himself up. "My makee go allee -same boathouse; you makee stay in load, you gettee -shove. My plenty same choo-choo tlain, you makee sleep -on tlack. Savvy? You makee some mo' shove, my -makee some mo' shove, too."</p> - -<p>The Chinese boy stood his ground. The black-skinned -youngster sat up and pulled his string of fish closer.</p> - -<p>"Ah nebber did lak Chinks," he grunted.</p> - -<p>"My no likee blackee boy, all same," averred the -Celestial.</p> - -<p>"Ah reckons Ah kin lick yu' wif one han' tied behin' -mah back. Go 'long, yaller trash! Ah's er hurriclone en -a cynader, all rolled intuh one, when Ah gits sta'ted. -Look out fo' a big blow en a Chink wreck, dat's all."</p> - -<p>"Woosh! Blackee boy makee plenty blow. Me allee -same cannon. My makee go bang, you makee go top-side. -No likee your piecee pidgin."</p> - -<p>Then a comical thing happened, and if any third person -with a humorous vein in his make-up had been -around, the proceeding would have been highly enjoyed.</p> - -<p>Both youngsters glared at each other. Each had his -fists doubled, and each fiddled back and forth across the -steep path. The black boy sniffed contemptuously. The -Chinese lad was a good imitator, and he also sniffed—even -more contemptuously.</p> - -<p>"By golly," fumed the little moke, "Ah dunno whut's -er holdin' me back. Ef any one else had done tuh me -whut yo' done, Ah'd hab tromped all ober him befo' now. -Ah's gwine tuh dat boathouse mah'se'f. Git outen de -way an' le'me pass, er Ah'll butt yo' wif mah haid!"</p> - -<p>"My makee go to boathouse, too."</p> - -<p>A little curiosity suddenly crept into the black boy's -hostile brain.</p> - -<p>"Whut bizness yo' got at dat boathouse, huh?" he -demanded.</p> - -<p>"Gottee plenty pidgin. My workee fo' Motol Matt."</p> - -<p>"Yo' workin' fo' Motor Matt?" grunted the other. -"By golly, he's mah boss."</p> - -<p>"Him China boy's boss."</p> - -<p>"Naw, he ain't. Yo's talkin' froo yo' hat. Doan' yo' -go er prowlin' erroun' dat 'ar boathouse. Ah ain't a-lettin' -nobody git dat job away f'om me."</p> - -<p>"Motol Matt my boss, allee same," insisted the Chinese -boy.</p> - -<p>"When you all git hiahed by Motor Matt?" demanded -the darky.</p> - -<p>"Long time, allee same Flisco."</p> - -<p>"Den dat let's yo' out, yaller mug. Motor Matt done -hiahed me fo' days ergo, at two dollahs er day. Skun -out. Doan' yo' try cuttin' me loose from dat 'ar job."</p> - -<p>The darky took a step downward, but the Celestial -planted himself firmly and put up his fists. Once more -there was a hitch in proceedings, but the affair was -growing more ominous.</p> - -<p>"Ah shuah hates tuh mangle yo' up," breathed the -darky, "but de 'sponsibility fo' what's done gwine tuh -happen b'longs on yo' had en not on mine."</p> - -<p>The Chinese lifted his yellow hands and crossed two -fingers in front of his face, then, in a particularly irritating -manner, he snorted at the black boy through his -fingers.</p> - -<p>That was about as much as flesh and blood could stand. -The colored lad was so full of talk that it just gurgled -in his throat.</p> - -<p>"Dat's de mos' insulatin' thing what ebber happened -tuh me!" he finally managed to gasp. "By golly, Ah -doan' take dat f'om nobody. Dat snortin' talk Ah won't -stan', dat's all."</p> - -<p>"Blackee boy makee heap talk," taunted the Chinese; -"him 'flaid makee hit with hands."</p> - -<p>"'Fraid?" cried the darky. "Say, you, Pickerel Pete -ain't afraid ob all de Chinks dat eber walked de erf. -Chinks—waugh! Ah eat's 'em."</p> - -<p>"Mebby you tly eatee Ping Pong?" invited the Celestial.</p> - -<p>Pickerel Pete, watching his antagonist warily, stooped -to pick up a small pebble. Very carefully he laid the -pebble on his shoulder.</p> - -<p>"Knock dat off," he gritted, his hand closing on the -string that held the perch. "Yo' all ain't got de nerve. -Yo's got gas enough fo' er b'loon dissension, but dat's -all dere is to yu. Knock de stone offen mah shoulder! -Go on, now, you yaller trash."</p> - -<p>Ping leaned over and brushed the pebble away. That -settled it. There was no retreat for either of the two -after that.</p> - -<p>Pete gave a whoop and struck at Ping with the string -of perch. The string broke, and Ping got a perch down -the loose collar of his kimono, while another slapped him -across the eyes. For an instant the air was full of fish, -and under cover of the finny cloud the enraged Chinese -rushed at his enemy and gave him a push.</p> - -<p>Pete sat down with a good deal of force, and, as it happened, -he sat down on his fishhook. A fishhook was -never known to lie any way but point up and ready for -business, so Pete got up about as quick as he sat down. -The next moment he rushed at Ping, trailing the line and -the fishpole after him.</p> - -<p>This time the two boys clinched, and the noise they -made as they rolled about among the perch and pummeled -each other caused a commotion at the boathouse. -Motor Matt and George Lorry rushed out of the building -and looked up the path.</p> - -<p>"Great spark-plugs!" exclaimed Matt. "There's a fight -going on up there, George."</p> - -<p>"It looks that way, that's a fact," answered Lorry. -"Let's go up and put a stop to it."</p> - -<p>Matt was already bounding up the path. Before he -had ascended more than fifteen feet he was met by two -rolling, plunging, tumbling forms coming down. A tremendous -clatter of sliding stones accompanied the descent, -and a towed fishpole whacked and slammed in the -rear.</p> - -<p>Bracing himself, Matt succeeded in laying hold of the -two closely grappled forms, and in bringing them to a -stop; then, when he recognized who the fighters were, his -astonishment held him speechless.</p> - -<p>"Pickerel Pete!" exclaimed George Lorry.</p> - -<p>"And Ping Pong," added Matt, as soon as he had recovered -a little from his amazement. "The sight of Ping -pretty near gives me a short circuit."</p> - -<p>"My gottee job," whooped the breathless Ping; "Pickelel -Pete no gottee!"</p> - -<p>"Hit's my job, en Ah ain't er quittin' fo' no yaller feller -like you!"</p> - -<p>Thwack, thwack!</p> - -<p>"Here, now," cried Matt, "this won't do. Stop it, you -fellows!"</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_3" id="Page_3">[Pg 3]</a></span></p> - -<p>Pickerel Pete had a firm grip on Ping's pigtail—which -is about the worst hold you can get on a Chinaman. Ping -had one hand and arm around Pete's black neck, and the -other hand was twisted in the fishline.</p> - -<p>Every time Pete would pull the queue a sharp wail -would go up from Ping, and every time the fishline was -jerked Pete would howl and squirm.</p> - -<p>"You boys ought to be ashamed of yourselves," said -Matt, masking his desire to laugh with all the severity he -could muster.</p> - -<p>Lorry was leaning against a tree, his head bowed and -his whole form in a quiver.</p> - -<p>"Leavee go China boy's pigtail!" chirped Ping.</p> - -<p>"Stop yo' pullin' on dat 'ar fishline!" howled Pete.</p> - -<p>"Let go, both of you!" ordered Matt; then forcibly he -pulled the two lads apart. "Here, Lorry," he called, "you -hang onto Ping and I'll take care of Pete."</p> - -<p>The youngsters were a disordered pair when separated -and held at a distance from each other.</p> - -<p>"What's the meaning of this?" demanded Matt.</p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<h2><a name="CHAPTER_II" id="CHAPTER_II">CHAPTER II.</a></h2> - -<p class="chaptitle">PICKEREL PETE'S REVENGE.</p> - - -<p>For several moments neither Pete nor Ping was able -to reply to Matt's question. The darky was busy getting -the fishhook out of his trousers, and the Chinese was -hopping up and down on one foot, shaking the perch out -of his flapping garments. Both the fish and the fishhook -were extricated at about the same time.</p> - -<p>"Say, boss," cried Pete, "yo' all ain't done passed me -up fo' dat yaller trash, has yu? Ah's workin' fo' yu yit, -ain't Ah? Dat 'ar slant-eye hefun was er sayin' dat he -had de job, but Ah 'lows yo' wouldn't go en cut me -offen yo' pay-roll fo' de likes ob him."</p> - -<p>"My workee fo' Motol Matt," clamored Ping, "allee -time. Blackee boy no workee. Me one piecee fine China -boy. Lickee blackee boy allee same Sam Hill."</p> - -<p>"Yo' nebber!" whooped Pete. "Ah kin git yo' on de -mat wif mah eyes shut, en——"</p> - -<p>"Stand right where you are, Pete!" cut in Matt -sternly. "I'll not have any more rowdying. You and -Ping ought to be ashamed of yourselves."</p> - -<p>"You ketchee boat my sendee by expless, Motol Matt?" -inquired Ping.</p> - -<p>Matt had "caught" the boat, all right. Ping, without -any instructions, had sent the eighteen-foot <i>Sprite</i>, with -engine installed and various accessories in the lockers, -from San Francisco to Madison, Wisconsin, by express, -charges collect.</p> - -<p>At first the king of the motor boys had been considerably -"put out" by this unauthorized move of Ping's, -but later he had been glad that the <i>Sprite</i> had come into -his hands.</p> - -<p>"Yes, Ping," said Matt, "I received the boat, and we -have now got her in the boathouse down there, making -some changes in her to fit her for the motor-boat race -next week. Where have you been, Ping?"</p> - -<p>"Makee come flom Flisco," answered the Chinese, -hunting up his sandals and his hat. "My workee fo' you, -so my come findee boss."</p> - -<p>"The boat got here quite a while ago. How long have -you been in the town?"</p> - -<p>"Ketchee town yessulday. Makee ask chop-chop -where my findee Motol Matt. Thisee molnin' 'Melican -man say, so my come. Blackee boy allee same stone in -China boy's load; China boy no see um, takee tumble; -blackee boy velly mad, makee fight. Woosh!"</p> - -<p>Pete, with snapping eyes, had been standing back listening -to this talk. Now he thought it about time that he -put in his own oar.</p> - -<p>"Ah's brack, boss," said he to Matt, "but Ah ain't yaller. -Cho'ly yo' ain't goin' tuh frow me down fo' dat 'ar -no-'count hefun, is yo'? Ah's workin' fo' you fo' two -dollahs er day. Ain't dat right?"</p> - -<p>"Peter," said Matt, "you're not to be depended on. I -hired you for two dollars a day to pilot me around the -lakes, and I paid you for a day in advance. You went -with me through the canal to Fourth Lake, and then up -the Catfish to Whisky Creek. I left you to watch the -boat, and you deserted, and I haven't seen you since until -this minute. Now you bob up, just as though nothing -had happened, and want to keep right on working for -me. I don't think I need you any longer, Pete. You -didn't work for me more than three hours, but you got -paid for a full day, so you ought to be satisfied."</p> - -<p>Ping puffed himself up delightedly. Pickerel Pete, on -the other hand, seemed struck "all of a heap."</p> - -<p>"Yo' doan' mean dat, does yo', boss?" he pleaded. -"Ah's er good li'l moke, en Ah got testimendations f'om -de gobernor ob de State. Yo' ain't gwineter turn down -dem testimendations, is yo'?"</p> - -<p>"I can't depend on you, Pete," said Matt. "I don't -need a boy any more, anyhow; but I'm under obligations -to Ping, so I'll have to take him on."</p> - -<p>"Den Ah's kicked out?" shouted Pete.</p> - -<p>"No, you're not kicked out. I don't need you, that's -all."</p> - -<p>"We had er contrack, en yo's done busted hit!" flared -Pete savagely.</p> - -<p>Matt could not restrain a laugh at the little darky's -rage.</p> - -<p>"You got the best of our contract, Pete," said Matt. -"You owe me about a dollar and a half, but I'm willing -to call it square."</p> - -<p>"Ah owes yo' more'n dat," fumed Pete. "Yo's done -kicked me out, en Ah ain't er gwine tur fo'git. Hit's dat -yaller trash dat's 'sponsible"—he shook his black fist at -Ping—"but Ah's gwine tuh play eben wif yo' all fo' -whut yo's done. Jess watch mah smoke!"</p> - -<p>"You little rascal!" spoke up Lorry; "what do you -mean by talking that way? Get out of here!"</p> - -<p>"Ah's gotter right tuh stay anywhere Ah please erround -dishyer lake," cried Pete. "Yo' kain't drive me off, -nuther. Yah! Dat ole boat you's fixin' up fo' de race -ain't worf nuffin'. Ollie Merton he's gotter boat dat is -er boat, en he's gwinter beat yo' outen yo' boots, dat's -whut he is. Ah wouldn't 'sociate wif no sich fellers as -you, en Ah wouldn't work fo' Motor Matt ef he paid me -a millyun dollahs er day! Jess yo' watch mah smoke—Ah'll -git eben, yassuh!"</p> - -<p>With that the angry little rascal turned and ran up the -path. But he did not run far. As soon as a bend in -the crooked course had hidden him from the eyes of -Matt and Lorry, he plunged off along the side of the -bank, hiding himself in the undergrowth, and working -his way slowly down toward the boathouse.</p> - -<p>As soon as Pete had vanished, Lorry turned to Matt -with a laugh.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_4" id="Page_4">[Pg 4]</a></span></p> - -<p>"There's another enemy for us to deal with, Matt," -said he.</p> - -<p>"If he was bigger," returned Matt, "he might prove -dangerous; but Pete's too small to count."</p> - -<p>"Blackee boy no good," put in the smirking Ping. -"My knockee blame head off!"</p> - -<p>"Don't be so savage, Ping," said Matt humorously.</p> - -<p>"So this is the chap that sent the <i>Sprite</i> to Madison -by express, eh?" inquired Lorry, grinning as he gave the -Celestial an up-and-down look.</p> - -<p>"He's the fellow. Why did you drop out so suddenly -in San Francisco, Ping?" and Matt turned to the Chinese.</p> - -<p>"My waitee fo' you by Tiburon landing, you savvy?" -said Ping. "Bumby, my see launly boss come down -landing likee house afire. Woosh! No likee launly -boss. My say 'goo'-by' and lun away. One, two, tlee -day, my makee hunt fo' Motol Matt. Him gone. P'licee -man say he gone Ma'son, Wiscon', so my gettee 'Melican -man boxee boat, shippee Ma'son. You ketchee awri'. -Velly fine. Now my workee fo' you. Hi-lee-lee, hi-lo-lo——"</p> - -<p>Ping was happy. He had found Matt, and he was -back on the job again. Not only that, but the "blackee -boy" was cut out for good.</p> - -<p>"Do you remember the three men who made us so -much trouble in San Francisco, Ping?" asked Matt.</p> - -<p>"Allee same. Red-whiskels 'Melican——"</p> - -<p>"That's the fellow who's called Big John."</p> - -<p>"Sure; him Big John, awri', and big lascal, too. -Woosh! My lecollect Kinky and Loss. All thlee makee -Matt heap tlouble."</p> - -<p>"Big John, Kinky, and Ross, those are the men. Have -you seen anything of them, Ping, since you left Frisco?"</p> - -<p>"No see um, Motol Matt. My punchee head, me see -um. Where Joe McGloly, huh? Him big high boy, -Joe."</p> - -<p>"McGlory's off around Picnic Point on a motor cycle, -trying to find out how fast the boat is that the <i>Sprite</i> -has got to beat. As the <i>Wyandotte</i> races through the -lake, Joe was to race along the road on the lake shore, -just keeping abreast of the boat. Then Joe's speedometer -will tell him how fast the boat is going."</p> - -<p>"No savvy," murmured Ping, shaking his head.</p> - -<p>"Your talk is too deep for him, Matt," laughed Lorry. -"Well, let's get back to the boathouse. You were just -going to explain the changes you were making in the -<i>Sprite</i> in order to make her fast enough to beat the -<i>Wyandotte</i>."</p> - -<p>"When Joe gets back," said Matt, "we'll know just -how fast the <i>Wyandotte</i> can go, and just how fast the -<i>Sprite</i> will have to travel."</p> - -<p>"Merton may try to fool us, Matt. If he knows Joe -is timing him, he'll not let the <i>Wyandotte</i> put in her best -licks."</p> - -<p>"I told Joe to be careful and not let any one on the -<i>Wyandotte</i> see him. We've got to be just as careful. -I'd hate to have Merton know what we were doing to -the <i>Sprite</i>."</p> - -<p>"Sure," nodded Lorry, "it won't do to have our hand -tipped at this stage of the game."</p> - -<p>Matt and Lorry started back toward the boathouse, -Ping following them and looking back up the path on the -chance of catching sight of Pickerel Pete.</p> - -<p>"All the changes I'm making in the <i>Sprite</i>," continued -Matt, "are drawn on that roll of papers I left on the -work-bench. We'll go over those diagrams, one at a -time, George, and I think I can make everything clear to -you."</p> - -<p>"Whatever you say, Matt, goes," returned Lorry. -"You've got a head on you for such things. I know a -good motor launch when I see it, and I can drive such a -boat as well as anybody, but I'm no mechanic. All I -want," and Lorry's eyes flashed and his words became -sharp, "is to get a boat that will beat Merton's. You -know how much that means to me."</p> - -<p>"I do," said Matt, "and we're going to make a fast boat -out of the <i>Sprite</i>. We'll give Ollie Merton a run for that -prize, and no two ways about it. When Joe gets back, -if he has had any kind of luck, we'll know just what -we're up against."</p> - -<p>The boathouse was large and roomy, and the doors -were open, front and rear. Matt had transformed part of -the interior into a workshop, and there was a bench, with -a machinist's vise, under an open window at the side of -the building. Tools and parts of the boat's machinery were -scattered about, apparently in great disorder, but really -with a methodical carelessness that left them handily in -the spot where they would next be needed.</p> - -<p>As the boys entered the boathouse, Matt started directly -for the bench to get the roll of drawings. They were not -where he had left them, and he turned blankly to Lorry.</p> - -<p>"Did you do anything with that bundle of diagrams, -George?" he asked.</p> - -<p>"Never touched 'em, Matt," replied Lorry, with some -excitement, "but I saw where you laid them—and it was -right there."</p> - -<p>Lorry dropped a hand on the work-bench, close to the -open window.</p> - -<p>"They've been stolen!" exclaimed Matt aghast. "They -were taken while we were up the bank! Who could have -done it?"</p> - -<p>"Who but Merton and some of those rascally friends -of his?" queried Lorry, his eyes flashing.</p> - -<p>Matt ran to the other end of the boathouse and stepped -out upon the small platform above the water, but, strain -his eyes as he would, he could see nothing of any boat on -that part of the lake.</p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<h2><a name="CHAPTER_III" id="CHAPTER_III">CHAPTER III.</a></h2> - -<p class="chaptitle">A "DARK HORSE."</p> - - -<p>Ollie Merton was the only son of a millionaire lumberman. -The millionaire and his wife were making an extensive -tour of Europe, and while they were away the -son was in complete charge of the big Madison mansion, -with a large fund in the bank subject to his personal -check.</p> - -<p>Never before had such a chance to "spread himself" -came young Merton's way, and he was making the most -of it.</p> - -<p>The lad was commodore of the Winnequa Yacht Club, -which had its headquarters near Winnequa, on Third -Lake. Another institution, known as the Yahara Motor -Boat Club, had its boathouse on Fourth Lake; and between -the Winnequas and the Yaharas there was the -most intense rivalry.</p> - -<p>Twice, in two years hand running, the Winnequas had -contested against the Yaharas for power-boat honors. -By winning the first race the Winnequas had secured a -trophy known as the "De Lancey Cup," and by winning<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_5" id="Page_5">[Pg 5]</a></span> -the second race they still retained possession of the cup. -By winning a third time the cup would pass to them in -perpetuity. The Yaharas, feeling that their very existence -as a club was at stake, were bitterly determined to -snatch the prize from their rivals. A vast amount of -feeling was wrapped up in the approaching contest.</p> - -<p>George Lorry was vice commodore of the Yahara Club. -In a secret session, months before, the Yaharas had commissioned -Lorry to carry the honors of the club and secure -a boat which would outrun any the Winnequas -might put in the field.</p> - -<p>Lorry, no less than Merton, was the son of a rich man. -Without consulting his father, Lorry ordered a five thousand-dollar -hydroplane, and, at the last moment, parental -authority stepped in and denied the young man such an -extravagance.</p> - -<p>George Lorry at this time had rather more pride and -conceit than were good for him. His father's action, in -the matter of the hydroplane, stung him to the quick. -He felt that he had been humiliated, and that his comrades, -the Yaharas, were giving him the cold shoulder on -account of his failure to "make good" with a winning -boat.</p> - -<p>George had been wrong in this, but, nevertheless, he -resigned from the boat club and went to the other extreme -of making a friend and associate of Ollie Merton.</p> - -<p>Merton, recognizing in Lorry the only source of danger -to the prestige of the Winnequas, had advised George -to do certain things with the object of clearing a rival -from the field during the forthcoming race.</p> - -<p>That Merton had advised unscrupulous acts, and that -Lorry had tried to carry them out, matters little. Motor -Matt met Lorry at just the right time to keep him from -doing something which he would have regretted to the -end of his days.</p> - -<p>Very recently Lorry had discovered the false friendship -of Merton, and, coming to see the folly of what he -had done in a misguided moment, had gone back to the -Yaharas and requested a renewal of the commission to -furnish a boat for the coming race that would regain the -De Lancey cup for his club. Lorry had been received by -his former comrades with open arms, and they had -immediately acceded to his request.</p> - -<p>From this it will be understood how great a stake -George Lorry had in the third contest with the Winnequas. -Apart from the intense club spirit which prompted -a winning boat at any cost, there was a personal side to -the issue which meant everything to Lorry.</p> - -<p>Merton's specious counsel, given for the purpose of -getting Lorry out of the race, had almost brought Lorry -to ruin. Now, to best Merton in the contest had come -to be regarded by Lorry as almost a personal justification.</p> - -<p>To Motor Matt young Lorry had turned, and the king -of the motor boys had promised a boat that would regain -the lost prize for the Yaharas.</p> - -<p>Matt felt that the <i>Sprite</i>, with certain changes, could -beat anything on the lakes. Lorry shared his confidence, -and Matt was working night and day to get the swift -little eighteen-foot launch in shape for "warming up" on -the water before the regatta.</p> - -<p>The theft of the drawings was the first backset Matt -and Lorry had received. Well aware of Merton's questionable -character, it was easy for the lads to believe that -he had slipped into the boathouse while they were up the -bank and had taken the plans; or he need only have come -to the window and reach in in order to help himself to -them.</p> - -<p>Lorry was terribly cut up.</p> - -<p>"Merton has got the better of us," he muttered disconsolately. -"He'll know just what we're going to do -with the <i>Sprite</i> now, and will make changes in the <i>Wyandotte</i>, -or else arrange for another boat to stack up -against us. It's too late for us to order another boat, and -we'll have to go on with the <i>Sprite</i> and look at Merton's -heels over the finish line. Oh, thunder! I wish this Chink -and that Pickerel Pete were in the bottom of the lake!"</p> - -<p>Noticing the scowl Lorry gave him, Ping slunk away -from his vicinity, and came closer to where Matt was -walking thoughtfully back and forth across the floor of -the boathouse.</p> - -<p>"Don't lose your nerve, Lorry," counseled Matt, coming -to a halt and leaning against the work-bench. "No -fellow ever won a fight unless he went into it with confidence."</p> - -<p>"It's all well enough to talk of confidence," grumbled -Lorry, "but this is enough to undermine all the hopes we -ever had."</p> - -<p>"Looked at in one way, yes. Those were my working -drawings. They contained all the measurements of the -<i>Sprite's</i> hull, my plans for changing the gasoline tanks -from the bow aft where they would not bring the boat -down so much by the head, also my arrangement for a -new reversing-gear, the dimensions of the motor, and -the size and pitch of our new propeller."</p> - -<p>Lorry groaned.</p> - -<p>"Why, confound it!" he cried, "Merton will be able to -figure out just what the <i>Sprite's</i> speed should be—and -he can plan accordingly for another boat. There's a way -of getting those plans away from him, by Jupiter!" He -started angrily to his feet.</p> - -<p>"How?" asked Matt quietly.</p> - -<p>"The police," returned Lorry.</p> - -<p>"No, not the police! We don't know that Merton has -the plans; it's a pretty safe guess, all right, but we don't -absolutely know. When you call in the law to help you, -George, you've got to be pretty sure of your ground."</p> - -<p>Lorry dropped back in his chair dejectedly, and Matt -resumed his thoughtful pace back and forth across the -room.</p> - -<p>"I've thought for the last two days," Matt went on -finally, "that Merton was rather free in showing off the -<i>Wyandotte</i>. He has her over here in Fourth Lake when -she belongs in Third, and he's trying her out on the other -side of Picnic Point, almost under our noses. I'm not -sure but that Merton wants us to see his boat's performances."</p> - -<p>"Then he's not running the <i>Wyandotte</i> at her racing -speed, Matt," averred Lorry. "He's only pretending to, -hoping that we'll watch her work and get fooled."</p> - -<p>"He'll not fool us much. The <i>Wyandotte</i> is a thirty-seven-footer, -five-foot beam, semi-speed model. She has -a two-cylinder, twenty-horse, two-cycle engine, five-and-three-quarter-inch -bore by five-inch stroke. The propeller -has elliptical blades, and is nineteen inches in diameter -by twenty-eight-inch pitch——"</p> - -<p>Lorry looked up in startled wonder. Motor Matt had -reeled off his figures off-hand as readily as though reading -them from a written memorandum.</p> - -<p>"Where, in the name of glory, did you find out all -that?" gasped Lorry.</p> - -<p>Matt smiled.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_6" id="Page_6">[Pg 6]</a></span></p> - -<p>"Why," said he, "I got them in a perfectly legitimate -manner from the builder of the boat, who lives in Bay -City. The name of the builder was easily learned, and -a letter did the rest. The <i>Wyandotte</i> can log fourteen or -fifteen miles—no trouble to find that out with pencil and -paper, since we have all those dimensions. Now, the -<i>Sprite</i>, as she was, could do her mile in four-twelve—possibly -in four—and Merton knows it. Why, then, is he -showing off a boat that is not much better than the -<i>Sprite</i> has been all along? Take it from me, Lorry," and -Matt spoke with supreme conviction, "the <i>Wyandotte</i> is -not the boat the Winnequas will have in the race. <i>There's -another one</i>, and I've felt morally sure of it all along."</p> - -<p>"You're a wonder!" muttered Lorry. "Why, you never -told me you'd written to Bay City about the <i>Wyandotte</i>."</p> - -<p>"I intended to tell you at the proper time."</p> - -<p>"Well, if Merton is going to spring a surprise boat on -us the day of the race, that makes it so much the worse."</p> - -<p>"I have other plans for changing the <i>Sprite</i>, but I have -been holding them back until I could make sure Merton -was holding another speed boat in reserve. Those plans -weren't in that roll that was stolen, George; as a matter -of fact, they're not down on paper at all. From the -drawings and memoranda Merton has secured he can -figure the improved <i>Sprite's</i> speed at a little less than -sixteen miles an hour. Let him figure that way. The -other plans I have will enable her to do twenty."</p> - -<p>Lorry bounded off his chair.</p> - -<p>"Twenty?" he cried. "Matt, you're crazy!"</p> - -<p>Before Matt could answer, Joe McGlory staggered -into the boathouse, dragging a motor cycle after him. -Both he and the wheel were splashed with mud, and bore -other evidences of wear and tear, but the cowboy's eyes -were bulging with excitement.</p> - -<p>"You've been gone two hours longer than I thought -you'd be, Joe," said Matt, studying his chum with considerable -curiosity. "What's happened?"</p> - -<p>"That's it!" exploded McGlory, breathlessly, leaning -the motor cycle against the bench. "Speak to me about -that! Sufferin' thunderbolts! but I've made a whale of -a discovery."</p> - -<p>"What is it?" demanded George, wildly impatient.</p> - -<p>"Why," cried McGlory, "Merton's got another boat, -and she's certainly a blue streak, if I know the brand. -The fat's in the fire, pards. If the poor old <i>Sprite</i> gets -into a race with this new boat of Merton's, she'll be in -the 'also ran' column."</p> - -<p>Lorry collapsed.</p> - -<p>"A dark horse!" exclaimed Matt. "I'd have bet a -farm Merton was planning to spring something like that. -Buck up, Lorry! Perhaps this isn't so bad, after all. -Tell us about it, Joe."</p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<h2><a name="CHAPTER_IV" id="CHAPTER_IV">CHAPTER IV.</a></h2> - -<p class="chaptitle">PLANS.</p> - - -<p>"When I got over the point, pards," said Joe, dropping -into a chair and fanning himself with his hat, "the <i>Wyandotte</i> -was just comin' down the lake to pull off her usual -race with herself. I hauled up in the road, with the -bushes between me and the water, ready to jump into the -saddle the minute the boat came opposite. I was keeping -shady, you can bet your moccasins on that, and it was -some sort of a jolt when I saw a galoot perched on a -stone. He looked like a hobo, and the way he grinned -got on my nerves.</p> - -<p>"'I'm funny, all right,' I says to him, 'but where I -come from a feller gets shot if he looks that way at some -one else.'</p> - -<p>"'I ain't laffin' at you,' says the tramp, 'but at the joke -them other mugs is playin' on you an' your push.'</p> - -<p>"'Where does the joke come in?' I inquires.</p> - -<p>"'Why,' he comes back, 'that other club is foolin' you -with a boat here on Fourth Lake when the real boat is -over on Third. If what I'm a-sayin' is worth a dollar to -you, just remember and cough up.'</p> - -<p>"Well, say, that hobo wasn't a holy minute grabbin' -my attention. I fell off the chug wheel right there and -proceeded to palaver. It turned out that Merton's gard'ner -was sick for a few days, and that the tramp mowed -the lawn and did a few other things around the place. -There was an open window, Ollie and some of his pards -were on the other side of it, and the noise of the lawnmower -didn't prevent the tramp from hearing what was -said. You can bet your last dollar it was hot news he got -hold of.</p> - -<p>"Merton and the Winnequas were plannin' to fool us -with the <i>Wyandotte</i> on Fourth Lake while they were -warming up the real boat on Third. The hobo said I -could wait there at the Point till the <i>Wyandotte</i> came -closer, and that I'd see Merton wasn't aboard; then he -allowed that if I'd sizzle over to the gun club on Third -Lake I'd see the real prize winner doing stunts that would -curl my hair.</p> - -<p>"The tramp was off for Waunakee, and had just -dropped down on a stone to rest. My coming along was -a happenchance, as he hadn't intended to peddle the news -he'd got hold of, but he recognized me as being a pard of -Motor Matt's, and a dollar looked pretty big to him.</p> - -<p>"I waited till the <i>Wyandotte</i> was close, and then I saw -that Merton wasn't aboard. Would I swallow the hobo's -yarn or not? I decided that I would, so I threw him a -dollar and burned the air in the direction of the gun -club and Third Lake.</p> - -<p>"Well, t'other boat was there, sliding around like a -streak of greased lightning. Half the time I couldn't see -her for the foam she kicked up. I managed to pick up -the label on her bow as she was making a turn, and -it's the <i>Dart</i>. But go—speak to me about that! Say, -she gets to a place pretty near before she starts. Merton -was aboard, and so was that red-headed pard of his, Halloran. -Halloran was working the machinery. I watched -my chance and kept abreast of the <i>Dart</i> for a mile. -Twenty-one miles is what the speedometer registered, although -the count may be shy a little one way or the -other. I was too excited to be entirely accurate. Our -hands are in the air, pards, and no mistake. The <i>Sprite</i>'ll -look like a turtle wallowin' along in the wake of a swordfish."</p> - -<p>Matt and Lorry had listened to this recital with varying -feelings. Matt was deeply interested, but Lorry was -visibly cast down.</p> - -<p>"How big is the <i>Dart</i>, Joe?" inquired Matt.</p> - -<p>"Twenty-five or thirty feet, Matt."</p> - -<p>"You must be a little wrong in your estimate of the -<i>Dart's</i> speed. It doesn't seem possible that she could turn -a mile in less than three minutes."</p> - -<p>"Well, look!" exclaimed McGlory, catching his first -glimpse of Ping. "If there ain't little Washee-washee<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7">[Pg 7]</a></span> -Slant-eyes I'm a Chink myself. When and how did he -flash out in these parts?"</p> - -<p>Matt, by way of relieving the tension aroused by McGlory's -exciting news, told of the scuffle in the path leading -up the bank, and then allowed the Celestial to finish -with an account of the way he had come from Frisco.</p> - -<p>"Let's get back to the boats," put in Lorry impatiently, -when Ping had got through with his pidgin English. -"Hadn't I better withdraw the <i>Sprite</i>, Matt, and let some -other fellow meet Merton?"</p> - -<p>Matt stared.</p> - -<p>"I didn't believe you were that sort of a fellow, Lorry," -he returned, "and I don't think so yet."</p> - -<p>"But if the <i>Sprite</i> hasn't any chance——"</p> - -<p>"She has a chance, and a good one, after I get her -ready. There'll have to be more extensive changes, -that's all."</p> - -<p>"What other changes are you thinking about?"</p> - -<p>"Ping," said Matt, turning to the Chinese, "you go outside -the boathouse and see that no one hangs around it -while we're talking."</p> - -<p>"Can do," chirped Ping, and shuffled out.</p> - -<p>Matt pulled up a chair close to Lorry's and motioned -for McGlory to join the inner circle. Then Matt explained -about the loss of the roll of drawings.</p> - -<p>The cowboy was mad clear through in half a second.</p> - -<p>"It was Merton, all right," he scowled, "and you can -bet a ten-dollar note against a last year's bird's nest on -that. By this time he'll know what the improved <i>Sprite</i> -can do, and he'll also know that the <i>Dart</i> can run circles -around her. We're Jonahed, for fair."</p> - -<p>"No, we're not," said Matt. "As long as I thought we -had only the <i>Wyandotte</i> to beat, I was only planning to -make the <i>Sprite</i> fast enough for that purpose. But I can -make the <i>Sprite</i> the fastest thing on the lakes—it'll take -a hustle, though, and I'll have to have a machinist helper."</p> - -<p>"I don't care how many men you have to have, Matt, -nor how many extra supplies," returned Lorry, beginning -to gather a little confidence from the quiet, determined -air of the king of the motor boys. "Go ahead, and call -on me for what money you need."</p> - -<p>"Over at the machine shop, where I've been getting -some work done," proceeded Matt, "they have a double-opposed, -four-cycle automobile engine, capable of developing -from eighteen to twenty horse-power at eighteen -hundred revolutions per minute. The cylinders are five -by five. That's a pretty stiff engine for the <i>Sprite</i>, but -the hull could be strengthened, and we could put it in and -get about ninety or ninety-five per cent. of the horse-power -by gearing down three to one. After the gears -wear a little, the percentage of horse-power might drop -to eighty. This motor will drive a three-bladed propeller -twenty-six inches diameter, thirty-two inches pitch. If -the vibration don't shake me out of the boat at eighteen -hundred revolutions per minute, the speed we'll get will -be astonishing."</p> - -<p>"Whoop!" exulted McGlory. "I don't know what it all -means, but it listens good. I reckon there's a kick or two -in the old <i>Sprite</i> yet."</p> - -<p>"You can't run a boat engine like you run an automobile -motor, Matt," said Lorry.</p> - -<p>"Of course not. A steady load and steady plugging -in the water is a whole lot different from the give-and-take -a motor gets in an auto; but we can keep up the -eighteen hundred revolutions for ten minutes, anyhow—and -the race only covers five miles. I'm fixing the <i>Sprite</i> -to win the race, that's all."</p> - -<p>"By George!" exclaimed Lorry, "it takes you to make -a fellow feel good, Matt! You know what you're doing, -every time and all the time. Go ahead with the work, -and bank on me to hold you up with both hands."</p> - -<p>"Me, too, pard!" added McGlory.</p> - -<p>"What we're doing," said Matt, "we want to keep -strictly to ourselves. Merton has our drawings, and probably -thinks he knows just what we're about. Let him -think so. If he springs a 'dark horse' on us, we'll get -even by springing one on him."</p> - -<p>"But can you get the <i>Sprite</i> ready in time?" asked -Lorry anxiously.</p> - -<p>"Sure I can! I'll have to begin at once, though, and -some of us will have to stay in this boathouse night and -day to make sure that none of the Winnequas come -prowling around. If you'll stay here with McGlory, -George, I'll borrow your motor cycle to go over to the -machine shop and dicker for that second-hand engine."</p> - -<p>"Go on," said Lorry. "While you're there you might -get a man to help you."</p> - -<p>Matt got up and pulled the motor cycle away from the -bench.</p> - -<p>"I'll be back in an hour, fellows," said he.</p> - -<p>Leaving the boathouse, he dragged the wheel to the top -of the steep bank, then, getting into the saddle, he gave -the pedals a turn and was off like a shot along the -wooded road that led past the insane asylum and by the -Waunakee Road and Sherman Avenue into town.</p> - -<p>If Motor Matt loved one thing more than another, it -was a good, clean fight for supremacy, such as the one -that now confronted him and his friends. There was a -zest in such a struggle, and the pleasure of winning out -against odds, in a good cause, was its own reward.</p> - -<p>As he whizzed along the wooded road, mechanically -steering the wheel while his mind busied itself with other -things, he was confronted suddenly by a rail held breast-high -across his course. It was impossible to turn out at -that point, and Matt had to shut off the power and jam -down hard on the brake.</p> - -<p>He caught a glimpse of a silent form at each end of -the rail, and then, as he halted, of half a dozen other -forms rushing out at him from the bushes on each side -of the road.</p> - -<p>In another moment he was caught and dragged from -the motor cycle.</p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<h2><a name="CHAPTER_V" id="CHAPTER_V">CHAPTER V.</a></h2> - -<p class="chaptitle">AN ORDER TO QUIT.</p> - - -<p>This unexpected attack, coming so suddenly, had taken -Matt at a disadvantage. He fought as well as he could, -in the circumstances, but there were too many against -him.</p> - -<p>There were eight of his foes, all told, and Matt was -carried into the timber at one side of the road and -dropped unceremoniously in a small cleared space. -Bounding to his feet, he stood staring about him.</p> - -<p>His eight enemies had formed a narrow circle, hemming -him in. They were all young fellows, well dressed, -and carried themselves with an air of firmness and determination. -The face of each was covered with a handkerchief, -which left only the eyes visible.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_8" id="Page_8">[Pg 8]</a></span></p> - -<p>"What are you trying to do?" demanded Matt angrily.</p> - -<p>"Don't lose your temper, Motor Matt," answered one -of the eight, in a voice that was plainly disguised. "We're -not going to hurt you—now. Do what we want you to -and we'll remain good friends. All we've stopped you for -is to have a little talk."</p> - -<p>"Did you have to head me off with a rail in order to -have a little talk?" asked Matt sarcastically.</p> - -<p>"We wanted to make sure of you for about five minutes, -and this was the only way we could think of. We -were going over to your boathouse, but saw you coming -down the hill from the point, and thought we'd better lay -for you."</p> - -<p>"Well," said Matt, "here I am. Hurry up with your -talk. I'm in a rush, and don't want to stop here long."</p> - -<p>"We want to ask you a question: You're a professional -motorist, aren't you?"</p> - -<p>"I've driven a racing automobile, if that's what you -mean."</p> - -<p>"They say you know gasoline motors forward, backward, -and sideways."</p> - -<p>"I've studied them, and I've worked in a shop where -they were made."</p> - -<p>"Then I guess we've got you dead to rights. Do you -want to make a hundred dollars?"</p> - -<p>"That depends on how I'm to make it," answered the -king of the motor boys, immediately suspicious.</p> - -<p>"You won't have much to do. We'll give you the -money now if you promise to leave town to-night, and -not come back to this section for a month."</p> - -<p>"Oh!" exclaimed Matt, a light suddenly dawning upon -him. "You're representative members of the Winnequa -Club, I take it, and you want to keep me from running -Lorry's boat in that race."</p> - -<p>"We don't care how you take it," was the sharp retort. -"The question is, will you accept that hundred and get -out?"</p> - -<p>"Certainly not," said Matt promptly.</p> - -<p>There was a silence. One lad was doing all the talking, -the others remaining silent and watchful.</p> - -<p>"Will you leave for two hundred?" went on the spokesman.</p> - -<p>"No," was Matt's indignant response, "nor for two -thousand! What do you fellows take me for? I'm -George Lorry's friend, and I'm going to see him through -this racing contest."</p> - -<p>"I don't think you will," was the significant answer. -"You probably have an idea you will, but you'll change -your mind before you're many days older."</p> - -<p>"I understand," observed Matt quietly, "that your club -is composed of pretty decent fellows. I'm pretty sure -the rest of the members don't know what you eight are -doing."</p> - -<p>"That's nothing to you. You're a professional racer."</p> - -<p>"There's nothing in the rules governing the race that -bars out a professional driver," said Matt.</p> - -<p>"That may be, but it's hardly fair to stack up a professional -driver against an amateur."</p> - -<p>"Halloran is not an amateur," returned Matt. "He has -handled motor boats for two years. I happen to know -this. If Halloran is going to drive Merton's boat, I don't -think you fellows can complain if I drive Lorry's."</p> - -<p>Matt's knowledge regarding Halloran must have staggered -the eight masked youths. Silence reigned again for -a space, one set of eyes encountering another and the -glance traveling around the circle.</p> - -<p>The king of the motor boys was studying those around -him. One of the eight he believed to be Ollie Merton, -although of that he could not be sure. Merton must have -made good time from Third Lake, if he had left the <i>Dart</i>, -crossed the city, and come around Fourth Lake to that -point.</p> - -<p>"We're not here to discuss Halloran," went on the -young fellow who was doing the talking for the rest of -his party. "We don't want you backing up young Lorry. -There are going to be some bets made on that race, and -we want Merton's boat to have a cinch. If what we've -heard of you is true, you're deep, and when you go into -a thing you go in to win. If you won't take a couple of -hundred and leave town, how much will you ask to throw -the race?"</p> - -<p>Matt stiffened, and his eyes flashed dangerously. Once -before, in the course of his career, an insult of that sort -had been offered him. That was in Arizona, and a -gambler had approached him and offered him money to -"throw" a bicycle race on which the gambler and his -friends had been doing some heavy betting.</p> - -<p>Matt had principles, hard and fast principles which he -knew to be right and on which he would not turn his -back. He had never seen any good come of betting, and -he was against it.</p> - -<p>"I guess," said he sharply, "that if you know me -better you wouldn't make such a proposition. I'm a -friend of Lorry's, and I'm going to stand by him. Not -only that, but if you fellows have been foolish enough to -bet on Merton's boat, I'll do my best to see that you -lose your money. I guess that finishes our talk. Break -away and let me go on."</p> - -<p>"Don't be in a rush," growled the spokesman. "If you -won't take our money and leave town, and if you won't -throw the race for a share of the proceeds, then we'll -hand you an order which you'll do well to obey. It's an -order to quit. Understand? You're an outsider and we -don't want you around here."</p> - -<p>"So is Halloran an outsider," said Matt caustically. -"He comes from Milwaukee."</p> - -<p>"We're talking about you, now, and not about Halloran. -Lorry has got to stand on his own pins. He's got -money enough to see him through this race without any -of your help."</p> - -<p>"You're a one-sided lot, you fellows," went on Matt. -"All you say about Lorry applies equally well to Merton. -Why don't Merton 'stand on his own pins,' as you call -it? And why do you ask more of Lorry than you do of -Merton?"</p> - -<p>"That's our business," snapped the other.</p> - -<p>Matt laughed.</p> - -<p>"The trouble with you fellows," said he, "is that you're -scared. You think the <i>Wyandotte</i> has got a little more -than she can take care of in the <i>Sprite</i>. What kind of -sportsmen are you, anyhow, when you try to load your -dice before you go into this game?"</p> - -<p>Matt's mention of the <i>Wyandotte</i> was made with the -deliberate intention of hoodwinking the eight. By speaking -as he did the masked youths would infer that Matt -and Lorry knew nothing, as yet, about the <i>Dart</i>.</p> - -<p>That Matt's remark had gone home was evident from -the quick looks that passed around the circle over the -tops of the handkerchiefs.</p> - -<p>"We've got you down pretty fine, Motor Matt," pursued -the spokesman, who could not bring himself to give -up the attempt to influence Matt. "If it hadn't been for<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">[Pg 9]</a></span> -you, George Lorry would be in San Francisco now. You -brought him back here, and you advised him to get back -into the Yahara Club and go on with the programme -the Yaharas had laid down for him. That was all your -doing, and you know it."</p> - -<p>"I'm glad to think," said Matt, with spirit, "that I had -something to do with that. But you're mistaken if you -think I had <i>everything</i> to do with it."</p> - -<p>"I suppose this McGlory helped a little."</p> - -<p>"He did; but the biggest help came from Lorry himself. -Lorry has the right kind of stuff in him, and he'll -show you, before long, that he's worth a dozen Mertons."</p> - -<p>This goaded one of the others into speech—and it was -the one whom Matt suspected of being Ollie Merton.</p> - -<p>"Oh, splash! Lorry's a sissy and he always was."</p> - -<p>It was Merton's voice, Matt felt sure of that. But the -king of the motor boys wanted to make assurance doubly -sure.</p> - -<p>"<i>Now</i> are you done?" he asked.</p> - -<p>"You refuse to meet us half way in an amicable arrangement?"</p> - -<p>"Your amicable arrangement," said Matt ironically, "is -an insult to a fellow who tries to be square. I'll have -nothing to do with it, and that's the last word."</p> - -<p>"We're going to have the last word, my gay motorist, -and from now on up to the hour of the race you and -Lorry are going to have your hands full of trouble. The -<i>Sprite</i> will never enter the contest, and you'll save yourself -something, Motor Matt, if you obey our orders to -quit. There——"</p> - -<p>Motor Matt, watching his opportunity, had made a -sudden leap forward. It was toward the side of the -circle opposite the place where the chap whom he believed -to be Merton was standing.</p> - -<p>Instantly the eight made a concerted move in that direction, -leaving a gap in the cordon behind Matt. Like -lightning, the king of the motor boys whirled about and -darted through the gap.</p> - -<p>As he raced past the fellow he supposed to be Merton -he snatched the handkerchief from his face. The evidence, -then, was plain enough.</p> - -<p>"Merton!" shouted Matt as he bounded toward the -road.</p> - -<p>An angry yell went up behind him, followed by a -crashing among the bushes as the eight began pursuit. -But Matt had the lead, and he was fortunate enough to -find the motor cycle leaning against the tree near the -place where it had been halted.</p> - -<p>To mount, start the gasoline, switch on the spark and -pedal off took but a few seconds. By the time Merton -and his companions reached the road Matt was sliding -around a wooded bend like a shot from a gun.</p> - -<p>Around the turn Matt was compelled to sheer off to -avoid a big touring car which, deserted and at a standstill, -filled the road.</p> - -<p>He noted, as he passed, that it was the Merton touring -car. Matt had seen the car before, and in circumstances -almost as dramatic.</p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VI" id="CHAPTER_VI">CHAPTER VI.</a></h2> - -<p class="chaptitle">FACING THE MUSIC.</p> - - -<p>The automobile repair shop which Matt had started -for was in Sherman Avenue, not far from the park that -skirted the shore of Fourth Lake. He did not make for -the shop at once, however, but kept out of sight until -Ollie Merton had passed with the big, seven-passenger -car loaded to the limit. As soon as the car had vanished -Matt went into the shop.</p> - -<p>He was not long in transacting his business there. Before -beginning he placed the proprietor under seal of -secrecy. The second-hand motor was secured at a bargain, -Matt paying spot cash for it. The engine was to -be loaded aboard a launch and taken across the lake, in -the afternoon, to the boathouse by Picnic Point.</p> - -<p>With the engine was to come a young machinist, a -son of the proprietor of the shop, who was to be well -paid for his services, and who promised to use his hands -and eyes and not his tongue.</p> - -<p>Matt's final request was that the engine, when carried -down to the landing and while aboard the launch, should -be covered with canvas. This was to prevent curious -eyes from securing information which might be carried -to some of the Winnequas, and so to Merton.</p> - -<p>From the machine shop Matt rushed on into town for -the purpose of sending a message. The telegram was to -a supply house in Milwaukee and requested immediate -shipment of a new propeller. The sudden change in -plans for the <i>Sprite</i> made quick work necessary.</p> - -<p>It was long after noon when Matt got back to the -boathouse, where Lorry and McGlory were impatiently -awaiting him.</p> - -<p>"You were longer than we thought you'd be," remarked -Lorry, a look of relief crossing his face as Matt trundled -the motor cycle through the open door.</p> - -<p>"Did you get what you wanted, pard?" inquired McGlory.</p> - -<p>"Yes," laughed Matt, leaning the wheel against the -wall, "and a little more than I was expecting. I was -stopped by Merton and seven of his friends, just this side -of the asylum and——"</p> - -<p>"By Merton!" cried Lorry.</p> - -<p>"Sufferin' brain-twisters!" exclaimed the cowboy. -"How could that be? Why, pard, I left Merton on Third -Lake, in the <i>Dart</i>."</p> - -<p>"Merton must have come ashore, Joe, pretty soon after -you left. He picked up seven of his friends somewhere -and started around Fourth Lake to have a talk with me -at the boathouse. They saw me coming down the hill -from the point, stopped the automobile around a bend, -tied handkerchiefs over their faces and stopped me with -a fence rail. Before I fairly realized what was going on, -the eight of them had me off the wheel and into the -timber."</p> - -<p>"What an outrage!" growled Lorry. "You're getting -more than your share of rough work, Matt, seems to me. -What did those fellows want?"</p> - -<p>Matt pulled out a lunch box of generous size, opened -it on the workbench and invited his two companions to -help themselves.</p> - -<p>"I went into town to send a telegram for a new propeller," -he observed, "but I didn't even take time to stop -at a restaurant for a meal."</p> - -<p>"No matter what happens," said Lorry admiringly, -"you never forget anything. But go on and tell us what -Merton and those other chaps stopped you for."</p> - -<p>"They were trying to run in a rhinecaboo of some -sort. I'll be bound," averred McGlory.</p> - -<p>"The plain truth of the matter is, fellows," declared -Matt, "Merton and his crowd are scared. They offered<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">[Pg 10]</a></span> -me two hundred dollars to leave town at once and never -come back."</p> - -<p>"Tell me about that!" chuckled the cowboy. "Scared? -You bet they are! Motor Matt has put a crimp in the -confidence they had about the outcome of the race."</p> - -<p>"And that leads me to believe," went on Matt, "that, in -spite of the fact that Merton has that roll of drawings -and knows what we were doing to the <i>Sprite</i>, he's still -afraid of us. The <i>Dart</i> can't be such a phenomenally fast -boat as you imagined, Joe. If it was, why should Merton -fear the <i>Sprite</i>? He's judging her, you understand, according -to our first plans for changing her. He doesn't -know a thing about the automobile engine and the other -propeller we're going to install."</p> - -<p>"Listen, once," said McGlory; "it's not the plans that's -making Merton sidestep, but Motor Matt. He and his -bunch will feel a heap easier if they can know the king -of the motor boys is cut out of Lorry's herd."</p> - -<p>"Another thing," continued Matt. "Merton and his -friends are doing some betting on the race."</p> - -<p>"I've heard about that," put in Lorry. "Merton is -plunging with his father's bankroll, and going the limit. -His friends are in the pool with him, and they're offering -all sorts of fancy odds."</p> - -<p>"If I could rake together a stake," said McGlory, "I'd -take a little of that Winnequa money myself."</p> - -<p>"No, you wouldn't, Joe," returned Matt. "I'm out -with a club for that sort of thing. Good, clean sport is -all right, but when you tangle it up with a lot of bookmakers -it goes to the dogs."</p> - -<p>"Mebby you're right, pard," grinned Joe, "but any kind -of a chance, with money in sight, is excitin'."</p> - -<p>"Merton and the rest wanted me, if I wouldn't agree -to pull out, to throw the race."</p> - -<p>"The scoundrels!" cried Lorry.</p> - -<p>"They didn't know our pard very well, George," observed -the cowboy. "What did they say when you turned -'em down, Matt?"</p> - -<p>"Ordered me to quit. Said if I didn't the lot of us, -over here, would have to face all kinds of music."</p> - -<p>"I always did like music," said the cowboy. "Right -this minute I'm feelin' like a brass band and I've got to -toot."</p> - -<p>McGlory's "toot" was more like a steam calliope than a -brass band, and it was so hilarious that Ping, who was -still acting as outside guard, pushed his yellow face in at -the window over the workbench.</p> - -<p>"Who makee low?" he inquired.</p> - -<p>"There's no row, you heathen," answered the cowboy, -tossing him a sandwich. "There, take that and stop your -face. I'm jubilatin', that's all."</p> - -<p>Ping disappeared with a grin and the sandwich.</p> - -<p>"What are you jubilating about, Joe?" inquired Lorry.</p> - -<p>"Don't you savvy, George? Why, Motor Matt's on -his mettle! All that talk that Merton and his pards gave -him just cinched him up for the 'go' of his life. You'll -see things at that race. As for facing the music—there's -nothing to it. Why, the <i>Sprite's</i> as good as passed -the stake boat and over the finish line right now."</p> - -<p>There was little doubt but that McGlory's jovial mood -and confident forecast of coming events heartened Lorry -wonderfully.</p> - -<p>Matt went more into the details of his experience with -Merton and his friends.</p> - -<p>"That's a nice way for the commodore of a rival boat -club to act," remarked Lorry sarcastically.</p> - -<p>"How did Merton ever get to be commodore?" said -McGlory. "That's what sticks in my crop."</p> - -<p>"Money," was Lorry's brief but significant response.</p> - -<p>"Money cuts a pretty wide swath, and that's a fact. -That work of Merton's and his friends, though, was a -pretty raw blazer. Wonder what Merton's thinking of -himself, now that Matt's found out he was in the gang?"</p> - -<p>"It won't bother him much," said Lorry. "Between -you and me and the gatepost, I'll bet Merton has been -flying too high. When his father gets back from Europe -and finds out what's been going on, there'll be doings. -Like enough, Merton is plunging on the boat race in the -hope of getting back some of the money he has squandered. -That would ease the tension somewhat when he -makes an accounting to his father."</p> - -<p>"Too bad if he's got himself into money difficulties," -observed Matt.</p> - -<p>"A little money has made many a good fellow go -wrong, Matt," returned Lorry, with a flush.</p> - -<p>George was talking from experience, and it was an -experience which he would never forget.</p> - -<p>"There's nothing to do, I reckon," said McGlory, -changing the subject, "but to plug right along and hustle -the changes in the <i>Sprite</i>."</p> - -<p>"That's all, Joe," responded Matt. "We'll have to do -some quick work, and do it well. The engine will be -delivered this afternoon, and a young fellow is coming -along with it to help me. We'll have to do more or less -traveling between here and the machine shop, and I -suppose it would be well if we had a boat. Going around -the lake takes too long."</p> - -<p>"I'll get a motor boat for you, Matt," said Lorry. "I'll -bring her over before night."</p> - -<p>"Bring a supply of gasoline and oil, too, Lorry."</p> - -<p>"It will all come with the boat. If you can think of -anything else you want, just let me know. Some one -ought to stay here all the time, don't you think? The -<i>Sprite</i> ought to be watched every minute, night and day. -It was no empty threat Merton made when he said he'd -make us trouble."</p> - -<p>"He and his friends," said Matt gravely, "will do what -they can to bother us. But I don't think they'll dare go -too far. Joe and I and Ping will stay at the boathouse all -the time. That will make quite a respectable force. -Then, too, the machinist will be with us during the day. -Whenever I have to cross the lake to the shop, he and -Joe can look after things here."</p> - -<p>"I want to do my share, you know," protested Lorry; -"I can't let you fellows do it all."</p> - -<p>"You'll have plenty to do, George," laughed Matt. -"There's a telephone at the asylum, and we can always -get word to you if it's necessary. As for——"</p> - -<p>Matt was interrupted by a shrill yell. It came from outside -the boathouse and had plainly been raised by Ping. -On the instant, all three of the boys jumped for the door.</p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VII" id="CHAPTER_VII">CHAPTER VII.</a></h2> - -<p class="chaptitle">GATHERING CLOUDS.</p> - - -<p>Much to the relief of Matt, McGlory and Lorry, the -Chinese boy had not encountered intruders. His trouble -was of quite another sort.</p> - -<p>In order to watch all sides of the boathouse, he had<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[Pg 11]</a></span> -been tramping around three of its walls, from the waterfront -on one side to the waterfront on the other. The -day was hot and the exertion tiring. Ping, after some -reflection, conceived the brilliant idea of climbing to the -roof and watching from the ridgepole.</p> - -<p>An elevated position of that kind would enable him to -rest and keep eyes on the vicinity in every direction.</p> - -<p>Some empty boxes, piled one on the other, lifted him -high enough to reach the eaves. Kicking off his sandals, he -took the slope of the roof in his stocking feet and was -soon by the flagstaff that arose from one end of the peak -on the waterside of the building.</p> - -<p>A timber, equipped with rope and tackle, projected outward -from the peak. For no particular reason, other -than to test his agility, Ping lowered himself astride the -projecting timber and hitched outward to the end.</p> - -<p>Here a sudden gust of wind struck him. Lifting both -hands to save his hat, he lost his balance and rolled sidewise -off the timber. But he did not fall. His trousers -caught in the stout iron hook by which the pulley was -suspended; and, when Matt, McGlory and Lorry finally -located him, he was sprawling in midair, badly scared, -but as yet unhurt.</p> - -<p>"Motol Matt," howled the youngster, "savee Ping! -No lettee fall! Woosh!"</p> - -<p>"Sufferin' heathens!" gasped McGlory. "How in the -name of Bob did the Chink ever get in that fix?"</p> - -<p>That was no time to guess about the cause. If Ping's -clothing was to give way he would suffer a bad fall on -the planks of the boathouse pier. Pulling the tackle -rope from the cleat to which it was fastened, Matt -climbed hand over hand to the projecting timber.</p> - -<p>"Catch hold of my shoulders, Ping," he ordered.</p> - -<p>Ping's arms went around him in a life-and-death grip. -Then, supporting himself with one hand, Matt detached -the Chinaman from the hook with the other and both slid -to the pier in safety.</p> - -<p>"You gave us a scare, Ping," said Matt. "We didn't -know but you had found some one sneaking around the -boathouse. How did you get in that fix?"</p> - -<p>Ping explained, and the boys had a good laugh. -Shortly afterward Lorry dragged his motor cycle to the -top of the bank and chugged away home.</p> - -<p>It was about two o'clock when Newt Higgins, the -young machinist, arrived with the new motor. His -father had brought him across. The engine was unloaded -by means of the block and tackle and carried inside.</p> - -<p>While Higgins was taking the old motor out of the -<i>Sprite</i>, Matt connected up the new one with gasoline tank -and battery and got it to going. It ran perfectly.</p> - -<p>From that time on there were several days of feverish -activity in the boathouse. The hull of the <i>Sprite</i> had to -be strengthened. The original motor had been installed -on short bearers, which, according to Matt's view, was -entirely wrong. The motor bed, he held, must be rigid -and the vibration distributed over as great an area as -possible.</p> - -<p>A heavy bed was put down, and on this two girders -were laid, shaped up to take the rake of the motor and -tapering off at the ends. These girders extended as far -forward and aft as the curve of the hull would allow.</p> - -<p>Lining up the shaft was an operation which Matt attended -to himself. This job gave some trouble, but was -finally finished to his satisfaction.</p> - -<p>The new engine was set farther aft than the old one -had been. This enabled Matt to bring the gasoline tanks -farther aft, as well. The hood had to be made longer, -and a stout bulkhead was built between the engine space -and the cockpit.</p> - -<p>All controls were to be on the bulkhead. The electric -outfit was placed close to the motor, where it would be -protected from wet and dampness by the hood. In addition -to this, the eight cells of the battery were inclosed in -a box and filled around with paraffine.</p> - -<p>The hull had already been covered with canvas, given -two coats of lead and oil and rubbed down. The last -thing would be a coat of spar varnish.</p> - -<p>Saturday night Matt dismissed the machinist.</p> - -<p>"I wish I knew as much about motors as you do," the -machinist had said as he pocketed his pay. "You're -Class A, Motor Matt, and you've given Lorry a boat -that'll win. I'm goin' to see that race. The Yahara boys -are on our lake, you know, and this part o' town is with -'em to a man. It's surprisin' how this section of town is -set on havin' the Yahara club get back the cup."</p> - -<p>"We're going to do our best, Newt," Matt had answered, -"and you'll see a pretty race, no matter how it -comes out."</p> - -<p>"You bet you!" averred Newt. "Good-by and good -luck, Matt. I'd be tickled if we could work together all -the time."</p> - -<p>During the work McGlory had made himself generally -useful. He could run the small launch which Lorry had -brought to the boathouse for Matt's use, and whenever -there were any errands across the lake not requiring -Matt's attention at the machine shop McGlory attended -to them.</p> - -<p>Ping proved to be a good cook, and prepared the -meals on a gasoline stove. When he was not busy in the -culinary department he was guarding the boathouse -against prowlers.</p> - -<p>The boathouse was nicely situated for the work Matt -and his friends were doing. There were no other boathouses -for half a mile or more on either side of it, and -the steep banks by which it was surrounded on every -side but toward the water gave it an isolation which had -commended it to Matt and Lorry.</p> - -<p>It had not been used for some time when Lorry had -leased it from the owner, but was in a very good state of -repair for all that.</p> - -<p>It contained a well which opened directly into a protected -cove. An incline fitted with rollers made it easy -to launch a boat or to haul it out upon the floor. The -water door came down to the lake level, and both door -and well were wide enough to admit a craft of eight-feet -beam.</p> - -<p>During all these days of work Ping had not detected a -single person skulking around in the boathouse's vicinity. -Matt worked until late every night, and there was always -some one on guard on the outside from sunset till sunrise. -Generally it was McGlory, but occasionally Lorry -would come over and insist that the cowboy should sleep -while he did the sentry duty.</p> - -<p>It was nine o'clock Saturday night when Matt finished -with the varnish coat and, dropping his brush, stood back -to look at the trim, shadowy lines of the boat.</p> - -<p>"She's a beauty, Matt, and no mistake," called some -one from the door.</p> - -<p>"Hello, George!" answered Matt, turning to place the -lamp on the workbench and scrubbing his hands with a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[Pg 12]</a></span> -bunch of waste. "She'll do, I think. Anyhow, the <i>Dart</i> -won't run any rings around us."</p> - -<p>"You must be about fagged," said Lorry as Matt -dropped down on his cot by the wall. "You've worked -like a galley slave, and if we win the prize it will be all -owing to you."</p> - -<p>"I'm tired, and that's a fact," Matt answered, "but I've -got some good feelings in me, as my old Dutch pard used -to say. If a fellow's mind is easy it doesn't matter so -much about his body."</p> - -<p>"I came over to see if you'd heard anything from our -friends the enemy yet," said Lorry.</p> - -<p>"They haven't peeped," Matt laughed. "I guess -they've decided to let us alone."</p> - -<p>"Don't you think that for a minute," returned Lorry -earnestly. "Merton and his pals have been lying low, but -the clouds have been gathering. The storm will break -before Tuesday, and I'm wondering and worrying as to -how it is going to hit us."</p> - -<p>"We'll weather it," said Matt lightly, "no matter what -shape it takes. It's a cinch that Merton hasn't been able -to find out a thing about what we've been doing. That -roll of drawings is all he has to base an opinion on, and -the <i>Sprite</i> is as different from those plans as you can well -imagine. We've fooled Merton to the queen's taste."</p> - -<p>"And probably he thinks he has fooled us," smiled -Lorry.</p> - -<p>"Have you been able to discover anything about the -<i>Dart</i>?"</p> - -<p>"Not a thing. The Winnequas are guarding her as -though she was a lump of gold. But there are hair-raising -tales, all over town, of the tremendous speed a -new boat on Third Lake is showing."</p> - -<p>"The <i>Wyandotte</i> hasn't been kicking up the water -around the point for a couple of days now."</p> - -<p>"I guess Merton thinks we're so busy here we won't -pay any attention to her. Ever since he stopped sending -the <i>Wyandotte</i> to Fourth Lake he has been speeding the -<i>Dart</i> in the evening on Third."</p> - -<p>"Well, Merton's consistent, anyhow, no matter what -else you can say about him."</p> - -<p>"I've got orders from dad and sis to take you over to -Yankee Hill to spend to-night and Sunday," said Lorry, -after a slight pause. "Will you go?"</p> - -<p>"Sorry, old chap, but I can't," Matt answered regretfully. -"I'm going to be Johnny-on-the-spot right here in -this boathouse till the <i>Sprite</i> leaves to enter the race. -I'm not taking any chances with her."</p> - -<p>"But can't McGlory and Ping look after the boat?"</p> - -<p>"They can, yes, and there isn't anybody I'd trust -quicker than I would McGlory; but, if anything should -happen to the <i>Sprite</i> between now and Tuesday, I want -to be the one who's to blame."</p> - -<p>"I guess I know how you stack up," observed Lorry, -with a touch of genuine feeling. "You're doing a whole -lot for me, Matt, and my folks know it and appreciate it -just as much as I do. I hope I can pay you back some -time."</p> - -<p>"Nonsense, George!" deprecated Matt. "Do you think -there isn't any fun in this thing for me? I've enjoyed -myself every minute I've been tinkering with the <i>Sprite</i>, -and the best part of it all will come when I show the -<i>Dart</i> the way across the finish line next Tuesday."</p> - -<p>Half an hour later Lorry got into his hired launch and -started for home. All was quiet and peaceable in the -boathouse, but, even then, a storm of trouble was preparing -to break—a storm that was to try the three friends -to the uttermost and to come within a hair's breadth of -ruining their prospects in the power-boat contest.</p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VIII" id="CHAPTER_VIII">CHAPTER VIII.</a></h2> - -<p class="chaptitle">THE PLOTTERS.</p> - - -<p>Merton and his seven companions were a disgruntled -lot when they returned to Madison after forcing an interview -with Motor Matt, having their propositions rejected -and then watching him get away after unmasking -the "commodore."</p> - -<p>Merton drove the touring car straight for home, turned -it over to the gardener—who was also something of a -chauffeur—and then ushered his friends into his father's -study, in the house.</p> - -<p>The butler and the <i>chef</i> had been left to look after -Merton's comfort. Merton immediately sent the butler -to the ice box for several bottles of beer, and the lads -proceeded to drown their disgust and disappointment in -drink.</p> - -<p>The idea that any human emotion can be blotted out -with an intoxicating beverage is a fallacy. The mind can -be drugged, for a time, but when it regains its normal -state all its impressions are revived even more harrowingly -than they were before.</p> - -<p>As soon as the glasses had been emptied Merton produced -several packages of cigarettes, and the air grew -thick with the odor of burning "doctored" tobacco.</p> - -<p>"What're we going to do with Motor Matt?" demanded -Jimmie Hess. "Take it from me, you fellows, -something has got to be done with him or the cup goes -back to the Yaharas. He's a chap that does things, all -right."</p> - -<p>"And game as a hornet," struck in Andy Meigs. -"Wish we could find out what he's doing to the <i>Sprite</i>."</p> - -<p>"That's what's worryin' me," said Perry Jenkins. "If -he can coax twenty miles an hour out of the <i>Sprite</i> he's -got the cup nailed down."</p> - -<p>"He don't know anything about the <i>Dart</i>," spoke up -Rush Partington. "As long as he thinks he's only got -the <i>Wyandotte</i> to beat, I guess we can hold him."</p> - -<p>"Hold nothing!" growled Martin Rawlins. "You don't -understand how much that chap knows. Where did he -grab all that about Halloran? He gets to the bottom of -things, he does, and it's a fool notion to try and pull the -wool over his eyes by sending the <i>Wyandotte</i> over to -Fourth Lake every day. If I——"</p> - -<p>"Mr. Ollie," announced the butler, looking in at the -door, "there's a little negro boy downstairs and he says -he won't leave till he sees you."</p> - -<p>"Kick him off the front steps, Peters," scowled Merton.</p> - -<p>Peters would probably have carried out his orders had -not the little negro quietly followed him up the stairs. -As the butler turned away, the darky pushed past him -and jumped into the study.</p> - -<p>"Pickerel Pete!" went up a chorus of voices.</p> - -<p>The colored boy was one of the town "characters," and -was known by sight to everybody.</p> - -<p>"Come here, you!" cried the exasperated Peters, pushing -into the room and reaching for Pete's collar.</p> - -<p>"Drag him out," ordered Merton. "I haven't got any -time to bother with him."</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[Pg 13]</a></span></p> - -<p>"You all better bothah wif me," cried Pete, squirming -in the butler's grip. "Ah kin tell yo' about dat Motor -Matt, en Ah got some papahs dat yo'd lak tuh have——"</p> - -<p>"Come along, now, and stop your howlin'," grunted the -butler, making for the door.</p> - -<p>A clamor arose from those in the room.</p> - -<p>"Wait, Peters!"</p> - -<p>"Hear what he's got to say about Motor Matt!"</p> - -<p>"Maybe he can give us a pointer that will be useful. -Let's talk with him, Ollie."</p> - -<p>"Leave him here, Peters," said Merton.</p> - -<p>The butler let go his hold on Pickerel Pete and went -out of the study, shaking his head in disapproval of Mr. -Ollie's orders.</p> - -<p>"Now, then, you little rascal," went on Merton sternly, -as soon as the door had closed behind the butler, "if -you're trying to fool us you'll get a thrashing."</p> - -<p>"En ef Ah ain't tryin' tuh fool yu," returned Pete, "is -Ah gwine tuh git two dollahs?"</p> - -<p>"You say," asked Merton cautiously, "that you've got a -roll of papers?"</p> - -<p>"Dat's whut Ah has, boss. Ah stole dem f'om de boathouse -ovah by the p'int where Motor Matt is workin' on -de <i>Sprite</i>."</p> - -<p>"Why did you steal them?"</p> - -<p>"Tuh git even wif Motor Matt, dat's why," snorted -Pete, glaring. "He done hiahed me fo' two dollahs er -day, en den he turned me down fo' er no-count yaller -Chink. When er man gits tuh be 'leben yeahs old, lak -me, he ain't goin' tuh stand fo' dat sort o' work, no, suh. -Ah jess sneaked up on de boathouse en Ah swiped de -papahs."</p> - -<p>It was plain to Merton that Pickerel Pete believed he -had a grievance against Motor Matt. This might make -him valuable.</p> - -<p>"Let's see the papers, Pete," said Merton. "If they're -worth anything to me I'll pay you for them."</p> - -<p>"Dar dey is, boss," and Pete triumphantly drew the -roll from the breast of his ragged "hickory" shirt.</p> - -<p>Merton grabbed the roll eagerly, slipped off the rubber -band and began examining every sheet. While his friends -breathlessly watched, Merton jammed the papers into his -pocket, sprang to his feet and paced back and forth across -the room.</p> - -<p>"What is it, Ollie?"</p> - -<p>"Found out anything important?"</p> - -<p>"Do those papers really belong to Motor Matt?"</p> - -<p>"Tell us about it, can't you?"</p> - -<p>"Shut up a minute," growled Merton. "I'm framing -up a plan."</p> - -<p>For a little while longer Merton continued to pace the -floor; then, at last, he halted in front of Pete.</p> - -<p>"There's five dollars for you, Pete," said Merton, taking -a banknote from his pocket and handing it to the boy.</p> - -<p>"Oh, by golly!" sputtered the overwhelmed Pete, grabbing -at the bill as a drowning man grabs at a straw. -"Ah's rich, dat's whut Ah is. Say, boss, is all dis heah -money fo' me? Ah ain't got no change."</p> - -<p>"It's all yours, Pete," went on Merton; "what's more, -if you'll come here and see me Sunday afternoon at four -o'clock, I'll give you a chance to earn another five-dollar -bill. Will you be here?"</p> - -<p>"Will er duck swim, boss?" fluttered Pete, kissing the -crumpled banknote and tucking it carefully away in a -trousers pocket. "Sunday aftehnoon at fo' erclock. Ah'll -be heah fo' suah, boss."</p> - -<p>"Then get out."</p> - -<p>Pickerel Pete effaced himself—one hand in his trousers -pocket to make sure the banknote was still there, and that -he was not dreaming.</p> - -<p>"Now, then, Ollie," said Martin Rawlins, "tell us what -your game is."</p> - -<p>"Yes, confound it," grumbled Meigs. "We're all on -tenterhooks."</p> - -<p>"These papers, fellows," answered Merton, drawing -the crumpled sheets from his pocket, "contain Motor -Matt's plans for changing the <i>Sprite</i>. Looking over them -hastily, I gather the idea that he's making the <i>Sprite</i> just -fast enough to beat the <i>Wyandotte</i>."</p> - -<p>A snicker went up from the others.</p> - -<p>"We've got him fooled, all right," was the general -comment.</p> - -<p>"Don't be too sure you've got that Motor Matt fooled," -counseled Rawlins. "Maybe he put that roll where the -negro could get it, and expected he <i>would</i> get it. This -king of the motor boys is deep—don't let that get past -your guard for a minute. I've put all the money I could -rake and scrape into the betting pool, and I don't want -to lose it by any snap judgments."</p> - -<p>That was the way with the rest of them. They had all -clubbed their funds together and the result was a big -purse for betting purposes.</p> - -<p>"I guess it means as much to the rest of us as it does -to you, Martin, to have the <i>Dart</i> win," said Merton -dryly. "Motor Matt's deep, as you say, but don't make -the mistake of crediting him with too much knowledge. -He's only human, like the rest of us. From the way -matters look now, we've got him and Lorry beaten, hands -down. Motor Matt isn't sharp enough to steer those -papers into my hands by way of Pete. Now, in all this -betting of ours, the money is being placed with the understanding -that if there is <i>no race</i> we take the cash; in -other words, if the Yaharas back down and fail to send a -boat to the starting line, we take the money."</p> - -<p>"They won't back down," said Jimmie Hess. "Great -Scott, Ollie, you don't think for a second that Lorry will -back down, do you?"</p> - -<p>"He may have to," was Merton's vague reply. "Anyhow,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[Pg 14]</a></span> -if you fellows make any bets outside of the pool, -just make 'em in that way—that the stakes are yours if -the Yaharas back down and there's no race."</p> - -<p>"What's back of that, Ollie?" said Perry Jenkins. -"You've got something up your sleeve, I know blamed -well."</p> - -<p>"And it's going to stay up my sleeve, so far as you -fellows are concerned," returned Merton. "If I evolve a -plan, I don't believe in advertising it. This Motor Matt -<i>may</i> have steered those papers into our hands, and he -<i>may</i> be deep enough to make the <i>Sprite</i> a better boat -than the <i>Dart</i> while not knowing anything about the -<i>Dart</i>, but I don't think so. However, I intend to be on -the safe side. It means a whole lot to me to win—personally, -and apart from my desire to see the Winnequas -keep the De Lancey cup. Just how much it means"—and -Merton winced—"you fellows are not going to know, -any more than you're going to know what I've got at -the back of my head for Sunday night. Put your trust -in the commodore—that's all you've got to do. Open up -some of that beer, Perry. I'm as dry as gunpowder's -great-grandfather."</p> - -<p>The glasses were filled again.</p> - -<p>"To our success in the race," said Merton, lifting his -glass and sweeping his keen eyes over the faces of his -friends; "may the <i>Dart</i> win, by fair means"—he paused—"or -otherwise."</p> - -<p>Four or five peered at Merton distrustfully over their -glasses; but, in the end, they drank the toast.</p> - -<p>The success of the <i>Dart</i> meant dollars and cents to -them; and money, for those eight plotters, stood for more -than club honors and the De Lancey cup.</p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<h2><a name="CHAPTER_IX" id="CHAPTER_IX">CHAPTER IX.</a></h2> - -<p class="chaptitle">FIREBUGS AT WORK.</p> - - -<p>Sunday was a beautiful and a quiet day at the boathouse -by the Point. Mendota, otherwise "Fourth," Lake -was never fairer. Across the ripples, glimmering in the -sun, the city of Madison lifted itself out of a mass of -green foliage like a piece of fairyland.</p> - -<p>The lake was alive with motor boats, sailboats and -rowboats. Matt and McGlory, sitting in the shade on the -little pier in front of their temporary home, idled and -dreamed away the afternoon until, about four o'clock, a -snappy little launch, equipped with canopy and wicker -chairs, untangled itself from the maze of boats out in the -lake and pushed toward the cove.</p> - -<p>"Visitors!" exclaimed Matt, jumping out of his chair.</p> - -<p>"Speak to me about that!" grumbled McGlory. "Now -we've got to get into our collars and coats and spruce up. -Oh, hang it! I like a boiled shirt about as well as I like -the measles."</p> - -<p>Mr. Lorry, his daughter, Ethel Lorry, and George were -occupying the wicker chairs under the canopy, while Gus, -the Lorry chauffeur, was at the bulkhead controls.</p> - -<p>George waved his hand. Matt returned the salutation -and darted incontinently into the boathouse to fix himself -up. Ethel Lorry was a fine girl and a great admirer of -the king of the motor boys, and Matt felt it a duty to -look his best.</p> - -<p>By the time the boat drew up in front of the boathouse -Matt and McGlory, in full regalia, were out to -welcome their guests.</p> - -<p>Lorry, senior, and his daughter were firm friends of -Motor Matt. They realized fully how much the young -motorist had done for George.</p> - -<p>"A surprise party, Matt!" cried George. "I'll bet you -weren't expecting the Lorrys, eh?"</p> - -<p>"Always glad to receive callers," smiled Matt, grabbing -the rope Gus threw to him and making it fast to a post.</p> - -<p>"We've got to see the <i>Sprite</i>, Matt," said Ethel. "All -our hopes are wrapped up in the <i>Sprite</i>, you know."</p> - -<p>"And in Motor Matt," chuckled the millionaire, beside -her.</p> - -<p>A vivid flush suffused Ethel's cheeks, though just why -her emotions should express themselves was something -of a mystery.</p> - -<p>The party debarked and was conducted into the boathouse. -Matt opened the doors at the other end of the -building and admitted a good light for inspecting the -boat.</p> - -<p>All three of the boys were intensely proud of the -<i>Sprite</i>. In her fresh coat of varnish she looked as spick -and span as a new dollar.</p> - -<p>McGlory was a nephew of Mr. Lorry's, and, while he -was explaining things at one end of the boat to "Uncle -Dan," Matt was performing the same service for Ethel -at the other end of the craft.</p> - -<p>When Mr. Lorry and Ethel had expressed their admiration -for the <i>Sprite</i>, and their confidence in her -ability to "lift" the cup, chairs were carried out on the -pier. McGlory went across the lake for ice cream, and -the party visited gayly until sunset. When the launch -departed, George remained behind, having expressed his -intention of staying with his friends at the boathouse that -night.</p> - -<p>Ping was engaged in clearing up the dishes—part of -the camp equipment—on which the ice cream had been -served, and McGlory was making the doors at the other -end of the boathouse secure. Dusk was falling gently, -and overhead the stars were beginning to glimmer in a -cloudless sky, soft as velvet. It was a time for optimism, -and a lulling sense of security had taken possession of all -the boys.</p> - -<p>"The clouds don't seem to be gathering very much, -after all, George," remarked Matt.</p> - -<p>"I must have been mistaken about Merton," returned<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[Pg 15]</a></span> -George. "That roll of drawings, I suppose, has convinced -him that the changes we were making in the -<i>Sprite</i> were not of enough account to worry him."</p> - -<p>McGlory came from the boathouse in time to hear the -words.</p> - -<p>"We've got Merton fooled," he chuckled, dropping -down in a chair, "and I ain't sure but that it's the best -thing that ever happened to us, the theft of those drawings."</p> - -<p>"That's the way it may turn out, Joe," agreed Matt. -"Still, even if Merton knew exactly what we had done -to the <i>Sprite</i> I don't see how he could help matters any. -The <i>Dart</i>, from what I can hear, is supposed to be by -long odds the fastest boat on the lakes. How could he -improve on her, even if Merton knew the <i>Sprite</i> was a -dangerous rival?"</p> - -<p>"Merton wouldn't try to improve on the <i>Dart</i>," returned -Lorry. "What he'd do would be to make an -attempt to make the <i>Sprite</i> less speedy than she is."</p> - -<p>"I'd like to catch him at that!" exclaimed McGlory. -"That tinhorn would have to hip lock with me some if he -ever tried to tamper with the <i>Sprite</i> while Joe McGlory -was around."</p> - -<p>"He'd make sure there wasn't anybody around, -George," said Lorry, "before he tried any of his underhand -games. I've been thinking over the loss of those -drawings, Matt," he went on, after a pause, "and it -strikes me that they weren't stolen by Merton, after all, -but by Pickerel Pete."</p> - -<p>"What!" cried the cowboy, "that sawed-off moke?"</p> - -<p>"I've thought a little on that line myself," observed -Matt. "Pete was mad, when he left us up there in the -path, and he could have circled around through the -bushes and reached the boathouse before we got down to -it with Ping."</p> - -<p>"That's it!" assented George. "He hadn't any idea -what sort of papers were in the roll, but they were handy -to him as he looked through the window, and so he -gathered them in. Of course, Pete knew that the papers -would be valuable to Merton, if to anybody. It's a dead -open-and-shut that he carried them at once to the commodore."</p> - -<p>"Which may account for the commodore layin' back on -his oars and not botherin' us any while we've been jugglin' -with the <i>Sprite</i>," deduced McGlory. "We're all to -the good, pards, and your Uncle Joe is as happy over the -outlook as a Piute squaw with a string of glass beads. -I'm feelin' like a brass band again, and——"</p> - -<p>"Don't toot, Joe, for Heaven's sake," implored George. -"You've got about as much music in you as a bluejay."</p> - -<p>"Some fellows," returned McGlory gloomily, "don't -know music when they hear it. It takes a cultivated ear -to appreciate me when I warble."</p> - -<p>"I don't know about that," laughed George, "but I do -know that it takes some one with a club to stop you -after the warbling begins. When are you going to 'warm -up' the <i>Sprite</i>, Matt?" he asked, turning to the king of -the motor boys. "Every ship has got to 'find herself,' you -know. We've Kipling's word for that."</p> - -<p>"Then," smiled Matt, "the <i>Sprite</i> is going to begin -finding herself in the gray dawn of to-morrow morning. -Glad you made up your mind to stay with us to-night, -Lorry. I was going to suggest it, if you hadn't. I want -you and Joe to hold a stop-watch on the boat."</p> - -<p>"I wish we had one of those patent logs," muttered -Lorry. "They go on the bulkhead, and work hydrostatically—no -trailing lines behind."</p> - -<p>"Too expensive, George," said Matt. "Besides, we -didn't have time to bother installing one."</p> - -<p>"You're the most economical chap I ever heard of, -Matt," said Lorry jestingly, "especially when you're using -another fellow's money."</p> - -<p>"Sufferin' bankrolls!" mourned McGlory, "I wish -some one would be kind enough to ask me to spend his -money."</p> - -<p>"Dad told me, when we began fixing up the <i>Sprite</i>," -went on Lorry, "that he wanted me to be sure and let -Motor Matt have free play, no matter what it cost. -That's the way the governor feels. There has been a big -change in him, Matt, and you're the cause of it."</p> - -<p>"That's all the more reason, George," answered -Matt, "why I should not abuse his confidence."</p> - -<p>"I guess dad knows that, and that it has a lot to do -with the way you stack up in his estimation. He'd trust -you with a million."</p> - -<p>"I'm glad he feels that way. There isn't any sign of -a storm, Joe," Matt added to the cowboy, "but we must -keep up our guard duty just the same."</p> - -<p>"Keno! We're not going to let Merton and his outfit -catch us napping, if that's their plan. I'll stand guard -to-night."</p> - -<p>"I'll divide the duty with you, Joe," put in Lorry. "I'll -take the first watch, and will call you at midnight."</p> - -<p>"That hits me plumb. I can snooze in good shape for -half the night. We'll let Matt put in full time—he -needs it."</p> - -<p>"Matt ought not to do a thing between now and -Tuesday but rest," asserted George. "He's got to be fit -as a fiddle for that race."</p> - -<p>"I'm generally in shape for whatever comes my way," -laughed Matt, getting up and yawning. "Right now's -when I'm going to turn in, and you can bank on it that -I'll sleep like Rip Van Winkle up in the Catskills. You'll -see something surprising in the morning, fellows! If the -<i>Sprite</i>, after she gets warmed up, can't do her mile in -better than three minutes, I'm no prophet."</p> - -<p>"If she does that," jubilated McGlory, "we're apt to -have the <i>Dart</i> lashed to the mast."</p> - -<p>"Good night," said Matt.</p> - -<p>The parting word was returned, and the king of the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[Pg 16]</a></span> -motor boys followed the wall of the dark boathouse past -the well and on by the workbench to his cot.</p> - -<p>Inside of two minutes he had turned in, and inside of -three he was in dreamless slumber.</p> - -<p>How long Matt slept he did not know, but it must have -been well beyond midnight when he was awakened. He -was half stifled, and he sat up in his cot struggling for -breath.</p> - -<p>A yellowish gloom was all around him, and a vague -snap and crackle came to his ears.</p> - -<p>Suddenly, like a blow in the face, the realization came -that the smothering fog was <i>smoke</i>, and that the flickering -yellow that played through it was <i>flame</i>.</p> - -<p>"Fire!" he yelled, springing from the cot. "Lorry! -McGlory! Where are you?"</p> - -<p>Matt's only answer was the whirring rush of the fire -and the weird snapping as the flames licked at the wood. -For a moment the heat and the smoke almost overcame -him, and he reeled backward against the wall.</p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<h2><a name="CHAPTER_X" id="CHAPTER_X">CHAPTER X.</a></h2> - -<p class="chaptitle">SAVING THE "SPRITE."</p> - - -<p>After a moment of inaction, Matt realized something -else besides the fact that there was a fire. Ping and -either McGlory or Lorry should be in the boathouse with -him; also either McGlory or Lorry ought to be on guard -outside.</p> - -<p>Why had no answer been returned to his startled -shout? What had happened to the guard outside, and -what had happened to those inside the boathouse?</p> - -<p>In that terrifying moment, when so many dangers -threatened him and his friends, Motor Matt had no time -to think of the <i>Sprite</i>. First he must get fresh air, and -then he must find out about his friends.</p> - -<p>The landward end of the boathouse seemed to be completely -wrapped in flames. A breeze had come up during -the night, and it was driving the fire onward toward the -waterfront of the building.</p> - -<p>Drawing upon all his reserve strength, Matt staggered -to the window over the workbench. Picking up a -wrench, he smashed the glass, and a draft of cool night -air rushed in. For a moment he hung over the workbench -filling his lungs with the clear air; and then, at -the top of his voice, he repeated his call for McGlory and -George.</p> - -<p>Still there was no response. Bewildered by his failure -to hear an answering shout from his friends, and dazed -by the suddenness of the catastrophe which threatened -the boathouse, Matt whirled away from the window and -groped through the blinding smoke toward the other cot.</p> - -<p>Some one was lying on the cot, breathing heavily. It -was impossible to tell whether it was Lorry or the -cowboy, but, whichever it was, the form was unconscious -from the effects of the foul air.</p> - -<p>Making his way to the door, Matt unfastened it and -flung it open. The breeze which swept through the -building caused the roar of the fire to increase, giving an -added impetus to the flames.</p> - -<p>Darting back to the cot, Matt picked up the form and -staggered with it out into the night, falling heavily when -a few yards from the blazing building.</p> - -<p>In the glare that lighted up the vicinity of the boathouse -Matt discovered that it was Lorry whom he had -carried to safety. Lorry! That meant that it was after -midnight, and that McGlory had been outside of the -boathouse, on guard.</p> - -<p>The fire was not accidental—it could not have been -accidental. Firebugs must have been at work. What -had become of McGlory that he had not interfered?</p> - -<p>It was impossible that the cowboy was in the burning -building. Ping, however, should be there. The Chinese -usually bunked under the workbench.</p> - -<p>Whirling away, Matt started again for the burning -building; but, before he reached the door, Ping, coughing -and spluttering, his arms filled with clothes, reeled out -and fell in a sprawling heap on the ground.</p> - -<p>Rushing up to him, and thankful to find that he was -safe, Matt grabbed him by the shoulders and drew him -farther from the boathouse.</p> - -<p>"Where's McGlory?" shouted Matt.</p> - -<p>It was necessary for him to talk at the top of his voice -in order to make himself heard above the roar of the -wind and the flames.</p> - -<p>"No savvy," panted Ping, lifting himself to his knees, -his terror-stricken face showing weirdly in the glare. -"My no makee yell when you makee yell," he added, digging -his knuckles into his smarting eyes. "My heap full -smoke. My blingee clothes——"</p> - -<p>"Never mind the clothes," cut in Matt, wildly alarmed -on McGlory's account. "You—— Here, stop that, Ping! -Where you going?"</p> - -<p>The Chinese had abruptly gained his feet and plunged -toward the open door. At that moment, the door looked -like the opening into a raging furnace.</p> - -<p>"My savee <i>Splite</i>!" blubbered Ping. "No lettee <i>Splite</i> -go top-side! Woosh!"</p> - -<p>The yellow boy was as fond of the boat as were Matt, -McGlory and Lorry. He had watched her rebuilding, in -his curious, heathen way, and every step toward completion -lifted his pride and admiration higher and higher.</p> - -<p>Matt had grabbed Ping and was holding him back. -His mind, dealing with McGlory, worked quickly.</p> - -<p>The cowboy, he reasoned, had been on guard outside. -Those who had fired the boathouse must have had to take -care of McGlory before they could carry out their nefarious -plans. This being true, it could not be possible -that the cowboy was in any danger from the fire. It was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[Pg 17]</a></span> -the <i>Sprite</i>, therefore, that should now claim Matt's attention. -McGlory could be looked for afterwards.</p> - -<p>"We'll save her together, Ping," cried Matt, "but we -can't go into the boathouse that way. We'd be overcome -before we got anywhere near the well. We must get into -the building by the other end."</p> - -<p>The <i>Sprite</i> was in imminent danger, there could not be -the least doubt about that. After Mr. Lorry and Ethel -had left for home, during the afternoon, the boat had -been placed upright on the rollers leading to the incline -of the well.</p> - -<p>This, bringing her nearer the landward end of the -boathouse made the boat's danger greater than if she had -been left on the skids which had supported her while the -work inside her hulk was going on.</p> - -<p>Not only that, but, preparatory to the morning's trial, -her tanks had been filled with gasoline. If the flames -should reach the tanks——</p> - -<p>"We'll have to hurry!" yelled Matt.</p> - -<p>Picking up a coat from the heap of clothing on the -ground, Matt ran to the edge of the lake and plunged the -coat into the water; the next moment he had darted back -to the open window, hoping to reach in and get an ax or -hammer from the workbench for use in battering down -the water-door. This door was secured on the inside, and -would have to be broken if entrance was effected from -the pier.</p> - -<p>Ping, frantically eager to help, but hardly knowing -what to do, rushed around after Matt, copying every -move he made.</p> - -<p>When Matt picked up a coat and submerged it in the -lake, Ping followed suit; and when Matt, with the dripping -garment in his hand, rushed for the broken window, -the Chinese boy was close behind.</p> - -<p>As ill-luck would have it, there was nothing in the -shape of an ax or hammer lying on the bench within -reach of Matt's groping fingers.</p> - -<p>The window was perhaps a dozen feet along the wall -from the landward end of the building. The fire, apparently, -had been started at the extreme end, and, although -the flames were driving fiercely through the building, the -blaze was not so formidable near the window as it was by -the door.</p> - -<p>Matt changed his plans about entering the boathouse -by the water door. He would make an essay through the -window, push the <i>Sprite</i> along the rollers and down into -the well, unlock the water door from the inside, and then, -under her own power, take her out into the cove.</p> - -<p>Not a second was to be lost if this plan was to be carried -to a successful conclusion. There was danger, plenty -of it, in making the attempt to save the <i>Sprite</i>.</p> - -<p>Blazing timbers were already falling from the roof of -the doomed building, and if one of those dropped on the -barrel containing the gasoline supply, an explosion would -result and the flaming oil would be hurled everywhere.</p> - -<p>But the king of the motor boys did not hesitate. Hurriedly -throwing the coat over his head and shoulders, he -climbed through the window and rolled off the bench to -the smoking floor of the boathouse.</p> - -<p>To see anything between the confining walls was now -impossible. The smoke was thick, and the glare that shot -through it rendered it opaque and blinding.</p> - -<p>Matt, however, knew every foot of the building's interior -as he knew his two hands. Holding the coat -closely around his head to protect his face, he hurried -through the blistering fog and finally stumbled against -the <i>Sprite</i>.</p> - -<p>Laying hold of the boat, he pushed with all his -strength. In spite of his fiercest efforts, she stuck and -hung to the rollers. It was not a time to hunt for what -was wrong, but to force the <i>Sprite</i> into the well at any -cost.</p> - -<p>While Matt tugged and strained, the end of the building -fell outward with a crash, and a flurry of sparks and -firebrands leaping skyward. This released a section of -the roof, which dropped inward.</p> - -<p>One blazing beam landed on Matt's right arm, pinning -it against the rubstreak. A sickening pain rushed -through his whole body, and when he had hurled the -timber away with his left hand, the injured arm dropped -numb and helpless at his side.</p> - -<p>"Matt! Motol Matt!"</p> - -<p>The shrill, frightened cry came from Ping. He had -followed through the window and had been feeling his -way about the interior of the boathouse. The crash of -the wall and the roof had frightened him, and he would -have bolted had not the knowledge that Matt was somewhere -in that blazing inferno chained him to the place.</p> - -<p>"Here, Ping!" cried Matt, hoarsely. "Lay hold of the -boat and help me get her into the water. Lively, now—for -your life!"</p> - -<p>Their united strength, even through Matt had only his -left hand, was sufficient. The <i>Sprite</i> started slowly over -the rollers, reached the head of the incline, and her own -impetus carried her downward. Matt and Ping sprang -into her blindly as she leaped away.</p> - -<p>Across the well ran the <i>Sprite</i>, her nose striking the -water door and causing her to recoil backward until her -stern brushed the incline.</p> - -<p>Matt, dizzy and weak, pawed and floundered toward -the bulkhead.</p> - -<p>Overhead the roof was all in flames. Any moment it -might fall bodily, sinking the <i>Sprite</i> and those aboard -her under the water of the well—holding them like rats -in a blazing trap.</p> - -<p>Matt's eyes were of no use to him. They were smarting -from the smoke and heat. But he did not need his -eyes. He knew the place of every lever on the bulkhead.</p> - -<p>A pull started the gasoline, another started the oil, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[Pg 18]</a></span> -another switched on the spark. A third lever was connected -with the starting device. Two pulls at this and -the boat took the push of the propeller.</p> - -<p><i>Boom!</i></p> - -<p>The fire had found the gasoline supply, and shafts of -lighter fire shot through the yellower blaze of burning -wood.</p> - -<p>There was no time to unlock the water door. Already -the fire-eaten wreck was swaying.</p> - -<p>The <i>Sprite</i>, urged by the automobile engine, must ram -the door and break it down.</p> - -<p>Grabbing his companion, Matt dragged him down -under the protection of the bulkhead, while the <i>Sprite</i> -flung herself toward the door, toward the cove—and -toward safety.</p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XI" id="CHAPTER_XI">CHAPTER XI.</a></h2> - -<p class="chaptitle">OUT OF A BLAZING FURNACE.</p> - - -<p>The cool night air quickly wrought its work, so far as -George was concerned. Sitting up on the ground, confused -and unable to understand what had happened, he -stared at the conflagration at the edge of the cove.</p> - -<p>Rubbing his eyes and muttering to himself, he stared -again. He remembered calling McGlory, and dropping -down into the bunk after McGlory had got out of it. -After that he knew nothing until he sat up there on the -ground, with the fire dancing in front of his eyes.</p> - -<p>The fog was slower getting out of his brain than out -of his lungs. Rising to his feet, he started for the path -leading up the bank, animated by the hazy idea that he -ought to get word to the fire department.</p> - -<p>He stumbled over something. Being none too steady, -he fell headlong, only to lift himself again as the object -over which he had fallen gave vent to a rumbling, inarticulate -sound.</p> - -<p>"Is that you, Matt?" he asked.</p> - -<p>The answer was a desperate gurgle.</p> - -<p>By that time Lorry had, in a great measure, recovered -the use of his wits. Creeping to the side of the person -who was trying so hard to speak, he saw by the glare of -the fire that it was McGlory.</p> - -<p>"Great Scott!" he murmured, his hands passing over -the form. "It's cousin Joe, and he's tied and gagged!"</p> - -<p>Lorry was only a moment in freeing the cowboy's jaws -of the twisted handkerchief.</p> - -<p>"Tell me about this!" fumed McGlory. "I thought I'd -never be found. What are you kneeling there for, -George, gawping like you were locoed? Get these ropes -off me, and see how quick you can do it. Don't you know -that Matt's in that boathouse, and that he and Ping are -trying to save the <i>Sprite</i>? We've got to lend a hand. -Sufferin' blockheads, but you're slow! Cut the ropes -with a knife if you can't untie 'em."</p> - -<p>"I'm in my underclothes," answered George. "I don't -know where my knife is."</p> - -<p>"I've got a knife in my pocket. Take it out, but hustle, -for Heaven's sake, <i>hustle</i>!"</p> - -<p>George was shaking like a man with a chill. The terrors -of the moment were dawning upon his bewildered -mind. His hands trembled while groping through McGlory's -pockets, and they trembled worse when he opened -the knife and tried to use it.</p> - -<p>"Who—who set the fire?" he mumbled.</p> - -<p>"Do you think I'm a mind reader?" stormed McGlory. -"I was to blame, for I was on guard and ought to have -seen those negroes before they downed me and trussed -me up in this fashion. If anything happens to Matt, I'll -be to blame for it, and if the <i>Sprite</i> is burned I'll be to -blame for that, too. Oh, I've got a lot to think of, I -have!"</p> - -<p>The cowboy's self-reproach was keen.</p> - -<p>"Did some one steal up on you, Joe?" asked Lorry.</p> - -<p>"What do you take me for, George? Do you think I -laid down and put my hands behind me so the blacks -could tie 'em? They got me, right there at the corner of -the boathouse, just as I was coming around. A blow -dazed me, and before I could let out a yip, they had -ropes on my wrists and ankles and that thing between -my jaws. I heard Matt calling, and, sufferin' jailbirds! -here I lay without bein' able to say a word. Oh, <i>can't</i> -you cut those ropes? Take a brace—your nerves are in -rags."</p> - -<p>George managed finally to saw the blade through one -coil of the cord that secured McGlory's hands. With a -swift tug from the shoulders the cowboy released himself, -then caught the knife from his cousin's hand and -slashed it through the ropes at his feet.</p> - -<p>The next instant he was up and bounding toward the -boathouse.</p> - -<p>"Where are you going?" shouted George.</p> - -<p>McGlory, rendered desperate by the knowledge that -Matt was in the boathouse facing death in a fierce effort -to save the <i>Sprite</i>, was heading straight for the door of -the building.</p> - -<p>The door was merely a riffle in a wall of flame. Before -McGlory could reach it, the whole end of the boathouse -crashed outward.</p> - -<p>He sprang backward, just in time to avoid the blazing -timbers, and turned to Lorry with a groan.</p> - -<p>"We can't help him!" he cried hoarsely. "Motor -Matt's done for, the <i>Sprite's</i> done for—everybody's done -for, George. And it was all on my account."</p> - -<p>Here it was that Lorry came to the front with a little -common sense.</p> - -<p>"You were not to blame, Joe," he asserted. "You were -set on by some negroes, and you could no more help what -happened than Matt or I. Pull yourself together and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[Pg 19]</a></span> -don't be a fool. Motor Matt knows what he's about. If -he's in that boathouse he'll get out of it again. Anyhow, -we can't help him from this side. We'll go around by the -pier and get the launch. If we can get the launch -through the water door, maybe we can hitch on to the -<i>Sprite</i> and tow her out."</p> - -<p>This talk had a salutary effect on McGlory.</p> - -<p>"The <i>Sprite</i> isn't in the water," he answered. "How -could we tow her out?"</p> - -<p>"Matt will get her in the water," said Lorry confidently. -"What do you suppose he's doing in there if he -isn't getting the <i>Sprite</i> into the well? We left her on -rollers at the top of the incline, and Matt could launch -her alone without any trouble. Let's get the launch and -be ready to help."</p> - -<p>The launch referred to by Lorry was the one he had -hired and brought across the lake for Matt's use during -the work on the <i>Sprite</i>. The boat was kept at one end of -the pier. While the <i>Sprite</i> was on the skids, the other -boat was housed in the well at night, but this night she -had been left outside so as not to interfere with the -launching of the <i>Sprite</i> in the early morning.</p> - -<p>Hoping against hope that they could yet do something -that would help Motor Matt, the two boys ran alongside -the boathouse, jumped to the pier and unfastened the -painter of the launch. Just as they tumbled into it and -McGlory was turning the flywheel, a loud explosion came -from inside the boathouse. A cloud of firebrands and -sparks geysered up from the roof.</p> - -<p>"What was that?" gasped Lorry.</p> - -<p>"The gasoline," answered McGlory, dropping down on -the thwartships seat in front of the motor. "I don't know -what we can do now, George."</p> - -<p>"We'll get into the boathouse," flung back Lorry. -"If——"</p> - -<p>Lorry was interrupted by another crash. Under the -startled eyes of the two in the launch, the water door was -ripped and splintered, and through the ragged gap as out -of a blazing furnace sped the <i>Sprite</i>.</p> - -<p>For a moment she reeled as though undecided which -way to turn; then, suddenly, she shot off into the lake. -Neither Lorry nor McGlory could see any one aboard -her.</p> - -<p>"Where's Matt?" cried the cowboy.</p> - -<p>The echoes of his voice were taken up by another -crash, and the remaining walls of the boathouse flattened -themselves with a great hissing as the burning timbers -dropped into the well, and off the pier into the lake.</p> - -<p>"If he was in there," added the cowboy huskily, pointing -to the wrecked building, "then there's——"</p> - -<p>"He wasn't in there," cut in Lorry. "He couldn't have -been. Do you suppose the <i>Sprite</i> started herself?"</p> - -<p>While speaking, Lorry was "turning over" the engine. -The motor took up its cycle, and Lorry steered into the -lake after the <i>Sprite</i>.</p> - -<p>The <i>Sprite</i> was darting this way and that at terrific -speed, following a course so erratic that it would be -easily inferred there was no guiding hand on the steering -wheel.</p> - -<p>Away the boat would rush, directly into the gloom that -hovered over the lake; then, before she could vanish, she -would describe a hair-raising turn and jump to starboard -or port.</p> - -<p>"But where's Matt if he is in the boat?" demanded McGlory.</p> - -<p>"On the bottom, perhaps," replied Lorry. "He started -her, and that's all he was able to do. We've got to lay -the <i>Sprite</i> aboard, somehow."</p> - -<p>"That's easier said than done," said McGlory. "She's -jumping around like a pea on a hot griddle, and is just -as likely to slam into us and cut us down as to do anything -else. Sufferin' sidewinders, look at that!"</p> - -<p>The <i>Sprite</i> had made a complete turn and was now -headed shoreward and streaking straight towards the -boys.</p> - -<p>"Here's our chance!" said Lorry. "If the <i>Sprite</i> -hangs on as she's coming she'll pass close to us. Will -you jump aboard her, Joe, or shall I?"</p> - -<p>"I'll do it," answered the cowboy. "Can't you turn the -launch and follow the <i>Sprite</i>, side by side with her? -She'll travel faster than we will, but it'll make it easier -to jump without going into the lake."</p> - -<p>This manœuvre was carried out, and Lorry, who could -handle a boat tolerably well for an amateur, brought the -launch about and picked up the <i>Sprite</i> as she dashed -onward.</p> - -<p>McGlory cleared a foot of water at a flying leap and -dropped into the <i>Sprite's</i> cockpit. In a few minutes he -had checked the boat's aimless racing and had brought -her to a halt.</p> - -<p>"Is Matt there?" queried Lorry anxiously, working the -launch close to the <i>Sprite</i>.</p> - -<p>"He's here," answered McGlory, "but he's unconscious. -Ping's here, too, and his wits are wool-gathering, -same as Matt's. They're both alive, though, and I reckon -they'll be all right with a little care."</p> - -<p>"Follow me across the lake," said Lorry. "We'll go to -the clubhouse. The quicker we can get a doctor, the -better."</p> - -<p>The first gray of dawn was just glimmering along the -eastern edge of the sky as the two boats stood away for -Madison.</p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XII" id="CHAPTER_XII">CHAPTER XII.</a></h2> - -<p class="chaptitle">WHAT ABOUT THE RACE?</p> - - -<p>Matt opened his eyes in surroundings that were not -familiar to him. The room was big and lofty, and the -bed he was lying in was a huge affair of brass and had a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[Pg 20]</a></span> -mosquito canopy. He tried to lift his right arm. The -movement was attended with so much pain that he gave -it up. He saw that the arm was swathed in bandages.</p> - -<p>A sound of whispering came to him from the bedside. -Turning his head on the pillow, he saw two figures that -had escaped him up to that moment. One was Lorry and -the other was McGlory.</p> - -<p>"The doctor says he'll have to stay in bed for a week," -Lorry was saying.</p> - -<p>"Sufferin' speed boats!" muttered McGlory. "Let's -kiss our chances good-by. It's glory enough, anyhow, -just to know Matt got clear of the burnin' boathouse with -his life."</p> - -<p>"Don't be in a rush about bidding good-by to our -chances," said Matt.</p> - -<p>McGlory jumped around in his chair, and Lorry -started up and hurried to the bedside with a glowing face.</p> - -<p>"Jupiter, but it's good to hear your voice again, Matt," -said Lorry.</p> - -<p>"We were expectin' you to wake up any minute, pard," -added McGlory. "How're you feeling?"</p> - -<p>"A one, except for my arm. What's the matter -with it?"</p> - -<p>"A sprain and a bad burn," replied Lorry.</p> - -<p>"I remember, now," muttered Matt. "A blazing timber -fell from the roof and pinned my arm against the -gunwale of the <i>Sprite</i>. It isn't a fracture?"</p> - -<p>"Nary, pard," said McGlory. "You were in a heap of -luck to get out of that blaze as well as you did."</p> - -<p>"I guess that's right. Where am I?"</p> - -<p>"In the Lorry home on Fourth Lake Ridge," smiled -George. "We took you across the lake to the Yahara -Club, and when I called up dad on the phone, and told -him what had happened, he insisted on sending the carriage -after you. The doctor was here when we arrived. -He has patched you up so you'll be as good as new in a -week."</p> - -<p>"Is Ping all right?"</p> - -<p>McGlory chuckled.</p> - -<p>"You can't kill a Chink, pard," he answered. "Ping -was unconscious, same as you, when we picked up the -<i>Sprite</i>, but he drifted back to earth while we were crossing -the lake."</p> - -<p>"And the <i>Sprite</i>—did she suffer any damage?"</p> - -<p>"She's blistered here and there, but otherwise she's just -as good as she was when you hit her the last tap."</p> - -<p>"What about the race?"</p> - -<p>A glum expression settled over the faces of George -and Joe.</p> - -<p>"Well," said George, "this is Monday morning, and -the race is to-morrow afternoon. The doctor says you -ought to keep quiet for a week. Of course, the race can't -be postponed, and if the <i>Sprite</i> doesn't come to the line -to-morrow, why, the Winnequas keep the cup. Also, -Merton and his clique keep the money they wagered. -That has been their game all along, and every bet they -made was with the understanding that if the Yahara Club -failed to furnish a starter in the race the Winnequa fellows -were to pull down all the stakes."</p> - -<p>A glimmer came into Matt's gray eyes.</p> - -<p>"It looks to me," he remarked, "as though Merton and -his friends had a feeling all along that something was -going to happen to the <i>Sprite</i>."</p> - -<p>McGlory scowled, and Lorry looked grave.</p> - -<p>"Have you heard anything about who started that -fire?" went on Matt.</p> - -<p>"The latest comes from Merton indirectly," said Lorry. -"We hear that he's spreading a report that we were -careless with matches, and that we kept our gasoline in -the boathouse."</p> - -<p>"Sufferin' boomerangs!" snapped McGlory. "I reckon, -if we figure it down to a fine point, people will find that -Merton was careless in hiring niggers to do his crooked -work."</p> - -<p>"Negroes?" echoed Matt. "That reminds me, Joe, -that I couldn't find you when I woke up and found the -boathouse in flames. Where were you?"</p> - -<p>"Speak to me about that!" gurgled McGlory. "Why, -pard, I was lashed hand and foot and smothered with a -gag. I could hear you callin', but it wasn't possible for -me to answer you. That was torture, and don't you forget -it. What's more, I could hear you and Ping talking, -and by turning my head I could see you getting into the -boathouse through the window. It was only when -George, half-dazed, stumbled over me, that I was able -to let any one know where I was. George got the ropes -off me, and I'd have gone into the boathouse after you, -only the front of it tumbled and blocked the attempt. -Then we went around and got in the launch, thinking -we'd get in by the water door and give the <i>Sprite</i> a lift -into the cove. Before we could do that the buildin' -began to cave in, and the gasoline to let go, and then the -<i>Sprite</i> came smashing through the door and began dancing -a hornpipe out in the lake. Lorry and I manœuvred -around until we managed to catch her, and then we -brought you across to the clubhouse. That's where the -<i>Sprite</i> is now, and she'll be well taken care of by the -Yahara boys."</p> - -<p>"But the negroes!" exclaimed Matt. "You haven't -told me anything about them."</p> - -<p>"Keno!" grinned McGlory. "I told the last end of my -yarn. I reckon the first end was left out because it don't -reflect any credit on your Uncle Joe. Lorry called me -at midnight to go on guard duty. I slid out, and hadn't -been watching the boathouse more than three hours -when a couple of black villains nailed me as I was going -around a corner. I was dazed with an upper-cut, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[Pg 21]</a></span> -before I could get into shape to do any fighting, they -had me on the mat. Then I had to lay there and listen -to 'em setting fire to the boathouse, with you, and Lorry, -and Ping inside, never dreaming of what was going on. -I reckon I'm a back number, pard. It was my fault."</p> - -<p>"You can't shoulder the responsibility, Joe," answered -Matt. "You couldn't help being knocked down, and tied, -and gagged."</p> - -<p>"Nary, I couldn't," was McGlory's gloomy rejoinder; -"but I might have stepped high, wide, and handsome -when I went around that corner. If I'd had as much -sense as the law allows I'd have seen that black fist before -it landed, either ducked or side-stepped, and then -let off a yell. All you fellows inside needed was the -right sort of a yell. But I didn't give it. When it came -to a showdown, pard, I couldn't deliver the goods."</p> - -<p>"I still maintain that you have no cause to blame yourself," -persisted Matt. "If George or I had been in your -place, Joe, the same thing would have happened."</p> - -<p>McGlory bent his head reflectively.</p> - -<p>"It's mighty good of you, pard, to put it that way," -said he finally.</p> - -<p>"Would you know those negroes again if you were -to see them?" asked Matt.</p> - -<p>McGlory shook his head.</p> - -<p>"It was plumb dark there in the shadow of the boathouse," -he answered. "I could just make out that they -were negroes, and that's all. I reckon, though, that Ollie -Merton could tell us who those fellows were—if he -would."</p> - -<p>"I'd be a little careful, Joe," cautioned Matt, "about -involving Merton in that fire. If it could be proved -against him it would be a mighty serious business—just -as serious as for the fellows who set the fire."</p> - -<p>"Well, pard, why was Merton and his friends making -their bets in that queer way? In case there isn't any race -because of the failure of the Yahara Club to produce a -starter, the Winnequas take the stakes. That looks as -though Merton and his pals knew what was going to -happen. If the <i>Sprite</i> was burned, there'd be no boat -for the Yaharas to produce."</p> - -<p>"Joe's right," declared Lorry.</p> - -<p>"Well, keep your suspicions to yourselves," said Matt. -"In a case of this kind it's positive proof that's needed, -not bare suspicion. Wasn't the fire seen from the city? -Didn't any one go across the lake to help fight it?"</p> - -<p>"We met a couple of boats going over as we were -coming across with you and Ping," replied Lorry. "By -that time, though, the boathouse was no more than a -heap of embers. It went quick after it got started. But -what about the race to-morrow? That's the point that's -bothering me. I could take the <i>Sprite</i> over the course, -and so could Joe, at a pinch, but we wouldn't get the -speed out of her that you would."</p> - -<p>"I'll drive her myself," said Matt.</p> - -<p>"Speak to me about that!" gasped McGlory. "Why, -pard, you've only got one hand—and that's the left."</p> - -<p>"A man who's any good at automobile driving has a -pretty good left hand. In an automobile race, Joe, the -driver's left hand has to do a big share of the work. The -racer steers with the left hand, holding the right hand -free for the emergency brake. The left hand has to be -trained to take full charge at all corners, and in a thousand -and one other places as the need arises. I can do -the racing well enough."</p> - -<p>"But the doctor says——" began Lorry.</p> - -<p>"I know what I can do better than the doctor, George," -laughed Matt. "I'll be in that race every minute—watch -me."</p> - -<p>Both Lorry and McGlory studied Matt's face carefully.</p> - -<p>"Pluck, that's what it is," muttered McGlory. "It's the -sort of pluck that wins. But I don't know whether the -doctor will let you——"</p> - -<p>Just at that moment a servant stepped into the room.</p> - -<p>"What is it, James?" asked Lorry.</p> - -<p>"Mr. Martin Rawlins to see Mr. King," was the answer.</p> - -<p>Lorry looked bewildered.</p> - -<p>"Mart Rawlins!" he exclaimed. "Why, he's one of the -Winnequa fellows, and a crony of Merton's!"</p> - -<p>"He's here to pump Matt," growled McGlory, "or else -to find out what his chances are for being in that race -to-morrow. Sufferin' tinhorns, what a nerve!"</p> - -<p>"Have him come up, Lorry," said Matt. "It won't do -any harm to talk with him. If he's here to pump me, he's -welcome to try."</p> - -<p>Lorry nodded to the servant, and a few moments later -Mart Rawlins entered the room.</p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XIII" id="CHAPTER_XIII">CHAPTER XIII.</a></h2> - -<p class="chaptitle">MART RAWLINS WEAKENS.</p> - - -<p>"Hello, Lorry!" said Rawlins, hesitating, just over the -threshold, as though a little undecided as to how he would -be received.</p> - -<p>"Hello, Rawlins!" answered Lorry coldly. "You want -to see Motor Matt?"</p> - -<p>"That's why I came. I hope he isn't hurt very much?"</p> - -<p>"There he is," said Lorry, pushing a chair up to the -bed; "you can ask him about that for yourself."</p> - -<p>McGlory, feeling sure that Merton was guiltily concerned -in the fire, was far from amiably disposed toward -such a close friend of Merton's as Rawlins. As Rawlins -advanced to the bed the cowboy got up, turned his back, -and looked out of a window.</p> - -<p>"I'm sorry you had such a rough time of it, Motor -Matt," said Rawlins, visibly embarrassed.</p> - -<p>"I was in luck to get out of the scrape as well as I did," -returned Matt. "You're a friend of Merton's?"</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[Pg 22]</a></span></p> - -<p>"I was. Early this morning we had a quarrel, so we're -not quite so friendly. Have you any idea what caused -the fire?"</p> - -<p>"Yes," said Matt bluntly; "firebugs."</p> - -<p>"You're positive of that?"</p> - -<p>"My friend McGlory, there, was watching outside the -boathouse. He was set upon by two negroes, knocked -down, tied hand and foot, gagged and dragged off where -he would not be in the way. Then the two scoundrels set -fire to the building while Lorry, the Chinese boy, and I -were sound asleep inside."</p> - -<p>Something like trepidation crossed Mart Rawlins' face.</p> - -<p>"McGlory is sure that the men were negroes who assaulted -him?" queried Rawlins in a shaking voice.</p> - -<p>"He's positive."</p> - -<p>"Then," breathed Rawlins, as though to himself, -"there's no doubt about it."</p> - -<p>"No doubt about what?" demanded McGlory sharply, -whirling away from the window.</p> - -<p>"Why," was the answer, "that there was a conspiracy -to destroy the boathouse and the <i>Sprite</i>, and that Ollie -Merton was back of it."</p> - -<p>Rawlins had paled, and he was nervous, but he spoke -deliberately.</p> - -<p>Matt, Lorry, and McGlory were surprised at the trend -Rawlins' talk was taking. They were still a little bit suspicious -of him, especially McGlory.</p> - -<p>"What makes you think that?" asked Matt, eying his -caller keenly.</p> - -<p>"Did you lose a roll of drawings a few days ago?"</p> - -<p>"Yes."</p> - -<p>"And did you have a disagreement with the little negro -called Pickerel Pete?"</p> - -<p>"Yes."</p> - -<p>"Well, Pete stole those drawings and took them to -Merton. It was just after"—Rawlins flushed—"just -after you were stopped in the woods by Merton and the -rest of us, and ordered to quit helping Lorry. We had -got back to Merton's house, and Pete came there with -the roll of papers. Merton bought them from Pete, gave -Pete five dollars, and asked him to come to see him -Sunday afternoon at four o'clock—yesterday afternoon. -Merton said he had a plan he was going to carry out -that would make success sure for the Winnequa boat in -the race. He wouldn't tell us what the plan was, but -when I heard that the boathouse had been burned I went -over to Merton's and had a talk with him. It wasn't a -pleasant talk, and there was a coldness between Merton -and me when I left."</p> - -<p>"You think, then," said Matt, "that Merton hired Pete -to get those negroes to set fire to the boathouse?"</p> - -<p>"That's the way it looks to me. As a member of the -Winnequa club, and a representative member, I won't -stand for any such work. It's—it's unsportsman-like, to -say the least."</p> - -<p>"It's worse than that, Mart," frowned Lorry.</p> - -<p>"It was unsportsman-like to stop Matt, drag him off -into the woods, and try to bribe him to leave town, or -to 'throw' the race, wasn't it?" cried McGlory scornfully.</p> - -<p>Rawlins stirred uncomfortably.</p> - -<p>"Certainly it was," he admitted.</p> - -<p>"And yet you helped Merton in that!"</p> - -<p>"Merton fooled me. He said Motor Matt was an unscrupulous -adventurer, and a professional motorist, and -that the good of the sport made it necessary for us -to get him out of that race. He didn't say he was -going to bribe him to 'throw' the race. I didn't know -that offer was going to be made, and I think there were -some others who didn't know it. If we could have hired -Motor Matt to leave town, I'd have been willing. I've -got up all the money I can spare on the race, and naturally -I want our boat to win—but I won't stand for any -unfair practices. Nor will the Winnequa Club, as a -whole. We're game to let our boat face the start on its -own merits. If we can't win by fair means, I want to -lose my money."</p> - -<p>Rawlins got up.</p> - -<p>"That's all I came here for—to find out how you are, -Motor Matt, and to let you know how I stand, and how -the rest of the club stands. I have come out flat-footed, -and for the good of motor boating in this section I hope -you will not press this matter to its conclusion. We all -know what that conclusion would mean. It would go -hard with Merton, and there would be a scandal. In -order to avoid the scandal, it may be necessary to spare -Merton."</p> - -<p>"Sufferin' hoodlums!" cried McGlory. "That's a nice -way to tune up. Here's Merton, pulling off a raw deal, -and coming within one of killing my two pards, say nothing -of the way I was treated, and now you want him -spared for the sake of avoiding a scandal!"</p> - -<p>A silence followed this outburst.</p> - -<p>When Rawlins continued, he turned and addressed -himself to Matt.</p> - -<p>"I think I know your calibre pretty well, Motor Matt," -said he. "The way you turned down that bribe in the -woods and declared that you'd stand by Lorry at all -costs, showed us all you were the right sort. Of course, -I can't presume to influence you; but, if you won't spare -Merton on account of the scandal and the good of the -sport, or on his own account, then think of his father -and mother. They'll get back from abroad to-morrow -morning in time for the race. That's all. I'd like to -shake hands with you, if you don't mind."</p> - -<p>Rawlins stepped closer to the bed.</p> - -<p>"You'll have to take my left hand," laughed Matt. -"The right's temporarily out of business. You're the -clear quill, Rawlins," he added, as they shook hands, -"and I'll take no steps against Merton, providing he<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[Pg 23]</a></span> -acts on the square from now on. You can tell your -club members that."</p> - -<p>"Thank you. I half expected you'd say that."</p> - -<p>"Will Merton be allowed to race the boat in the contest?" -inquired Lorry.</p> - -<p>"We can't very well avoid it. It's his boat, and it's -the only entry on our side. He'll have to race her, -with Halloran. The club will make that concession. -After that—well, Merton will cease to act as commodore, -and will no longer be a member of the club. Good-by, -Motor Matt, and may the best boat win, no matter -who's at the motor!"</p> - -<p>As Rawlins went out, Ethel Lorry and her father -stepped into the room. They had heard the loud voices, -and inferring that Matt was able to receive company, had -come upstairs.</p> - -<p>"You'd hardly think there was a sick person up here," -said Mr. Lorry, "from the talk that's been going on. -How are you, my lad?" and he stepped toward Matt.</p> - -<p>"Doing finely," said Matt.</p> - -<p>"I'm glad," said Ethel, drawing close to the bed and -slipping her arm through her father's.</p> - -<p>"He's going to race the <i>Sprite</i> to-morrow, Uncle Dan," -chirped McGlory.</p> - -<p>"No!" exclaimed the astounded Mr. Lorry.</p> - -<p>"Fact. You can't down him. He's in that race with -only one hand—and the left, at that."</p> - -<p>"It will be the death of you!" cried Ethel. "You -mustn't think of it."</p> - -<p>"You know, my boy," added Mr. Lorry gravely, "it -won't do to take chances."</p> - -<p>"I know that, sir," returned Matt, "but I'm as well as -ever, barring my arm. I can't lie here and let the -<i>Sprite</i> get beaten for lack of a man at the motor who understands -her. I'd be in a bad way, for sure, if I had -to do that."</p> - -<p>"I think he's a bit flighty," grinned McGlory. "I -reckon I can prove that by telling you what just happened."</p> - -<p>"What happened?" and Mr. Lorry turned to face McGlory.</p> - -<p>The cowboy repeated all that Rawlins had said, winding -up with the promise Matt had made to spare Merton.</p> - -<p>A soft light crept into Ethel's eyes.</p> - -<p>"What else could you expect from Motor Matt?" she -asked.</p> - -<p>"I shall have to shake hands with you myself, Matt," -said Mr. Lorry, taking Matt's left hand and pressing it -cordially. "That was fine of you, but, as Ethel says, no -more than we ought to expect. I hope you'll be able to -drive the <i>Sprite</i> to victory, but you'll have to have less -talk in the room and more rest if you're going to be -able to take your place in the boat to-morrow. Come on, -Ethel."</p> - -<p>Mr. Lorry and his daughter left the room and Lorry -and McGlory resumed their chairs, but gave over their -conversation.</p> - -<p>An hour later Matt called for something to eat, and a -substantial meal was served to him, piping hot.</p> - -<p>The doctor came while he was eating.</p> - -<p>"Well," laughed the doctor, "I guess you'll do. Don't -eat too much, that's all."</p> - -<p>"He's got to corral enough ginger to get into that race -to-morrow afternoon, doc," sang out the cowboy.</p> - -<p>"He don't intend to try that, does he?" asked the -doctor aghast.</p> - -<p>"I've got to, doctor," said Matt.</p> - -<p>"It may be," remarked the doctor, "that action is the -sort of tonic you need. But, whatever you do, don't attempt -to use that arm. That'll be about all. If you do -get into the race, though, be sure and win. You see," -he added whimsically, "I live on the Fourth Lake side -of the town."</p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XIV" id="CHAPTER_XIV">CHAPTER XIV.</a></h2> - -<p class="chaptitle">THE RACE—THE START.</p> - - -<p>The Winnequa-Yahara race was open to all boats of -the respective clubs under forty feet, each boat with a -beam one-fifth the water-line length. It was to be a five-mile -contest, each end of the course marked by a stake -boat anchored at each end of Fourth Lake. The stake -boat, with the judges, was to be moored off Maple Bluff. -From this boat the racers would start, round the other -stake boat, and finish at the starting point.</p> - -<p>Furthermore, although the race was open to all members -of the two respective clubs with boats under the -extreme length, there was a mutual agreement, from -the beginning, that one member of each club should be -commissioned to provide the boat to be entered in the -contest. Inasmuch as a speed boat costs money, it was -natural that the sons of rich men should be told off to -carry the honors.</p> - -<p>Mr. Merton and Mr. Lorry were both millionaires. -They were known to be indulgent fathers, and it had not -been foreseen that Mr. Lorry would rebel, at first, -against George's extravagance.</p> - -<p>But George had gone too far. Mr. Lorry, even at -that, might have paid for George's $5,000 hydroplane -had he understood that his son was bearing the Yahara -honors on his own shoulders and had been lured into -extravagance by a misguided notion of his responsibility.</p> - -<p>However, this initial misunderstanding, with all its -disastrous entanglements, was a thing of the past. Both -Mr. Lorry and George had buried it deep, and were -meeting each other in a closer relationship than they had -ever known before.</p> - -<p>The struggle for the De Lancey cup had become, to -Madison, what the fight for the America Cup had become<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[Pg 24]</a></span> -to the United States. Only, in the case of the De -Lancey cup, the city was divided against itself.</p> - -<p>The entire population had ranged itself on one side -or the other.</p> - -<p>The gun that started the race was to be fired at 2 -o'clock, but early in the forenoon launches began passing -through the chain of lakes, and through the canal and -locks that led to the scene of the contest.</p> - -<p>The distance had already been measured and the stake -boats placed. All along the course buoys marked the -boundaries. Later there were to be police boats, darting -here and there to see that the boundary line was respected -and the course kept clear. Through this lane of -water, hemmed in by craft of every description, the two -boats were to speed to victory or defeat.</p> - -<p>Observers, however, did not confine themselves to the -boats. The cottages on Maple Bluff, and the surrounding -heights, offered splendid vantage ground for sightseers. -Early in the forenoon automobiles began moving -out toward Maple Bluff, loaded with passengers. -And each automobile carried a hamper with lunch for -those who traveled with it. Most of the citizens made -of the event a picnic affair.</p> - -<p>The asylum grounds also held their quota of sightseers -with opera glasses or more powerful binoculars; -and Governor's Island, and the shore all the way around -to Picnic Point.</p> - -<p>The day was perfect. Fortunately for the many craft -assembled, the wind was light, and what little there was -was not from the west. Fourth Lake was to be as calm -as a pond.</p> - -<p>Steadily, up to 1 o'clock, the throng of sightseers -afloat and ashore was added to.</p> - -<p>The sixty-five-foot motor yacht, serving as stake boat -at the starting and finishing point, was boarded by Mr. -Lorry and Ethel. The judges were from both clubs, and -so the boat was given over to the use of a limited number -of Winnequas and Yaharas and their partisans.</p> - -<p>As Mr. Lorry and Ethel came over the side of the -yacht they were greeted by a tall, gray-haired man and -a stout, middle-aged lady.</p> - -<p>"Why, Merton!" exclaimed Mr. Lorry. "You had to -get back in time for the race, eh? Madam," and he -doffed his hat to the lady at Merton's side, "I trust I -find you well?"</p> - -<p>"Very well, thank you, Mr. Lorry," replied Mrs. Merton. -"How are you, my dear?" and the lady turned and -gave her hand to Ethel.</p> - -<p>"There's where they start and finish, Lorry," said -Mr. Merton, pointing to the port side of the boat. -"Bring up chairs and we'll preëmpt our places now."</p> - -<p>When the four were all comfortably seated, a certain -embarrassment born of the fact that each man was there -to watch the performance of his son's boat crept into -their talk.</p> - -<p>"Will George be in his boat?" inquired Mr. Merton, -taking a glance around at the gay bunting with which the -assembled craft were dressed.</p> - -<p>"No," said Mr. Lorry.</p> - -<p>"Ollie will be in <i>his</i> launch," and there was ever so -small a taunt in the words.</p> - -<p>"Ollie's boat is bigger than George's, Merton," answered -the other mildly. "George's driver figured that -an extra hundred-and-forty pounds had better stay out -of the <i>Sprite</i>."</p> - -<p>"Who drives for George?"</p> - -<p>"Motor Matt."</p> - -<p>Mr. Merton was startled.</p> - -<p>"Why," said he, "I thought he was hurt in that boathouse -fire and couldn't be out of bed?"</p> - -<p>"He's hurt, and only one-handed, but he's too plucky -to stay out of the race."</p> - -<p>"Probably," said Mr. Merton coolly, "the pay he receives -is quite an item. I understand Motor Matt is -poor, and out for all the money he can get."</p> - -<p>"You have been wrongly informed, Merton. Not a -word as to what he shall receive has passed between -George and Motor Matt. The boys are friends."</p> - -<p>"I'd be a little careful, if I were you, how I allowed -my son to pick up with a needy adventurer."</p> - -<p>"Motor Matt is neither needy nor an adventurer," said -Mr. Lorry warmly. "I'm proud to have George on intimate -terms with him."</p> - -<p>"Oh, well," laughed Mr. Merton; "have a cigar."</p> - -<p>Ethel was having a conversation along similar lines -with Mrs. Merton, and she was as staunchly upholding -Motor Matt as was her father. So earnestly did the -girl speak that the elder lady drew back and eyed her -through a lorgnette.</p> - -<p>"Careful, my dear," said she.</p> - -<p>Ethel knew what she meant, and flushed with temper. -But both Ethel and her father, deep down in their -hearts, pitied Mr. and Mrs. Merton. If they had known -of the unscrupulous attack their son had caused to be -made on Motor Matt, they would perhaps have spoken -differently—or not at all.</p> - -<p>Fortunately, it may be, for the four comprising the -little party, a band on a near-by cruising boat began to -play.</p> - -<p>Then, a moment later, a din of cheers rolled over the -lake.</p> - -<p>"There's Ollie!" cried Mrs. Merton, starting up excitedly -to flutter her handkerchief.</p> - -<p>Yes, the <i>Dart</i> was coming down the open lane, having -entered the course from the boathouse, where she had -been lying ever since early morning. She was a 25-foot -boat, with trim racing lines, and she shot through the -water in a way that left no doubt of her speed.</p> - -<p>"How's that?" cried Mr. Merton, nudging Mr. Lorry<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[Pg 25]</a></span> -with his elbow. "Nearly everybody was expecting the -<i>Wyandotte</i>, and just look what we're springing on you!"</p> - -<p>"She looks pretty good," acknowledged Mr. Lorry.</p> - -<p>"Well, I should say so!"</p> - -<p>"But not good enough," went on Mr. Lorry.</p> - -<p>"Have you got five thousand that thinks the same -way?"</p> - -<p>"No, Merton. I quit betting a good many years ago."</p> - -<p>The <i>Dart</i> raced up and down the course, showing -what she could do in short stretches, but not going over -the line for a record. Halloran, the red-haired driver -of the <i>Dart</i>, and Ollie Merton were fine-looking young -fellows in their white yachting caps, white flannel shirts, -and white duck trousers.</p> - -<p>From time to time Mr. Lorry consulted his watch, -checking off the quarter hours impatiently and wondering -why Motor Matt and the <i>Sprite</i> did not put in an -appearance. Could it be possible that Matt had not been -able to leave the house on Yankee Hill, after all? If he -was able to be out, then why didn't he come along and -give the <i>Sprite</i> a little warming up?</p> - -<p>The boat had not had an actual try-out since the -changes had been made in her.</p> - -<p>Mr. Lorry did not realize that it was too late, then, -for a try-out; nor did he know that Matt was saving -himself for the contest, and not intending to reach the -course much before the time arrived for the starting gun -to be fired.</p> - -<p>Five minutes before two a little saluting gun barked -sharply from the forward deck of the stake boat.</p> - -<p>"I guess your boat isn't coming, Lorry," said Mr. -Merton. "There's only five minutes left for——"</p> - -<p>The words were taken out of his mouth by a roaring -cheer from down the line of boats. The cheer was -caught up and repeated from boat to boat until the -whole surface of the lake seemed to echo back the frantic -yells.</p> - -<p>Mr. Lorry leaped to his feet and waved his hat, while -Ethel sprang up in her chair and excitedly shook her -veil.</p> - -<p>For the <i>Sprite</i> was coming!</p> - -<p>Motor Matt, a little pale and carrying his right arm -in a sling, came jogging down the wide lane toward -the stake boat. There was a resolute light in his keen, -gray eyes, and his trained left hand performed its many -duties unerringly.</p> - -<p>The danger from which Matt had plucked the <i>Sprite</i> -at the burning boathouse was known far and wide, and -it was his gameness in entering the race handicapped as -he was that called forth the tremendous ovation.</p> - -<p>Dexterously he passed the stake boat and brought the -<i>Sprite</i> slowly around for the start.</p> - -<p>The <i>Sprite</i> was charred and blistered, and, as McGlory -had humorously put it, the "skin was barked all -off her nose," because of her collision with the water -door; but there she was, fit and ready for the race of -her life.</p> - -<p>She did not compare favorably with the handsome -<i>Dart</i>; but then, beauty is only skin deep. It's what's -inside of a boat, as well as of a man, that counts.</p> - -<p>Slowly the boats manœuvred, waiting for the gun. -The silence was intense, breathless. Then——</p> - -<p>Bang!</p> - -<p>The little saluting gun puffed out its vapory breath. -Matt could be seen leaning against the wheel, holding -it firm with his body while his left hand played over the -levers.</p> - -<p>It was a pretty start. Both the <i>Sprite</i> and the <i>Dart</i> -passed the stake boat neck and neck.</p> - -<p>"They're off," muttered Lorry, with a wheeze, drawing -a handkerchief over his forehead.</p> - -<p>It is nothing to his discredit that his hand shook a -little.</p> - -<p>"Oh, dad," whispered Ethel, clasping her father's arm, -"didn't he look fine and—and determined? I know he'll -win, I just <i>know</i> it."</p> - -<p>"Say, Lorry," asked Mr. Merton, "who's that -youngster over there on that launch—the one that's -making such a fool of himself."</p> - -<p>"That?" asked Mr. Lorry, squinting in the direction -indicated. "Oh, that's my nephew, McGlory. But don't -blame him for acting the fool—I feel a little inclined -that way myself."</p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XV" id="CHAPTER_XV">CHAPTER XV.</a></h2> - -<p class="chaptitle">THE FINISH.</p> - - -<p>The doctor's guess was a good one. The excitement -of that race was exactly what Motor Matt needed. It -was a tonic, and from the moment he had entered the -<i>Sprite</i> in the Yahara Club boathouse, he was the Mile-a-Minute -Matt of motor cycle and automobile days. His -nerves were like steel wires, his brain was steady, and -his eye keen and true.</p> - -<p>There was a good deal of vibration—much more, in -fact, than Matt had really thought there would be. The -more power used up in vibration, the less power delivered -at the wheel. But what would the vibration -have been if he had not exercised so much care in preparing -the engine's bed?</p> - -<p>Perfectly oblivious of the spectators, and with eyes -only for his course, Matt saw nothing and no one apart -from the boundary buoys, until he turned the <i>Sprite</i> for -the start. Then, while waiting for the starting gun, he -caught a glimpse of the taunting face of Ollie Merton.</p> - -<p>"Fooled you, eh?" called Merton. "You'll do sixteen -miles, at your best, and we'll go over twenty."</p> - -<p>Motor Matt did not reply. If Merton had only known -what was under the hood of the <i>Sprite</i>, his gibe would -never have been uttered.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[Pg 26]</a></span></p> - -<p>As they passed the stake boat side by side, Merton and -Halloran began to suspect something. The <i>Sprite</i> hung -to them too persistently for a sixteen-mile-an-hour boat.</p> - -<p>"He's got something in that boat of his," breathed -Halloran, "that we don't know anything about."</p> - -<p>"Confound him!" snorted Merton, enraged at the very -suspicion. "If he fools us with any of his low-down -tricks, I'll fix him before he leaves that made-over -catamaran of his."</p> - -<p>"You'll treat him white, Merton, win or lose," scowled -Halloran.</p> - -<p>"Then you see to it that you win!" said Merton.</p> - -<p>Along the double line of boats rushed the racers. The -waves tossed up from the bows rose high, creamed into -froth, and the spray drifted and eddied around Matt, -Halloran, and Merton. At the edge of the lane, the craft -of the sightseers rocked with the heave the flying boats -kicked up.</p> - -<p>Halfway between the stake boats the <i>Dart</i> began to -draw ahead. A shout of exultation went up from -Merton.</p> - -<p>"Good boy, Halloran! In another minute we'll show -him our heels."</p> - -<p>But what Matt lost on the outward stretch of the -course he more than made up at the turn around the -stake boat. The shorter length of the <i>Sprite</i> enabled her -to be brought around with more facility, and she came -to on the inner side and was reaching for the home-stretch -when the <i>Dart</i> got pointed for the straight-away.</p> - -<p>The hum of the engine was like a crooning song of -victory in Matt's ears. He <i>knew</i> he was going to win; -he felt it in his bones.</p> - -<p>Halloran's juggling with gasoline and spark brought -the <i>Dart</i> slowly alongside and gave her the lead by half -a length.</p> - -<p>But still Matt did not waver. He could juggle a little -with the make-and-break ignition and the fuel supply -himself. His brain was full of calculations. He knew -where he was at every minute of the race, and he knew -just when to begin making the throbbing motor spin the -wheel at its maximum.</p> - -<p>The rack of the hull was tremendous. It seemed to -grow instead of to lessen.</p> - -<p>Would the hull stand the strain with the engine urging -the wheel at its best?</p> - -<p>It <i>must</i> stand the strain! The crisis was at hand and -there was nothing else for it.</p> - -<p>Hugging the steering wheel with his body, Matt's -left hand toyed with switch and lever. The yacht at -the finish line was in plain view.</p> - -<p>Matt did not see the waving hats or fluttering handkerchiefs, -nor did he hear the bedlam of yells that went -up on every side. All he saw was the <i>Dart</i>, his eye -marking the gain of the <i>Sprite</i>.</p> - -<p>It was already apparent to Ollie Merton and Halloran -that the race was lost—<i>unless something unexpected happened -to Motor Matt or the Sprite</i>.</p> - -<p>Halloran was getting the last particle of speed out of -the <i>Dart's</i> engine, and steadily, relentlessly, the <i>Sprite</i> -was creeping ahead.</p> - -<p>Deep down in Merton's soul a desperate purpose was -fighting with his better nature. Suddenly the evil got the -upper hand. Merton waited, his sinister face full of -relentless determination.</p> - -<p>"When the <i>Sprite</i> takes the lead," he said to himself, -"something is going to happen."</p> - -<p>In one minute more Matt forged ahead. The finish -line was close now, and Merton was already stung with -the bitterness of defeat.</p> - -<p>His hand reached inside his sweater. When it was -withdrawn, a revolver came with it.</p> - -<p>Why Merton had brought that revolver with him, he -alone could tell. It may have been for some such purpose -as this.</p> - -<p>Matt's back was toward Merton, and Matt's eyes were -peering steadily ahead.</p> - -<p>If that left hand could be touched—just scratched—the -king of the motor boys would be powerless to manage -the <i>Sprite</i>.</p> - -<p>Many of the spectators saw the leveling of the weapon. -Cries of "Coward!" and "Shame!" and "Stop him!" -went up from a hundred throats.</p> - -<p>Mr. Merton, watching breathlessly, saw the glimmering -revolver, and something very like a sob rushed -through his lips as he bowed his head. What those who -saw felt for his son, <i>he</i> felt for him—and for himself.</p> - -<p>Before Merton could press the trigger, Halloran -turned partly around.</p> - -<p>"You're mad!" shouted Halloran, gripping Merton's -wrist with a deft hand and shoving the point of the revolver -high in the air.</p> - -<p>Unaware of his narrow escape, the king of the motor -boys flung the <i>Sprite</i> onward to victory.</p> - -<p>A good half-length ahead of the <i>Dart</i>, Matt and his -boat crossed the finish line—regaining the De Lancey -cup for the Yahara Club, winning the race for George -Lorry and gaining untold honors for himself.</p> - -<p>The lake went wild; and the enthusiasm spilled over -its edges and ran riot along the shores. Steam launches -tooted their sirens, and motor boats emptied their compressed -air tanks through their toy whistles; the band -played, but there was so much other noise that it was -not heard. The Yaharas and their partisans went wild.</p> - -<p>Somewhere in that jumble of humanity was Newt -Higgins, adding his joyful clamor to the roar of delight; -and somewhere, also, was the doctor, letting off the -steam of his pent-up excitement.</p> - -<p>But there was one man on the stake boat whose heart<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[Pg 27]</a></span> -was heavy, who had no word for any one but his wife. -To her he offered his arm.</p> - -<p>"Come," said he, in a stifled voice, "this is no place -for us. Let us go."</p> - -<p>Matt, as soon as he had checked the speed of the -<i>Sprite</i> and pointed her the other way, jogged back along -the line of boats and picked Lorry and McGlory off one -of the launches.</p> - -<p>Lorry was radiant.</p> - -<p>"You've done it, old boy!" he cried. "By Jupiter! -you've done it. You sit down and take it easy—I'll look -after the <i>Sprite</i>!"</p> - -<p>"Speak to me about this!" whooped McGlory, throwing -his arms around Matt in a bear's hug. "Oh, recite -this to me, in years to come, and the blood will bound -through my veins with all the—er—the—— Hang it, -pard, you know what I mean! I've gone off the jump -entirely. Hooray for Motor Matt!"</p> - -<p>As Lorry laid the <i>Sprite</i> alongside the stake boat, -somebody tossed her a line.</p> - -<p>"Come aboard, all of you," called a voice.</p> - -<p>It was Spicer, commodore of the Yahara Club.</p> - -<p>While Matt, Lorry, and McGlory were going up one -side of the yacht, Mr. and Mrs. Merton were descending -the other, getting into the boat that was to take them -ashore to their waiting automobile.</p> - -<p>Mr. Lorry, red as a beet, his collar wilted, his high -hat on the back of his head, and his necktie around -under his ear, met the victors, giving one hand to Matt -and the other to George.</p> - -<p>"Jove!" he said huskily, "I've yelled myself hoarse. -Oh, but it was fine!"</p> - -<p>Ethel threw her arms around Matt's neck and gave -him a hearty kiss.</p> - -<p>"Nice way to treat a one-armed fellow that can't defend -himself," whooped McGlory; "and sick, at that. He -ought to be in bed, this minute—the doctor said so!"</p> - -<p>"I—I thought it was George," faltered Ethel.</p> - -<p>"Oh, bang!" howled McGlory. "It's a wonder you -didn't think it was me."</p> - -<p>The vice commodore of the Winnequa Club came forward, -carrying the silver cup in both hands. He looked -sad enough, but he was game.</p> - -<p>In a neat little speech, during which he emphasized -the sportsman-like conduct which should prevail at all -such events as the one that had just passed, he tendered -the cup to Lorry. Lorry, blushing with pleasure, in -turn tendered it to the commodore of the Yahara Club.</p> - -<p>One of the judges, coming forward with an oblong -slip of paper in his hands, waved it to command silence. -When a measure of quiet prevailed, he eased himself of -a few pertinent remarks.</p> - -<p>"Gentlemen, there was another supplementary prize -offered in this contest. Unlike the De Lancey cup, -which may be fought for again next year, this additional -prize inheres to the victor for so long as he can keep -it by him. It is not for the owner of the boat, but to -the gallant youth who presided at the steering wheel and -bore the brunt of the battle. Had the <i>Dart</i> won, this -extra prize would have gone to Halloran, just as surely -as it now goes to Motor Matt. It consists of a check -for two thousand dollars, place for the name blank, and -signed by Mr. Daniel Lorry. There you are, son," and -the judge pushed the check into the hand of the astounded -Matt.</p> - -<p>"Great spark-plugs!" exclaimed Matt. "I—I—— Well, -I hardly know what to say. I was in the game for -the love of it, and—and I was not expecting this!"</p> - -<p>"That was dad's idea," said Ethel happily.</p> - -<p>"Bully for the governor!" cried George, grabbing his -father's hand. "Why, I didn't know anything about this, -myself."</p> - -<p>"It was a 'dark horse,'" chuckled Mr. Lorry. "Come -on, now, and let's go home and get out of this hubbub. -Matt, you and McGlory will come with us. We're going -to have a spread."</p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XVI" id="CHAPTER_XVI">CHAPTER XVI.</a></h2> - -<p class="chaptitle">CONCLUSION.</p> - - -<p>All that happened, after Matt received that check for -$2,000, was a good deal like a dream to him. He remembered -descending into the <i>Sprite</i> for a return to the -clubhouse, and finding Ping Pong in the boat.</p> - -<p>Where Ping Pong had come from no one seemed to -know. Not much attention had been paid to him after -Matt boarded the <i>Sprite</i> and started for the stake boat. -Yet there the little Chinaman was, kneeling at the bulkhead -of the boat, fondling the steering wheel, patting -the levers, laying his yellow cheek against the gunwale, -and all the while crooning a lot of heathen gibberish.</p> - -<p>"What's the blooming idiot trying to do?" McGlory -shouted.</p> - -<p>It seemed impossible for the cowboy to do anything -but yell. His exultation suggested noise, and he talked -at the top of his lungs.</p> - -<p>"Don't you understand, Joe?" said Lorry. "He's trying -to thank the <i>Sprite</i> for winning the race."</p> - -<p>"Sufferin' Hottentots! Why don't he thank the king -of the motor boys?"</p> - -<p>The next moment Ping was alongside of Matt, sitting -in the bottom of the boat and looking up at him with -soulful admiration.</p> - -<p>"Him allee same my boss," pattered Ping, catching -his breath. "He one-piecee scoot."</p> - -<p>"Oh, tell me about that!" guffawed McGlory. "One-piecee -scoot! Say, Ping's not so far wide of his trail, -after all."</p> - -<p>The next thing Matt remembered was standing in the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[Pg 28]</a></span> -clubhouse, in the locker room, receiving the vociferous -congratulations of the Yaharas. Before he realized what -was going on, he and Lorry had been picked up on the -members' shoulders.</p> - -<p>"Three times three and a tiger for Motor Matt and -Lorry!" went up a shout.</p> - -<p>Well, the Yaharas didn't exactly raise the roof, but -they came pretty near it. Matt was voted an honorary -member of the club on the spot, and given free and -perpetual use of all the clubhouse privileges.</p> - -<p>"There isn't any one going around handing me ninety-nine-year -leases on a bunch of boats and a lot of bathing -suits," caroled McGlory. "But then, I don't count. I'm -only carrying the banner in this procession. Matt's the -big high boy; but he's my pard, don't forget that."</p> - -<p>McGlory's wail caused the Yaharas to vote him an -honorary membership; and then, in order not to slight -anybody, or make a misdeal while felicitations were being -handed around, Ping was likewise voted in.</p> - -<p>After that there was a ride to Yankee Hill in the -Lorry motor car, with Gus at the steering wheel; then -a spread, the like of which Motor Matt had never sat -down to before. A good deal was eaten, and a great -many things were said, but Matt was still in a daze.</p> - -<p>Every time he made a move he seemed to feel the -vibration of the twenty-horse-power motor sending queer -little shivers through his body.</p> - -<p>What was the matter with him? he asked himself. -Could it be possible that he was going to be on the sick -list?</p> - -<p>He remembered crawling into the same big brass bed -with the mosquito-bar canopy, and then he dropped off -into dreamless sleep.</p> - -<p>When he came to himself he was pleased to find that -his brain was clear, and that he could move around without -feeling the vibrations of the motor.</p> - -<p>His health was first class, after all, and he never had -felt brighter in his life.</p> - -<p>While he was dressing, McGlory and Lorry came into -the room.</p> - -<p>"What you going to do with that check, pard?" asked -McGlory.</p> - -<p>"I'm going to cash it, divide the money into three -piles, give one pile to you, one to Ping, and keep the -other for myself," said Matt.</p> - -<p>"Don't be foolish, Matt," implored the cowboy. "A -third of two thousand is more'n six hundred and fifty -dollars. What do you suppose would happen to me if -all that wealth was shoved into my face?"</p> - -<p>"Give it up," laughed Matt; "but I'm going to find -out."</p> - -<p>"And Ping! Say, the Chink will be crazy."</p> - -<p>"I can't help that, Joe. He's entitled to the money. -I wonder if you fellows realize that we've never yet -paid Ping for the <i>Sprite</i>? Here's where he gets what's -coming to him. He's full of grit, that Ping. You ought -to have seen how he helped me at the burning boathouse."</p> - -<p>"What are you going to do with Ping, Matt?" queried -Lorry.</p> - -<p>"I haven't given that a thought," said Matt, a little -blankly.</p> - -<p>"Well," suggested McGlory, "you'd better hurry up -and think it over. He's walking around the servants' -quarters lording it like a mandarin. He says he's working -for Motor Matt, and that you're the High Mucky-muck -of everything between Waunakee and the Forbidden -City. Better find something for him to do."</p> - -<p>"We'll talk that over later," said Matt. "What about -Ollie Merton?"</p> - -<p>"You can hear all sorts of things, Matt," answered -Lorry. "They say he had a violent scene with his father, -that he has squandered fifteen thousand dollars -while his parents were in Europe, and that he is to be -sent to a military school where there are men who will -know how to handle him."</p> - -<p>There was a silence between the boys for a moment, -broken, at last, by Matt.</p> - -<p>"That's pretty tough!"</p> - -<p>"Tough?" echoed McGlory. "If Merton had what's -coming to him he'd be in the reform school. Don't waste -any sympathy on him."</p> - -<p>"Why," spoke up George, with feeling, "he's just the -fellow that needs sympathy. It's too bad he hasn't a -Motor Matt to stand by him and help him over the -rough places he has made for himself."</p> - -<p>George Lorry was speaking from the heart. He knew -what he was talking about, for he had "been through -the mill" himself.</p> - - -<p class="center">THE END.</p> - - - -<p class="center medium">THE NEXT NUMBER (24) WILL CONTAIN</p> - -<p class="center huge">Motor Matt On the Wing;</p> - -<p class="center medium">OR,</p> - -<p class="center large">Fighting for Fame and Fortune</p> - -<hr class="r5" /> - -<blockquote> - -<p>Wanted: A Man of Nerve—Foiling a Scoundrel—Matt -Makes an Investment—Matt Explains to -McGlory—Ping and the Bear—A New Venture—A -Partner in Villainy—Matt Shifts His Plans—Dodging -Trouble—Blanked—Siwash Shows -His Teeth; and His Heels—"Uncle Sam" Takes -Hold—On the Wing—Dastardly Work—The -Government Trial—Fame; and a Little Fortune.</p></blockquote> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[Pg 29]</a></span></p> - - - - -<table summary="scaffold" class="bbox"> -<tr><td colspan="2" class="tdc huge">MOTOR STORIES</td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr large" style="padding-right: .25em;">THRILLING ADVENTURE</td><td class="tdl large" style="padding-left: .25em;">MOTOR FICTION</td></tr> -</table> - -<p>NEW YORK, July 31, 1909.</p> - -<p>TERMS TO MOTOR STORIES MAIL SUBSCRIBERS.</p> - -<p>(<i>Postage Free.</i>)</p> - -<p>Single Copies or Back Numbers, 5c. Each.</p> - -<table summary="Terms"> -<tr><td>3 months</td><td class="tdr">65c.</td></tr> -<tr><td>4 months</td><td class="tdr">85c.</td></tr> -<tr><td>6 months</td><td class="tdr">$1.25</td></tr> -<tr><td>One year</td><td class="tdr">2.50</td></tr> -<tr><td>2 copies one year</td><td class="tdr">4.00</td></tr> -<tr><td>1 copy two years</td><td class="tdr">4.00</td></tr> -</table> - -<p><b>How to Send Money</b>—By post-office or express money-order, -registered letter, bank check or draft, at our risk. At your own risk if sent -by currency, coin, or postage-stamps in ordinary letter.</p> - -<p><b>Receipts</b>—Receipt of your remittance is acknowledged by proper -change of number on your label. If not correct you have not been properly -credited, and should let us know at once.</p> - -<table summary="scaffold"> -<tr><td> -<span class="smcap">Ormond G. Smith</span>,<br /> -<span class="smcap">George C. Smith</span>, -</td> -<td style="font-size: 200%">}</td><td style="padding-right: 1em;"><i>Proprietors</i>.</td> -<td class="tdc"> -<b>STREET & SMITH, Publishers,<br /> -79-89 Seventh Avenue, New York City.</b> -</td></tr></table> -<hr class="chap" /> - - - - -<h2><a name="TRICKED_BY_TWO" id="TRICKED_BY_TWO">TRICKED BY TWO.</a></h2> - - -<p>"This is a public path," said Guy Hereford quietly.</p> - -<p>"Ay, but you can't use it," returned the man he faced, -with an ugly glint in his eyes.</p> - -<p>"All the same, I'm going to," said Guy coolly. "I'll trouble -you to move out of my way, Mr. Harvey Blissett."</p> - -<p>For a moment the two faced one another on the narrow -sandy road between the bare, barbed-wire fences over which -hung the fragrantly blooming orange branches. Both were -mounted, Hereford on a well-groomed Florida pony, Blissett -on a big, rough Montana, an ugly beast with a nose like a -camel and a savage eye.</p> - -<p>"I'll give you one more chance," growled Blissett. "Turn -and make tracks."</p> - -<p>"This is my road," said Hereford, as serenely as ever.</p> - -<p>"Then 'twill be your road to kingdom come," roared Blissett, -and flashed his pistol from his hip pocket.</p> - -<p>But Hereford's steady eyes had never wavered. He was -no tenderfoot. With the bully's movement he ducked, and -at the same moment drove spurs into his pony's flanks.</p> - -<p>As Blissett's bullet whistled harmlessly into the opposite -trees the chest of Hereford's pony met the shoulder of the -Montana with a shock that staggered it, and before Blissett -could pull trigger a second time the loaded end of the other's -quirt crashed across his head.</p> - -<p>Blissett dropped like a shot rabbit. At the same time the -Montana gave a vicious squeal, lashed out violently, and -bolted.</p> - -<p>Hereford was off his pony in a moment, and, with an exclamation -of horror ran to Blissett and stooped over him. But -a single glance was enough. One of the Montana's heels -had caught the unfortunate man exactly on the same spot -where Hereford's blow had fallen and crushed his skull like -an eggshell.</p> - -<p>He was dead as a log.</p> - -<p>"This is a rough deal!" said Hereford slowly, as he rose -to his feet. "Wonder what I'd better do."</p> - -<p>The trouble was that every one for miles round knew the -bad blood which existed between the young orange grower -and his neighbor.</p> - -<p>Blissett was a cattleman who had bitterly resented the -fencing of the land which Hereford had bought. He had -deliberately cut the wires and let his scrub cattle in among -the young trees, doing endless damage. Hereford had retaliated -by pounding the whole bunch so that Blissett had -to pay heavily to regain them.</p> - -<p>Then Blissett had brought a law suit to force Hereford to -give a public road through his place. He had won his suit, -but done more than he intended, for the authorities extended -the road through Blissett's own land and forced him to -fence it.</p> - -<p>It was on this extension of the road that the tragedy had -taken place.</p> - -<p>"If I go to the sheriff there's sure to be trouble," said -Hereford aloud. "Ten to one they'll bring it in manslaughter."</p> - -<p>"Murder, more likely," came a voice from behind, and -Hereford, starting round, found himself face to face with -his cousin, Oliver Deacon, who, hoe in hand, had just come -through the fence from among the orange trees.</p> - -<p>"Why murder?" asked Hereford sharply.</p> - -<p>The other, a sallow-faced man some years older than -Hereford, gave a disagreeable chuckle. "My dear Guy, every -one knows the terms you and Blissett were on. There'll -be a jury of crackers, all pals of the late unlamented, and -they'll be only too glad to have a chance of taking it out -of a man they think an aristocrat."</p> - -<p>"What's the good of talking rot?" exclaimed Hereford -impatiently. "If you were working in the grove I suppose -you saw the whole thing?"</p> - -<p>"Yes, I saw it," replied Deacon slowly.</p> - -<p>"That's all right then. You know he brought it on himself."</p> - -<p>There was a very peculiar look in Deacon's close-set eyes -as he glanced at his cousin.</p> - -<p>"I saw you hit Blissett over the head with the lead end -of your quirt," he said in the same measured tones.</p> - -<p>"What in thunder do you mean, Oliver? Didn't you see -his pony kick him on the head?"</p> - -<p>"I'm not so sure about that," was Deacon's reply.</p> - -<p>Guy Hereford stared at his cousin in blank amazement.</p> - -<p>"Will you kindly tell me what you do mean?" he asked -icily.</p> - -<p>"Yes, I'll tell you," said Deacon harshly. "Look here, -Guy, I'm full up with playing bottle washer, and it seems -to me this gives me just the chance I've been looking for. -Need I explain?"</p> - -<p>"I think you'd better," said Guy Hereford grimly.</p> - -<p>"All right. I'll give you straight goods. I want to be -paid, and well paid, for my evidence. Here are you with a -place of your own and a good allowance from your father, -you've a decent house and a first-class pony. And as for me, -I haven't a red cent, and am forced to do grove work like -an infernal nigger. As I said before, I'm sick of it, and it's -going to stop right here."</p> - -<p>Hereford looked his cousin up and down. Then he said, -"I knew you'd sunk pretty low, Oliver, but I didn't quite -realize the depths you've dropped to. Whose fault is it you -are hard up? Your own. You had more than I ever had, -and chucked it all away. People were decent to you down -here until you were caught cheating at poker. And now -you want to force me to pay you hush money under threats -of false evidence. May I ask how much you consider your -evidence worth?"</p> - -<p>Guy's tone of icy contempt brought a dull red flush to the -other's sallow cheeks. But he answered brazenly, "I'll take -a thousand dollars."</p> - -<p>Guy laughed.</p> - -<p>"I wouldn't give you a thousand cents."</p> - -<p>"Then you'll hang," retorted Oliver viciously.</p> - -<p>"Well, that won't do you any good."</p> - -<p>"Oh, won't it? Plainly, you don't know much about -Florida law, my good Guy. I'm your cousin. Don't forget<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[Pg 30]</a></span> -that. And by the law of this State I'm your next heir. -See? When you've left this vale of tears I come in for the -whole outfit—your grove and everything. Now, perhaps, -you'll sing another song."</p> - -<p>Guy's face went white. Not with fear, but anger. And -his gray eyes blazed with a sudden fury that made the other -step hastily backward.</p> - -<p>"You mean, skulking hound!" he cried. "You're worse—a -thousand times worse—than that fellow who lies dead -there. Get out of my sight before I kill you."</p> - -<p>Oliver's eyes had the look of a vicious cur. "All right," -he snarled. "You'll change your tune before I'm done with -you. If you don't fork up the cash by this time to-morrow -I'll go and give the sheriff a full and particular account of -how you murdered Harvey Blissett."</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>"What's de matter, boss. Warn't dat supper cooked to suit -you?"</p> - -<p>"Supper was first-rate, Rufe. Only I've got no appetite," -replied Guy.</p> - -<p>"You done seem plumb disgruntled 'bout something ebber -since you come in dis evening," said Rufus, Guy's faithful -negro retainer.</p> - -<p>Guy looked at the man's sympathetic face. He felt a longing -to talk over the black business with somebody, and Rufe, -he knew, would never repeat a word to any one else.</p> - -<p>"Heard about Harvey Blissett?" he asked.</p> - -<p>"No, sah. What he been doing?"</p> - -<p>"He won't do anything more, Rufe. He's dead."</p> - -<p>"You doan' mean tell me dat man dead?"</p> - -<p>"It's quite true."</p> - -<p>"How dat come about?" inquired Rufus, his eyes fairly -goggling with eager interest.</p> - -<p>Guy explained how Blissett had come by his end.</p> - -<p>"Well, boss, I doan' see nuffin to worry about. 'Twaren't -your fault as dat Montanny animile kick him on de head. -An' anyways, we's mighty well rid ob him. Dat's my 'pinion."</p> - -<p>"But suppose I'm accused of killing him, Rufe?"</p> - -<p>"Dere ain't nobody as would believe dat, sah," stoutly -declared Rufus.</p> - -<p>"But if some one who hated me had seen it and gave evidence -against me?"</p> - -<p>Rufus started.</p> - -<p>"I bet five dollar dat's dat low-down white man, Mistah -Deacon!" he exclaimed.</p> - -<p>"You're perfectly right, Rufus. That's who it is."</p> - -<p>"And he see you, and sw'ar dat it wasn't de hawse, but -your quirt done it?"</p> - -<p>"That's about the size of it."</p> - -<p>"Hab you done told de sheriff, sah?"</p> - -<p>"Yes, I did that at once. Rode straight into Pine Lake."</p> - -<p>"And what he say?"</p> - -<p>"Told me I must come into the inquest the day after to-morrow."</p> - -<p>"Den seem to me, sah, you done took de wind out of dat -Deacon's sail. He ain't seen de sheriff befoah you."</p> - -<p>"That's all right, Rufe, as far as it goes. Trouble is that -he'll be in at the inquest to-morrow and he'll swear that -it was my quirt did the trick. That is, unless I give him -a thousand dollars to keep his mouth shut."</p> - -<p>The negro's face changed suddenly from its usual smiling -expression. "Den I tell you what, Massa Guy," he exclaimed -with sudden ferocity. "You gib me your gun, an' -I sw'ar dat man nebber go to dat inquest to-morrow."</p> - -<p>Guy knew well that Rufe meant what he said. He was -touched. "You're a good chap, Rufe, but I'm afraid your -plan is hardly workable. You see you'd be hung, too."</p> - -<p>"Not dis nigger! I nebber be found out!" cried Rufe.</p> - -<p>"Still we won't try it," said Guy in his quiet way.</p> - -<p>Rufe stood silent for some moments. Then he turned to -go back to the kitchen.</p> - -<p>His silence was ominous.</p> - -<p>"Mind, Rufe," said Guy sharply. "No violence. You're -not to lay a hand on my cousin."</p> - -<p>"All right, sah," said Rufe reluctantly. "I try t'ink ob -some odder plan."</p> - -<p>The time dragged by slowly. Guy tried to write letters, -but found he could not settle to anything. The fact was -that he was desperately anxious.</p> - -<p>He knew Deacon's callous, revengeful nature, and was -perfectly certain that he would carry out his threat if the -money to bribe him was not forthcoming. It was all true -what his cousin had said. A jury of cattle owners, "crackers," -as they are called in Florida, would certainly find him -guilty on his cousin's evidence, and even if he escaped hanging -his fate would be the awful one of twenty years' penitentiary.</p> - -<p>For a moment he weakened and thought of paying the -price. But to do so meant selling his place. He could not -otherwise raise the money. Sell the place on which he had -spent four years of steady, hard work! No, by Jove; anything -rather than that. And even if he did so, what guarantee -had he that this would be the full extent of his -cousin's demands?</p> - -<p>Absolutely none. No, he laid himself open to be blackmailed -for the rest of his life. He hardened his heart, and -resolved that, come what would, he would stick it out and -let the beggar do his worst.</p> - -<p>Presently he got up and went out of his tiny living room -onto the veranda. The house was only a little bit of a -two-roomed shack with a penthouse veranda in front. He -had built it when he first came, and had been intending for -some time past to put up a bigger place. Now that dream -was over.</p> - -<p>Sick at heart, Guy flung himself into a long cane chair, and -presently, worn out by worry, fell asleep.</p> - -<p>He was wakened by the pad pad of a trotting horse, and -looking up sharply saw in the faint light of a late-risen -moon a figure mounted on one horse and leading another -passing rapidly along the sandy track outside his boundary -fence.</p> - -<p>The something familiar about the figure of the man struck -him like a blow.</p> - -<p>"By thunder, it's Deacon! What mischief is the skunk -up to?" he muttered. And on the impulse of the moment he -sprang from the veranda, and, slipping round the dark end -of the house, made for the stable.</p> - -<p>In a minute he had saddle and bridle on Dandy, and, leading -the animal out through the bars at the far end of the -grove, was riding cautiously on his cousin's track.</p> - -<p>At first he made sure Deacon was going to Pine Lake. To -his great surprise the man presently turned off the main -road and took a cut across a creek ford, and round the end -of a long cypress swamp.</p> - -<p>"Must be going to Orange Port," he muttered. "There's -something very odd about this. And what in thunder is he -doing with that second horse?"</p> - -<p>They came to a bit of open savanna dotted with great -islands of live oak. The moon was higher now, and the -grassy plain was bathed in soft, silver light. As Deacon -passed out of the deep shadow of the pine forest Guy gave a -gasp.</p> - -<p>The horse that Deacon was leading was Blissett's Montana -pony.</p> - -<p>Guy actually chuckled.</p> - -<p>"I'll bet a farm he's picked it up and means to sell it in -Orange Port," he said to himself. "Well, it mayn't save -me, but at any rate I'll be able to make things hot for -him."</p> - -<p>It was sixteen miles to Orange Port. Deacon, with Guy -still at his heels, reached the place about six in the morning, -and took the animal straight to a small livery stable, the -owner of which was Sebastian Gomez, a mulatto of anything -but good repute.</p> - -<p>Guy dogged him cautiously, and when he had left the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[Pg 31]</a></span> -stable and ridden off, went in himself, put Dandy up, and -had him fed.</p> - -<p>Then he went to work cautiously, and by dint of a tip to -one of the colored men about the place, found that his -precious cousin had indeed sold the Montana to the owner -of the stable, and had got fifty dollars for the animal.</p> - -<p>"Not such a bad night's work," said Guy to himself as, -after breakfast and a bath, he rode home again. He reached -his place about nine to find Rufus much disturbed at his -long absence. Merely telling the negro that he had been -away on business, he lay down and had a much-needed -sleep.</p> - -<p>At four he woke and rode off to Pine Lake. He meant to -find a lawyer to whom he could intrust his case on the following -day, but to his deep disappointment Vanbuten, a -clever young Bostonian and a great pal of his, was away -at Ormond for a week's sea bathing. There was nothing for -it but to send him an urgent telegram, begging him to return -at once, and then ride home through the warm tropic starlight.</p> - -<p>"Wonder if I shall ever ride back to the dear little old -shop again," thought Guy sadly, as he opened the gate and -led his pony in and up the neat path through the palmetto -scrub. He loved every inch of his place, as a man can only -love a property which by the sweat of his own brow he has -carved out of the primeval forest.</p> - -<p>Arrived at the house, he stabled Dandy and fed him, a job -which he never trusted to any one else, not even the faithful -Rufe.</p> - -<p>As he entered the house he could hear Rufe busy with pots -and pans in the kitchen. "He'll miss me, if no one else -does," muttered Guy; and, feeling desperately depressed, he -went into his bedroom to change his boots and coat. Hereford, -being a Boston-bred man, was one of those who, even -when baching it alone in the wilds, still try to keep up -something of their old home customs.</p> - -<p>He struck a match and lighted the lamp, then, as the glow -fell upon his cot, he started back with a cry of horror.</p> - - -<p>TO BE CONCLUDED.</p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<h2><a name="HOMES_ON_THE_RIO_GRANDE" id="HOMES_ON_THE_RIO_GRANDE">HOMES ON THE RIO GRANDE.</a></h2> - - -<p>The Mexican Indian huts in the villages and upon the -ranches of the lower Rio Grande border region of Texas -have a style of architecture and construction that is distinctly -their own. This type of primitive buildings is rapidly -passing out of existence. Modern structures are taking their -places. At many places on the border families of Mexicans -have abandoned their jacals and moved into more pretentious -homes.</p> - -<p>One thing that recommended the old style of residence -to the poorer Mexicans was its cheapness of construction. -No money outlay is necessary in erecting the picturesque -structures, neither is a knowledge of carpentry needed. A -double row of upright poles firmly set or driven into the -ground forms the framework for the walls. Between these -two rows of poles are placed other poles or sticks of shorter -length, forming a thick and compact wall. At each of the -four corners of the building posts are set, reaching to a -height of about eight feet. Roughly hewn stringers are laid -from one post to another and to these stringers are tied the -other poles that form the framework of the walls. The -strong fibre from the maguey plant or strips of buckskin are -used to tie the poles into position. The rafters are tied to -the ridgepole and stringers in the same manner. At one -end of the building is built the opening through which the -smoke of the inside fire may ascend. Stoves are unknown -among these Mexicans and the cooking is all done upon -the ground.</p> - -<p>When the rafters are in position the thatched roof is -put on. Palm leaves form the most satisfactory roof, both -as to durability and effectiveness in shedding the rain, but -owing to the scarcity of this material on the Texas side -of the international boundary stream, grasses and the leaves -of plants are used for the purpose. The roofing material is -tied to the rafters in layers. Some of the Mexican house -builders exercise great ingenuity in putting on the thatched -roofs.</p> - -<p>The only opening in most of these Mexican jacals is the -door which extends from the ground to the roof. The floor -is the bare earth. The ventilation is obtained through the -crude chimney opening. The door itself is seldom closed. -The Mexican Indian is usually a man of large family. A -one-room house accommodates all. Perhaps several dogs -and a pig or two may share the comforts of the room with -them on cool or disagreeable nights.</p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<h2><a name="PIGEONS_AS_PHOTOGRAPHERS" id="PIGEONS_AS_PHOTOGRAPHERS">PIGEONS AS PHOTOGRAPHERS.</a></h2> - - -<p>Many wonderful feats have been credited to the instinct -of the homing or carrier pigeon, but "the limit," to quote the -phrase of the moment, seems to have been reached by Herr -Neubronner, a Kronberg chemist, who has actually trained -pigeons to take photographs. For some time Herr Neubronner -has been utilizing pigeons, not only for the transmission -of messages to doctors in the neighborhood, but also to carry -small quantities of medicine. The latter are inclosed in -glove fingers slung about the birds' wings. The method has -proved entirely successful, experiments showing that the -pigeon can carry a properly distributed load of 2-1/2 ounces -a distance of 100 miles.</p> - -<p>Toward the end of last year one of the birds lost its way -and did not arrive at its cote until after the expiration of -four weeks. There was, of course, no means of ascertaining -where and how the bird had got lost. It then occurred to -Herr Neubronner that a pigeon, equipped with a self-acting -camera, would bring in a photographic record of its journey. -He thereupon constructed a camera, weighing less than -3 ounces, which he fixed to the bird's breast by an elastic -strap, leaving the wings completely free. The process of -snapshotting is, of course, automatic. At regular intervals -the machine operates by a clockwork arrangement, and registers -pictures of the various places covered by the bird in -its flight.</p> - -<p>The German government has taken a keen interest in Herr -Neubronner's notion of utilizing pigeons as photographers, -and there certainly seem great possibilities in the idea. The -carrier-pigeon photographer would prove extremely valuable -for obtaining information in times of war of the country, -position, and strength of the enemy.</p> - -<p>The carrier pigeon flies at a height of between 150 feet -and 300 feet, safe from small shot and very difficult to hit -with bullets. Pigeons might be released from air ships at -any height within the enemy's lines, and they would carry -home with them pictures of great value. The carrier pigeon -is peculiarly well suited to service of this character, because -when set free in a strange place it commences its flight by -describing a spiral curve, in the course of which several -pictures could be taken from various points of view.</p> - -<p>Then, when the pigeon has determined the position of its -goal, it flies thither in a straight line at a uniform speed of -about 40 miles an hour. As the moment of exposure can -be regulated with a fair amount of precision, the object -which it is desired to photograph can generally be caught.</p> - -<p>In besieged fortresses information concerning the besiegers -can be obtained by tumbler pigeons, which, when released -at their home, fly in circles for a time and then return to -their cotes.</p> - - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<h2 class="huge bb"> -<a href="images/i1large.jpg"><img src="images/i1.jpg" width="48" height="23" alt="hand" /></a> -<a name="LATEST_ISSUES" id="LATEST_ISSUES">LATEST ISSUES</a> -<a href="images/i2large.jpg"><img src="images/i2.jpg" width="48" height="23" alt="hand" /></a> -</h2> - - -<h3>MOTOR STORIES</h3> - -<p>The latest and best five-cent weekly. We won't say how interesting it is. See for yourself. <b>High art -colored covers. Thirty-two big pages. Price, 5 cents.</b></p> - -<blockquote> - -<p>11—Motor Matt's Daring Rescue; or, The Strange Case of Helen -Brady.</p> - -<p>12—Motor Matt's Peril; or, Castaway in the Bahamas.</p> - -<p>13—Motor Matt's Queer Find; or, The Secret of the Iron Chest.</p> - -<p>14—Motor Matt's Promise; or, The Wreck of the <i>Hawk</i>.</p> - -<p>15—Motor Matt's Submarine; or, The Strange Cruise of the -<i>Grampus</i>.</p> - -<p>16—Motor Matt's Quest; or, Three Chums in Strange Waters.</p> - -<p>17—Motor Matt's Close Call; or, The Snare of Don Carlos.</p> - -<p>18—Motor Matt in Brazil; or, Under the Amazon.</p> - -<p>19—Motor Matt's Defiance; or, Around the Horn.</p> - -<p>20—Motor Matt Makes Good; or, Another Victory for the Motor -Boys.</p> - -<p>21—Motor Matt's Launch; or, A Friend in Need.</p> - -<p>22—Motor Matt's Enemies; or, A Struggle for the Right.</p> - -<p>23—Motor Matt's Prize; or, The Pluck That Wins.</p> - -<p>24—Motor Matt on the Wing; or, Flying for Fame and Fortune.</p></blockquote> - - -<h3>TIP TOP WEEKLY</h3> - -<p>The most popular publication for boys. The adventures of Frank and Dick Merriwell can be had only in -this weekly. <b>High art colored covers. Thirty-two pages. Price, 5 cents.</b></p> - -<blockquote> - -<p>684—Dick Merriwell at the "Meet"; or, Honors Worth Winning.</p> - -<p>685—Dick Merriwell's Protest; or, The Man Who Would Not -Play Clean.</p> - -<p>686—Dick Merriwell In The Marathon; or, The Sensation of the -Great Run.</p> - -<p>687—Dick Merriwell's Colors; or, All For the Blue.</p> - -<p>688—Dick Merriwell, Driver; or, The Race for the Daremore -Cup.</p> - -<p>689—Dick Merriwell on the Deep; or, The Cruise of the <i>Yale</i>.</p> - -<p>690—Dick Merriwell in the North Woods; or, The Timber -Thieves of the Floodwood.</p> - -<p>691—Dick Merriwell's Dandies; or, A Surprise for the Cowboy -Nine.</p> - -<p>692—Dick Merriwell's "Skyscooter"; or, Professor Pagan and -the "Princess."</p> - -<p>693—Dick Merriwell in the Elk Mountains; or, The Search for -"Dead Injun" Mine.</p> - -<p>694—Dick Merriwell in Utah; or, The Road to "Promised Land."</p> - -<p>695—Dick Merriwell's Bluff; or, The Boy Who Ran Away.</p> - -<p>696—Dick Merriwell in the Saddle; or, The Bunch from the -Bar-Z.</p> - -<p>697—Dick Merriwell's Ranch Friends; or, Sport on the Range.</p></blockquote> - - -<h3>NICK CARTER WEEKLY</h3> - -<p>The best detective stories on earth. Nick Carter's exploits are read the world over. <b>High art colored -covers. Thirty-two big pages. Price, 5 cents.</b></p> - -<blockquote> - -<p>646—Three Times Stolen; or, Nick Carter's Strange Clue.</p> - -<p>647—The Great Diamond Syndicate; or, Nick Carter's Cleverest -Foes.</p> - -<p>648—The House of the Yellow Door; or, Nick Carter in the Old -French Quarter.</p> - -<p>649—The Triangle Clue; or, Nick Carter's Greenwich Village -Case.</p> - -<p>650—The Hollingsworth Puzzle; or, Nick Carter Three Times -Baffled.</p> - -<p>651—The Affair of the Missing Bonds; or, Nick Carter in the -Harness.</p> - -<p>652—The Green Box Clue; or, Nick Carter's Good Friend.</p> - -<p>653—The Taxicab Mystery; or, Nick Carter Closes a Deal.</p> - -<p>654—The Mystery of a Hotel Room; or, Nick Carter's Best -Work.</p> - -<p>655—The Tragedy of the Well; or, Nick Carter Under Suspicion.</p> - -<p>656—The Black Hand; or, Chick Carter's Well-laid Plot.</p> - -<p>657—The Black Hand Nemesis; or, Chick Carter and the Mysterious -Woman.</p> - -<p>658—A Masterly Trick; or, Chick and the Beautiful Italian.</p> - -<p>659—A Dangerous Man; or, Nick Carter and the Famous Castor -Case.</p></blockquote> - - -<p><i>For sale by all newsdealers, or will be sent to any address on receipt of price, -5 cents per copy, in money or postage stamps, by</i></p> - -<p class="center large">STREET & SMITH, Publishers, 79-89 Seventh Avenue, New York</p> - -<blockquote> - -<p><b class="medium">IF YOU WANT ANY BACK NUMBERS</b> of our Weeklies and cannot procure them from your newsdealer, they can be -obtained from this office direct. Fill out the following Order Blank and send it to -us with the price of the Weeklies you want and we will send them to you by return mail. <b>POSTAGE STAMPS TAKEN THE SAME AS MONEY.</b></p></blockquote> - -<hr class="r5" /> - -<table summary="form" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="5"> - -<tr><td colspan="6" class="tdr sig">________________________ <i>190</i></td></tr> -<tr><td colspan="6"><i>STREET & SMITH, 79-89 Seventh Avenue, New York City.</i><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 2em;"><i>Dear Sirs: Enclosed please find</i> ___________________________ <i>cents for which send me</i>:</span> -</td></tr> -<tr><td> </td></tr> -<tr><td><b>TIP TOP WEEKLY,</b></td><td class="tdc"><b>Nos.</b></td><td class="br">______________________</td> -<td><b>BUFFALO BILL STORIES,</b></td><td class="tdc"><b>Nos.</b></td><td>______________________</td></tr> - -<tr><td><b>NICK CARTER WEEKLY,</b></td><td class="tdc"><b>"</b></td><td class="br">______________________</td> -<td><b>BRAVE AND BOLD WEEKLY,</b></td><td class="tdc"><b>"</b></td><td>______________________</td></tr> - -<tr><td><b>DIAMOND DICK WEEKLY,</b></td><td class="tdc"><b>"</b></td><td class="br">______________________</td> -<td><b>MOTOR STORIES,</b></td><td class="tdc"><b>"</b></td><td>______________________</td></tr> - -<tr><td> </td></tr> -<tr><td colspan="6" class="tdc"> -<i>Name</i> ________________ <i>Street</i> ________________ <i>City</i> ________________ <i>State</i> ________________<br /> -</td></tr></table> -<hr class="chap" /> - - - - -<h2><a name="A_GREAT_SUCCESS" id="A_GREAT_SUCCESS">A GREAT SUCCESS!!</a></h2> - -<hr class="full" /> - -<p class="center huge u">MOTOR STORIES</p> - - -<p>Every boy who reads one of the splendid adventures of Motor -Matt, which are making their appearance in this weekly, is at once -surprised and delighted. Surprised at the generous quantity of -reading matter that we are giving for five cents; delighted with the -fascinating interest of the stories, second only to those published -in the Tip Top Weekly.</p> - -<p>Matt has positive mechanical genius, and while his adventures -are unusual, they are, however, drawn so true to life that the reader can -clearly see how it is possible for the ordinary boy to experience them.</p> - - -<hr class="full" /> - -<p class="center"><b><i>HERE ARE THE TITLES NOW READY AND THOSE TO BE PUBLISHED</i>:</b></p> - -<blockquote> - -<p>1—Motor Matt; or, The King of the Wheel.</p> - -<p>2—Motor Matt's Daring; or, True to His Friends.</p> - -<p>3—Motor Matt's Century Run; or, The Governor's -Courier.</p> - -<p>4—Motor Matt's Race; or, The Last Flight of the -"Comet."</p> - -<p>5—Motor Matt's Mystery; or, Foiling a Secret -Plot.</p> - -<p>6—Motor Matt's Red Flier; or, On the High Gear.</p> - -<p>7—Motor Matt's Clue; or, The Phantom Auto.</p> - -<p>8—Motor Matt's Triumph; or, Three Speeds -Forward.</p> - -<p>9—Motor Matt's Air Ship; or, The Rival Inventors.</p> - -<p>10—Motor Matt's Hard Luck; or, The Balloon -House Plot.</p> - -<p>11—Motor Matt's Daring Rescue; or, The Strange -Case of Helen Brady.</p> - -<p>12—Motor Matt's Peril; or, Cast Away in the -Bahamas.</p> - -<p>13—Motor Matt's Queer Find; or, The Secret of the -Iron Chest.</p> - -<p>14—Motor Matt's Promise; or, The Wreck of the -"Hawk."</p> - -<p>15—Motor Matt's Submarine; or, The Strange Cruise -of the "Grampus."</p> - -<p>16—Motor Matt's Quest; or, Three Chums in -Strange Waters.</p> - -<p>17—Motor Matt's Close Call; or, The Snare of Don -Carlos.</p> - -<p>18—Motor Matt in Brazil; or, Under the Amazon.</p> - -<p>19—Motor Matt's Defiance; or, Around the Horn.</p> - -<p>20—Motor Matt Makes Good; or, Another Victory -for the Motor Boys.</p></blockquote> - -<p class="center small">To be Published on July 12th.</p> - -<blockquote> - -<p>21—Motor Matt's Launch; or, A Friend in Need.</p></blockquote> - -<p class="center small">To be Published on July 19th.</p> - -<blockquote> - -<p>22—Motor Matt's Enemies; or, A Struggle for the -Right.</p></blockquote> - -<p class="center small">To be Published on July 26th.</p> - -<blockquote> - -<p>23—Motor Matt's Prize; or, The Pluck That Wins.</p></blockquote> - -<p class="center small">To be Published on August 2nd.</p> - -<blockquote> - -<p>24—Motor Matt on the Wing; or, Flying for Fame -and Fortune.</p></blockquote> - - -<p class="large center">PRICE, FIVE CENTS</p> - -<p class="center">At all newsdealers, or sent, postpaid, by the publishers upon receipt of the price.</p> - -<hr class="full" /> - -<table summary="scaffold" style="width: 50%;"> -<tr class="medium"><td style="width: 33%">STREET & SMITH,</td><td class="tdc"><i>Publishers</i>,</td><td class="tdr" style="width: 33%">NEW YORK</td></tr> -</table> -<hr class="chap" /> - - - - -<div class="transnote"> -<h2><a name="Transcribers_Notes" id="Transcribers_Notes">Transcriber's Notes:</a></h2> - -<p>Added table of contents.</p> - -<p>Retained some inconsistent hyphenation ("work-bench" vs. "workbench") from the original.</p> - -<p>Images may be clicked to view larger versions.</p> - -<p>Page 2, changed "inisted" to "insisted" after "Motol Matt my boss, alle same," and "cred" to "cried" after "Here, now."</p> - -<p>Page 3, changed "out" to "ought" in "You and Ping ought to be ashamed."</p> - -<p>Page 4, changed "instiution" to "institution" ("Another institution, known as...").</p> - -<p>Page 9, changed "sprit" to "spirit" ("said Matt, with spirit").</p> - -<p>Page 10, corrected "stakeboak" to "stake boat" ("As good as passed the stake boat").</p> - -<p>Page 12, changed "wth" to "with" ("forcing an interview with").</p> - -<p>Page 19, corrected "Larry" to "Lorry" ("While speaking, Lorry...").</p> - -<p>Page 23, added missing close quote after "prove that by telling you what just happened."</p> - -<p>Page 27, corrected "red as a beat" to "red as a beet."</p> - -<p>Page 28, corrected "Villiany" to "Villainy" in "next number" table of contents.</p> - -</div> - - - - - - - -<pre> - - - - - -End of Project Gutenberg's Motor Matt's Prize, by Stanley R. Matthews - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MOTOR MATT'S PRIZE *** - -***** This file should be named 50975-h.htm or 50975-h.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/5/0/9/7/50975/ - -Produced by David Edwards, Demian Katz and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (Images -courtesy of the Digital Library@Villanova University -(http://digital.library.villanova.edu/)) - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United -States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. Special rules, set forth in the General Terms of Use part -of this license, apply to copying and distributing Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic works to protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm -concept and trademark. Project Gutenberg is a registered trademark, -and may not be used if you charge for the eBooks, unless you receive -specific permission. If you do not charge anything for copies of this -eBook, complying with the rules is very easy. You may use this eBook -for nearly any purpose such as creation of derivative works, reports, -performances and research. They may be modified and printed and given -away--you may do practically ANYTHING in the United States with eBooks -not protected by U.S. copyright law. Redistribution is subject to the -trademark license, especially commercial redistribution. - -START: FULL LICENSE - -THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE -PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK - -To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free -distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work -(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project -Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full -Project Gutenberg-tm License available with this file or online at -www.gutenberg.org/license. - -Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic works - -1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm -electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to -and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property -(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all -the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or -destroy all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your -possession. If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a -Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound -by the terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the -person or entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph -1.E.8. - -1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be -used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who -agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few -things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works -even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See -paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this -agreement and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm -electronic works. See paragraph 1.E below. - -1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the -Foundation" or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection -of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual -works in the collection are in the public domain in the United -States. If an individual work is unprotected by copyright law in the -United States and you are located in the United States, we do not -claim a right to prevent you from copying, distributing, performing, -displaying or creating derivative works based on the work as long as -all references to Project Gutenberg are removed. Of course, we hope -that you will support the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting -free access to electronic works by freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm -works in compliance with the terms of this agreement for keeping the -Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with the work. You can easily -comply with the terms of this agreement by keeping this work in the -same format with its attached full Project Gutenberg-tm License when -you share it without charge with others. - -1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern -what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are -in a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, -check the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this -agreement before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, -distributing or creating derivative works based on this work or any -other Project Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no -representations concerning the copyright status of any work in any -country outside the United States. - -1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: - -1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other -immediate access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear -prominently whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work -on which the phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the -phrase "Project Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, -performed, viewed, copied or distributed: - - This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and - most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no - restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it - under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this - eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the - United States, you'll have to check the laws of the country where you - are located before using this ebook. - -1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is -derived from texts not protected by U.S. copyright law (does not -contain a notice indicating that it is posted with permission of the -copyright holder), the work can be copied and distributed to anyone in -the United States without paying any fees or charges. If you are -redistributing or providing access to a work with the phrase "Project -Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the work, you must comply -either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 or -obtain permission for the use of the work and the Project Gutenberg-tm -trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. - -1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted -with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution -must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any -additional terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms -will be linked to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works -posted with the permission of the copyright holder found at the -beginning of this work. - -1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm -License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this -work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. - -1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this -electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without -prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with -active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project -Gutenberg-tm License. - -1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, -compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including -any word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access -to or distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format -other than "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official -version posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site -(www.gutenberg.org), you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense -to the user, provide a copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means -of obtaining a copy upon request, of the work in its original "Plain -Vanilla ASCII" or other form. Any alternate format must include the -full Project Gutenberg-tm License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. - -1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, -performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works -unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. - -1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing -access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works -provided that - -* You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from - the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method - you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is owed - to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he has - agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the Project - Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments must be paid - within 60 days following each date on which you prepare (or are - legally required to prepare) your periodic tax returns. Royalty - payments should be clearly marked as such and sent to the Project - Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the address specified in - Section 4, "Information about donations to the Project Gutenberg - Literary Archive Foundation." - -* You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies - you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he - does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm - License. You must require such a user to return or destroy all - copies of the works possessed in a physical medium and discontinue - all use of and all access to other copies of Project Gutenberg-tm - works. - -* You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of - any money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the - electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days of - receipt of the work. - -* You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free - distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. - -1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic work or group of works on different terms than -are set forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing -from both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and The -Project Gutenberg Trademark LLC, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm -trademark. Contact the Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. - -1.F. - -1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable -effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread -works not protected by U.S. copyright law in creating the Project -Gutenberg-tm collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm -electronic works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may -contain "Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate -or corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other -intellectual property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or -other medium, a computer virus, or computer codes that damage or -cannot be read by your equipment. - -1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right -of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project -Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project -Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all -liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal -fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT -LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE -PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH 1.F.3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE -TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE -LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR -INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH -DAMAGE. - -1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a -defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can -receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a -written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you -received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium -with your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you -with the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in -lieu of a refund. If you received the work electronically, the person -or entity providing it to you may choose to give you a second -opportunity to receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If -the second copy is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing -without further opportunities to fix the problem. - -1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth -in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS', WITH NO -OTHER WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT -LIMITED TO WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. - -1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied -warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of -damages. If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement -violates the law of the state applicable to this agreement, the -agreement shall be interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or -limitation permitted by the applicable state law. The invalidity or -unenforceability of any provision of this agreement shall not void the -remaining provisions. - -1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the -trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone -providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in -accordance with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the -production, promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm -electronic works, harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, -including legal fees, that arise directly or indirectly from any of -the following which you do or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this -or any Project Gutenberg-tm work, (b) alteration, modification, or -additions or deletions to any Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any -Defect you cause. - -Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm - -Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of -electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of -computers including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It -exists because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations -from people in all walks of life. - -Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the -assistance they need are critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's -goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will -remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project -Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure -and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future -generations. To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary -Archive Foundation and how your efforts and donations can help, see -Sections 3 and 4 and the Foundation information page at -www.gutenberg.org - - - -Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation - -The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit -501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the -state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal -Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification -number is 64-6221541. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg Literary -Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent permitted by -U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. - -The Foundation's principal office is in Fairbanks, Alaska, with the -mailing address: PO Box 750175, Fairbanks, AK 99775, but its -volunteers and employees are scattered throughout numerous -locations. Its business office is located at 809 North 1500 West, Salt -Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887. Email contact links and up to -date contact information can be found at the Foundation's web site and -official page at www.gutenberg.org/contact - -For additional contact information: - - Dr. Gregory B. Newby - Chief Executive and Director - gbnewby@pglaf.org - -Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg -Literary Archive Foundation - -Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide -spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of -increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be -freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest -array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations -($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt -status with the IRS. - -The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating -charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United -States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a -considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up -with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations -where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To SEND -DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any particular -state visit www.gutenberg.org/donate - -While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we -have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition -against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who -approach us with offers to donate. - -International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make -any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from -outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. - -Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation -methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other -ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. To -donate, please visit: www.gutenberg.org/donate - -Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works. - -Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project -Gutenberg-tm concept of a library of electronic works that could be -freely shared with anyone. For forty years, he produced and -distributed Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of -volunteer support. - -Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed -editions, all of which are confirmed as not protected by copyright in -the U.S. unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not -necessarily keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper -edition. - -Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search -facility: www.gutenberg.org - -This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, -including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary -Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to -subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. - - - -</pre> - -</body> -</html> |