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BERT WILSON AT THE WHEEL
THE BERT WILSON SERIES
BY J. W. DUFFIELD
An excellent series of stories for boys, full of outdoor life and
adventures, athletic sports, etc. Wholesome, clean and instructive.
1. BERT WILSON AT THE WHEEL.
2. BERT WILSON'S FADEAWAY BALL.
3. BERT WILSON WIRELESS OPERATOR.
4. BERT WILSON MARATHON WINNER.
_Others in preparation._
12mo. cloth with four illustrations in each, by H. G. Richards.
Price each, 60 cents.
[Illustration: He wrenched the steering wheel around, and headed it
directly up the track.--(_See page 168_)]
BERT WILSON
at
the Wheel
BY
J. W. DUFFIELD
AUTHOR OF "BERT WILSON'S FADEAWAY BALL,"
"BERT WILSON WIRELESS OPERATOR,"
"BERT WILSON MARATHON WINNER."
[Illustration]
NEW YORK
SULLY AND KLEINTEICH
1913
COPYRIGHT, 1913, BY
SULLY AND KLEINTEICH
All rights reserved.
CONTENTS
CHAPTER PAGE
I. THE "RED SCOUT" 1
II. THE FLYING AUTO 8
III. THE COPPERHEAD 19
IV. THE CHALLENGE 30
V. THE HOBOES AND THE BEES 39
VI. SHORTY GOES TO THE ANT 50
VII. THE ANTS GO MILKING 61
VIII. THE GIPSY CARAVAN 76
IX. HOW THE "RED SCOUT" CLIMBED DOBB'S HILL 94
X. QUICK WORK 111
XI. THE FOUR-LEGGED RECRUIT 118
XII. THE YOUNGSTERS' GREAT DAY 127
XIII. DAVE'S TIGER STORY 148
XIV. WITH DEATH BEHIND 160
XV. MOUNTAIN SCOUTING 176
XVI. BY A HAIR'S-BREADTH 186
XVII. BIDDY HARRIGAN REMEMBERS 199
XVIII. THE RACE 206
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
He wrenched the steering wheel around and
headed it directly up the track, _see page
168_ _Frontispiece_
PAGE
Three men of the roughest order were dancing
distractedly around 46
Then he swung the "Red Scout" squarely across
the road, _see page 89_ 90
Across the line it flew like a rocket, _see
page 217_ 218
Bert Wilson at the Wheel
CHAPTER I
THE "RED SCOUT"
"What dandy luck."
"It's too good to be true."
"Who'd ever thought we'd have the luck to get it?"
"It can't be true. I shan't believe it till it gets here."
"Anyway, it _is_ true, and won't we have the niftiest time ever?"
"Well, you might as well sit down, Bob. Running around like a hen with
her head cut off won't make it come any sooner."
"Aw, how's a fellow to sit still when a thing like that's on the way? I
wonder how long we'll have to wait. What can be keeping him?"
A score of voices, talking singly, two together, all together, woke the
woodland echoes, silent through the long winter and tardy spring, gone
at last. Summer had come and with it the annual encampment of a score or
more of manly, healthy youngsters, overflowing with animal spirits and
vitality. For several years past, substantially the same group under the
supervision of a Mr. Hollis, a gentleman of sterling character and
considerable means, had gone into camp together for two or three weeks
of the heated season. Brimming over with life, the boys always made the
camp a lively place; but this summer a new and enveloping excitement
seemed to have taken possession of everyone, and now all were plunged
into a discussion of the cause of the hullabaloo, the voices rising
higher and higher as each one sought to make himself heard above the
rest.
Turning a bend in the road that brought the camp into view, Mr. Hollis,
as he witnessed the excited gestures of the boys, and heard the volume of
sound caused by every enthusiast trying to talk at once, instinctively
quickened his pace, for it almost seemed as though a serious altercation
were in progress; but as he came near enough to distinguish words and
heard--"Six cylinders," "Forty-eight horsepower," "Chrome nickel steel,"
"Wheel base one hundred and twelve inches," "Diamond tires," "Autometer,"
"Safety treads," "Grip treads"--he realized that nothing more serious was
going on than a discussion of the relative merits of automobiles and
their fittings. No wonder there was gesturing and loud talking. What boy
would not rise to the topmost heights of enthusiasm at the thought of an
automobile in which he was to have a personal interest? Such a delight
had come to the camp, and since the announcement in the morning that on
account of the long trips that the summer's plans would make necessary,
the boys would be allowed an automobile for their own exclusive use,
nothing else had been thought or talked about; and each eager boy was
impatiently awaiting the return of Mr. Hollis to learn the make and all
other details of that most wonderful car.
Now, as he came into camp, the boys crowded around him and the wood rang
with cheers as he told them that the car would arrive the following
morning. A volley of questions overwhelmed him: "How large is it?" "What
speed?" "What color is it?" "How many of us can ride in it at a time?"
Question followed question in quick succession, until Mr. Hollis put his
hands over his ears, and, refusing to answer any more, proposed dinner
as a means of quelling the noise.
The boys could scarcely have told of what their dinner consisted that
night, so great was their excitement. All were glad to turn in early as
the surest way to bring the morning and the longed-for car. A full hour
earlier than usual the lights were out and silence settled over the
camp, broken only by nature's mysterious night sounds. A belated rabbit
homeward bound, keeping ceaseless vigil with round bright eyes,
encouraged by the unusual quiet, crept close to the door of the mess
tent, and snatching a stray cracker from the grass, scurried joyfully
away. At the distant menacing "Tu-whit, tu-whoo" of the night owl, the
birds stirred uneasily and nestled closer under cover of the sheltering
leaves. The quiet hours crept on till at last morning dawned and gave
promise of a glorious day.
Frank Edgewood was the first to open sleepy eyes, and seeing a few
clouds not yet dissipated by the early sun, woke the camp with the
dismal wail: "Fellows, it's going to rain."
"Put him out," "Smother him," "Duck him in the brook," came in a chorus;
and Frank, taking to his heels, dropped the flap of his tent, with not a
moment to spare.
"Run early and avoid the rush," sang out Tom Henderson.
"To pass he had such scanty room,
The descending grazed his plume,"
chanted Dick Trent.
"Let's forgive and forget," said Ben Cooper.
"Be glad we let you live, Frank," Bob Ward chimed in; and so the
culprit, reassured, ventured out to breakfast.
Again the all-absorbing topic was renewed, two vital questions claiming
them. What should they name their auto? Who would be able to run it? The
first was easy enough, for almost from the first they had decided, the
color permitting, to call it the "Red Scout." The second was not so easy,
for Mr. Hollis must be assured, for the sake of the general safety, that
the driver should be fully capable. If only Bert Wilson were there, the
question would be answered, for capable Bert in New York had studied the
mechanism of automobiles and grown very proficient in handling them; but
they were not sure that he would be able to be in camp with them this
year. Expressions of regret were heard on all sides, for Bert had a very
warm place in their hearts. His splendid qualities had easily made him
their natural leader and his absence was far more keenly felt than that
of any other fellow in the camp would have been.
Still, Bert not being there, they must choose someone else, so Mr. Hollis
called for volunteers. Several answered, but their qualifications were
rather doubtful, until Bob Ward said that he had had a lot of experience
in driving his uncle's machine, and felt very sure he could handle it. So
it was decided that the next day Bob should take them on their first
trip, which would be in search of a new camp site, the old one proving
too small for this year's requirements.
While the question as to who should be chosen to drive the automobile
was being decided, Sam Fielding and Philip Strong, two of the younger
boys, had placed a long plank over a big rock which rested under the
shade of a low-branched tree, and thus improvised a capital see-saw.
When the question was settled, there was a general movement among the
boys, and one of them, thoughtless of consequences, jumped upon Sam's
end of the board. This added weight gave the other end a sudden jerk
upward, and in a twinkling Philip was tossed into the boughs of the
tree, where, his foot catching in a forked branch, he hung suspended,
head downward, his jacket falling about and covering his head and face,
while he yelled like a Comanche Indian.
In an instant the entire camp was aroused and Phil was quickly extricated
from his uncomfortable position. At the sight of his astonished face, the
whole camp went into paroxysms of mirth, while peal after peal of
laughter made the woods echo again. Even Phil, now "right side up with
care," could not resist the contagion and joined in the merriment.
It was many minutes before a normal condition of things was re-established,
but at last the boys fell to discussing the proposed change of camp.
"It's a shame that we have to change," said Charlie Adams; "I don't
believe we'll have such bully times in the new camp as we have had
here."
"Oh, I don't know," said Tom cheerily; "we'll have the dandiest fun,
hunting new caves and things."
"It will at least have the charm of novelty," joined in Dick Trent--Dick
was eighteen and sometimes used words and phrases so ponderous as to
give him added dignity in the eyes of the other fellows. "Things will be
altogether different this summer," he went on; "having the auto will
make a great change."
"Well, we're going to have a great time to-day, anyway," said Bob Ward;
"Mr. Hollis says we are to make a flying trip in the new machine, and I
will have a chance, while the man who brings it is here, to study
handling the car."
As Bob finished speaking, a distant but distinct "honk-honk" sent each
boy tearing down the road, where in due time a great, red, glistening
car came up the turnpike like a gleaming streak of light, and, with a
graceful curve to the side of the road, stopped. The car, _their_ car,
the "Red Scout" had come!