A HOLD-UP.
"Who are you?" asked Jerry, boldly.
"Never mind who we are!" exclaimed the same voice. "Just git out of that
choo-choo wagon an' hand over what spare change you have."
"Is this a hold-up?" demanded Ned.
"If it isn't it's a good imitation of one," was the answer, accompanied
by a laugh. "Come, now! Look lively!"
One of the men came around to the side of the auto and grabbed Bob by
the arm. At the same time another of the tramp trio attempted to seize
Jerry. Ned was in the rear seat.
"Let go of me!" exclaimed Jerry, striking at the man who had climbed up
on the step of the machine. The boy's blow fell on the man's arm.
"Oh, that's your game, is it?" cried the ruffian. He drew back his fist
as though to fell Jerry.
"Help! help!" yelled Bob. He was being pulled from the car by the tramp
who had grabbed him. It looked bad for the Motor Boys.
Ned sprang up from the rear. He had been fumbling in a valise on the
floor of the tonneau. He leaned forward over the front seat. In each
hand he held some object, bright and shining, and he aimed them full in
the faces of the two tramps on either side of the auto.
"Take that!" Ned cried.
[Illustration: "TAKE THAT!" NED CRIED.]
There was a sharp, hissing sound, a click, and the air was filled with a
pungent odor.
"I'm killed! He's blinded me!" yelled the tramp, who had grabbed Bob.
"Oh! oh! My head is blown off!" yelled the other ruffian.
Both of them toppled from the steps of the auto and rolled over and over
in the road, screaming with pain and fright.
"And there's one for you!" shouted Ned, taking aim at the tramp in front
of the machine, and once more the hissing sound was heard.
"Wow!" cried the fellow, and, whirling around, he dashed off, full
speed, down the road.
"Bully for you! Hit 'em again--knock 'em out--smash--bang--never say
die--hear 'em yell--do it again--siss--boom--ah! Whoop!" cried Andy,
standing on the seat and waving his cap.
The two tramps who had fallen to the road got up, and, still yelling in
pain, followed their companion.
"Start off!" exclaimed Ned to Bob. "I guess they won't bother us again
very soon."
"What in the world did you do to them?" asked Jerry.
"Used an ammonia squirt-gun on each one," said Ned.
He showed the boys two affairs that looked like small revolvers, only
the ammunition was liquid spirits of ammonia, quite strong, contained
in a rubber bulb in the handle. By pressing the bulb a fine stream of
ammonia could be shot for quite a distance.
"I saw 'em advertised in a magazine," said Ned. "They were just the
things for vicious dogs and men, it said, for they blind a person
temporarily and make his face smart like sixty, but no permanent injury
is done. I had 'em in my valise and I just happened to think of them
when those chaps held us up."
"Lucky you did," commented Jerry. "I thought we were surely going to be
robbed."
"I guess they thought they were killed when they felt that ammonia,"
said Bob. "Ned, you're all right, that's what you are!" he finished,
heartily.
"I guess we'd better move along, or Mr. Wakefield may be worried about
us," suggested Jerry.
So Bob threw the gear into place and the machine moved away. No further
sign of the tramps was seen, and the boys reached Norwich without
further incident. They found the hotel Mr. Wakefield had arranged to
meet them at, and soon were eating a good supper. The adventure with the
tramps was related, and Mr. Wakefield congratulated the boys on their
pluck.
An early start was had next morning and good progress was made, so that
by noon the travelers were in Waterbury, Conn., where dinner was eaten.
Mr. Wakefield said that by swift traveling New York could be reached
late that night, but he did not advise it. Instead, the night was spent
in Danbury.
By noon the next day more than half the distance between their last
stopping place and New York had been covered, and late that afternoon
found the two autos speeding down Riverside Drive, leading to the
metropolis. Not an accident had occurred since the hold-up by the tramps
and the blowing out of the tire on the boys' auto, and each one was
congratulating himself that the trip was being made under the best of
luck.
The travelers were about opposite Grant's tomb, and were moving along
slowly, when suddenly, with a noise like a shot, one of Mr. Wakefield's
tires burst. A young woman, driving a spirited horse, was passing his
auto at the time, and the animal, taking fright, took the bit in his
teeth and bolted.
The young woman screamed in fright, lost her hold on the reins and clung
desperately to the seat. There were no vehicles on the drive in that
vicinity just then, excepting the two autos and the runaway.
"Quick!" cried Mr. Wakefield to the boys, as he brought his machine to a
stop. "Take after her! There may be an accident! I can't go on until I
mend this break!"
Ned was steering, and made a turn. Like a flash he threw on the third
gear and the auto sprang forward like an unleashed hound. Bob, Andy
and Jerry clung to the seats, while Ned steered the machine after the
runaway horse.
The animal was now galloping at top speed, but the auto was creeping
up on him. It made scarcely a sound, only a purring as the cylinders
exploded, one after another.
"What are you going to do?" asked Jerry. "Go close enough so one of us
can jump in the carriage?"
"Watch!" was all Ned replied.
Faster and faster went the auto. At length it passed the galloping
steed, and the boys could see the young woman clinging in desperation to
the seat. Then, as Ned steered the machine ahead of the horse, the boys
saw what his plan was.
The animal was now directly behind the auto, coming on like the wind.
Ned gave one glance back. Then he quickly threw the gears to first
speed. So quickly was it done that the horse nearly rammed his nose
into the rear of the tonneau. The animal did not think of dashing to one
side and so passing the car. Instead he kept his place behind it.
Then Ned shut off the power and allowed the machine to drift along. The
horse, seeing the obstruction continually in front of him, gradually
reduced his speed, and finally, when the auto came to a stop, the animal
did likewise.
Jerry jumped from his seat and, running back, grasped the bridle. He
spoke soothingly to the animal, and soon had him quieted. The young
woman, pale and trembling, regained her composure.
"I'm so much obliged to you," she said. "Really, I don't know what
possessed Dexter. He never was frightened at autos before. I'm a little
ashamed of myself, too. I ought to have kept hold of the reins and I
could have managed him."
"Are you sure you will be all right now?" asked Jerry. "If not, one of
us will go with you."
"Oh, I can take care of him now," replied the lady. "Dexter will be all
right. I thank you boys very much," she added, sweetly, and a moment
later drove off.
The boys turned the auto around and speeded back to where they had left
Mr. Wakefield. He had repaired the break in the tire in the meanwhile
and was ready to proceed.
In a short time the travelers steered for the hotel, uptown, where Mr.
Wakefield had engaged rooms for all. The machines were sent to a garage,
and the boys prepared to wash up for supper. It was getting quite dark,
and the electric lights in the streets were gleaming. Jerry was looking
from the window of the sitting-room of the suite which the boys had on
the third floor.
Suddenly he gave a start and cried:
"There he goes!"
"Who?" asked Ned.
"Noddy Nixon!" replied Jerry, dashing from the room.