THE NEW ELECTRIC MOTORCYCLE.
Bright and early the next morning found the boys hard at work again.
They were very skillful at this kind of work, and by three o'clock the
motors were clamped in place, the cylinders installed and everything
ready for a tryout. The current was turned on by twisting the
left-hand grip and, as that controlled the entire running part, it was
very simple.
"My goodness, Bob," said Jack, as he straightened up, after making the
last connection, "I'll bet these machines don't weigh more than half
as much as they did before."
"No, I guess they don't. These motors are very light compared with the
gasoline engines, and they're what made the most of the weight. Now,
let's take them out on the road and see how they'll go."
Wheeling the machines out by the basement door, they were soon on the
road in front of the house.
"Well, here goes," cried Jack, jumping into the saddle and giving the
grip a slight turn.
Off he went up the road, followed a moment later by Bob. The wheels
ran perfectly and with no noise except the low humming of the motors,
which could be heard, but a few feet away. They were going at about
twenty-five miles an hour and were using but a small part of their
power.
"Say, old man," shouted Bob, as he rode up beside his brother, "this
is going some, eh?"
"It sure is," was the reply. "It beats the old gasoline engines all to
pieces. I wonder how fast they will go?"
"Shouldn't wonder if they would hit a hundred, but there's a good
stretch, let's let 'em out a little and see what they'll do."
Slowly twisting the grips, they increased their speed till Bob
declared that they were going fully a mile a minute, which he declared
was plenty fast enough for him. But, even then they had not used
nearly all their power. They were delighted with the result of their
work, and as they slowed down, Jack said:
"This must be about the next thing to flying."
"I guess it is," agreed Bob, "but next summer if father'll let us,
we'll do some real flying. I say, son, do you realize what these cells
will mean to an airplane? Just think of the great decrease in weight
and the increase in power."
"Sure thing," replied Jack, no less enthusiastically, "but we better
be getting back now."
They had ridden some five or six miles out into the country and were
passing through a piece of woods, but now brought their wheels to a
stop just after rounding a curve in the road.
"Yes, I guess we had better be getting back," agreed Bob, "It's nearly
four now," he added, looking at his watch. "Let's see how long it
takes us; we ought to make it in about eight minutes."
They had just started to mount their wheels, when they heard a shrill
cry and the rapid pounding of a horse's hoofs, and before they had
time to ask themselves what it was, a light carriage, drawn by a
spirited horse going at full gallop, dashed round the curve. The
carriage, which was swaying from side to side of the road, held a
young girl, and it was evident that she had lost control of the horse.
So quickly had it happened, that the boys barely had time to get their
wheels out of the way as the horse dashed past.
"It's Evelyn Nason," gasped Bob, as he recovered his wits, "and did
you see one of the reins was broken? Come, we've got to catch her."
They quickly mounted their wheels and turned on the power, but Bob's
wheel failed to respond. With a cry of dismay he got off, shouting to
Jack, who was already some distance away.
"Something's wrong with my wheel; go after her."
But Jack was out of hearing and without looking back, he faced after
the runaway, which was dashing down the road in a cloud of dust. He
knew that about a mile farther on, there was a very steep hill, at the
foot of which ran a wide brook, and here the road made a sharp turn
before it led over a narrow bridge. The bridge was a high one, as the
stream ran through a deep gully, and unless the turn was made safely,
he knew that horse and carriage would be dashed over a stone abutment
to the stream, several feet below, as there was only a very flimsy
fence by the roadside at this point. All this ran through Jack's mind
as he raced along, and he realized that if he was to do any good he
must catch the team before it reached the top of this hill. Turning on
still more power, he was soon almost flying along the road, and in a
short time was alongside the carriage.
As he passed it, he stood up in the saddle, leaning forward, his hands
still grasping the handle grips. He was now opposite the horse's head,
and quickly shutting off the power, he straightened up, stood on the
saddle, and leaped with all his might for the head of the maddened
brute. His leap was true and he caught the bridle near the bit with
both hands and hanging on with a bull-dog grip, gradually brought the
horse to a stop right on the brow of the hill.
"I--I guess you had better get out now," he gasped, still holding the
horse by the bridle.
The girl, who was about fifteen and very pretty, obeyed.
"Oh, Jack," she cried, as she got on to the ground, "I never was so
scared in my life, and you have saved me. If Prince had gone down that
awful hill I'd have been killed sure."
"I guess it's more than likely, Evelyn, but how did it happen?"
"Why, just before I got to that turn in the road, where you were,
Prince shied at a piece of paper that blew across the road, and I
yanked on the reins. One of them broke and, of course, after that I
had no control of him, and I didn't know what to do. I set out to
jump, but he was going so fast that I didn't dare to."
By this time, Bob had ridden up, having located the trouble with his
wheel, which was only a wire that had slipped from a connection.
"You got him, did you, Jack, old fellow? I knew you'd do it if any one
could," he shouted, as he dismounted.
"Indeed he did," said Evelyn, "and it was the bravest thing I ever
saw. Why, he stood right up in the saddle and jumped! I never saw
anything like it."
They found that a buckle where the rein was fastened to the bit had
given way, and by means of some stout cord, which Bob had in his
pocket, it was soon temporarily repaired.
Evelyn Nason was a friend of the Goldens, and the two families were
very intimate. Jack had long been her particular hero, and now, more
than ever; it was natural that she should think there was none like
him.
"You'll have to drive me back, Jack," she now declared, "I'm so
nervous I'd never dare to drive back alone."
"All right, wait till I turn him around."
The horse, which now seemed quiet enough, was soon turned, and Evelyn
and Jack got in the carriage. Bob mounted his wheel, and holding
Jack's by one hand, started off ahead.
Mr. Nason was on the porch waiting for them. He had seen Bob riding
home with Jack's wheel, and naturally had asked him where his brother
was, and Bob told him what had happened.
As her father helped Evelyn out of the carriage, tears came into his
eyes as he kissed her, saying:
"Bob told me all about it, dear."
"Oh, papa, Jack saved my life. Wasn't he splendid?"
"My dear boy," cried Mr. Nason, as he grasped Jack's head, "you saved
my little girl and I shall never forget it. It was a very brave act."