CHAPTER XVII.
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 themotors were clamped in place, the cylinders installed and everythingready for a tryout. The current was turned on by twisting theleft-hand grip and, as that controlled the entire running part, it wasvery simple.
"My goodness, Bob," said Jack, as he straightened up, after making thelast connection, "I'll bet these machines don't weigh more than halfas much as they did before."
"No, I guess they don't. These motors are very light compared with thegasoline 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 theroad in front of the house.
"Well, here goes," cried Jack, jumping into the saddle and giving thegrip a slight turn.
Off he went up the road, followed a moment later by Bob. The wheelsran 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 abouttwenty-five miles an hour and were using but a small part of theirpower.
"Say, old man," shouted Bob, as he rode up beside his brother, "thisis going some, eh?"
"It sure is," was the reply. "It beats the old gasoline engines all topieces. I wonder how fast they will go?"
"Shouldn't wonder if they would hit a hundred, but there's a goodstretch, let's let 'em out a little and see what they'll do."
Slowly twisting the grips, they increased their speed till Bobdeclared that they were going fully a mile a minute, which he declaredwas plenty fast enough for him. But, even then they had not usednearly all their power. They were delighted with the result of theirwork, 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 cellswill mean to an airplane? Just think of the great decrease in weightand the increase in power."
"Sure thing," replied Jack, no less enthusiastically, "but we betterbe getting back now."
They had ridden some five or six miles out into the country and werepassing through a piece of woods, but now brought their wheels to astop just after rounding a curve in the road.
"Yes, I guess we had better be getting back," agreed Bob, "It's nearlyfour now," he added, looking at his watch. "Let's see how long ittakes us; we ought to make it in about eight minutes."
They had just started to mount their wheels, when they heard a shrillcry and the rapid pounding of a horse's hoofs, and before they hadtime to ask themselves what it was, a light carriage, drawn by aspirited horse going at full gallop, dashed round the curve. Thecarriage, which was swaying from side to side of the road, held ayoung 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 theirwheels out of the way as the horse dashed past.
"It's Evelyn Nason," gasped Bob, as he recovered his wits, "and didyou 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'swheel failed to respond. With a cry of dismay he got off, shouting toJack, 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 afterthe runaway, which was dashing down the road in a cloud of dust. Heknew that about a mile farther on, there was a very steep hill, at thefoot of which ran a wide brook, and here the road made a sharp turnbefore it led over a narrow bridge. The bridge was a high one, as thestream ran through a deep gully, and unless the turn was made safely,he knew that horse and carriage would be dashed over a stone abutmentto the stream, several feet below, as there was only a very flimsyfence by the roadside at this point. All this ran through Jack's mindas he raced along, and he realized that if he was to do any good hemust catch the team before it reached the top of this hill. Turning onstill more power, he was soon almost flying along the road, and in ashort time was alongside the carriage.
As he passed it, he stood up in the saddle, leaning forward, his handsstill grasping the handle grips. He was now opposite the horse's head,and quickly shutting off the power, he straightened up, stood on thesaddle, and leaped with all his might for the head of the maddenedbrute. His leap was true and he caught the bridle near the bit withboth hands and hanging on with a bull-dog grip, gradually brought thehorse to a stop right on the brow of the hill.
"I--I guess you had better get out now," he gasped, still holding thehorse 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 soscared in my life, and you have saved me. If Prince had gone down thatawful 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 Iyanked on the reins. One of them broke and, of course, after that Ihad no control of him, and I didn't know what to do. I set out tojump, but he was going so fast that I didn't dare to."
By this time, Bob had ridden up, having located the trouble with hiswheel, 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 onecould," he shouted, as he dismounted.
"Indeed he did," said Evelyn, "and it was the bravest thing I eversaw. Why, he stood right up in the saddle and jumped! I never sawanything like it."
They found that a buckle where the rein was fastened to the bit hadgiven way, and by means of some stout cord, which Bob had in hispocket, it was soon temporarily repaired.
Evelyn Nason was a friend of the Goldens, and the two families werevery intimate. Jack had long been her particular hero, and now, morethan ever; it was natural that she should think there was none likehim.
"You'll have to drive me back, Jack," she now declared, "I'm sonervous 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 Evelynand Jack got in the carriage. Bob mounted his wheel, and holdingJack's by one hand, started off ahead.
Mr. Nason was on the porch waiting for them. He had seen Bob ridinghome with Jack's wheel, and naturally had asked him where his brotherwas, and Bob told him what had happened.
As her father helped Evelyn out of the carriage, tears came into hiseyes 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 savedmy little girl and I shall never forget it. It was a very brave act."