"I spilled them.
The glass punctured both their tires! That was luck! It won't stop
them for long, but it's given us a little more time. I don't believe
they'll put on new tires, even if they're carrying them. And if they
don't, it will make them much slower. You can't go so fast on rims as
you can on rubber tires!"
"That was fine! I never thought of doing that!" exclaimed Arthur. "I
do believe it's going to save us, too. We can't be more than a mile
and a half from Boncelles now."
"We'll get there--unless our gasoline gives out altogether before that,
Arthur. And it may. The engine is certainly missing all the time,
now. Oh, if it will only hold out!"
Their speed was greatly reduced now. And from behind the other motor
started again.
"I admire those Germans!" said Paul. "A good many people wouldn't keep
at it the way they're doing. It's no joke to ride on a motorcycle with
both tires gone. They'll remember to-night for some time, I think!
They'll be sore and shaken to pieces before they're done."
"They'll be better off than their machine," said Arthur,
philosophically. "There won't be enough of that left to sell for junk
if they ride it very far in that condition."
"Well, I don't believe they'll care about that, if they only catch us
and get the plans--"
It was a sudden lurch of the machine, accompanied by a sputtering and a
stopping of the motor, that interrupted him.
Pages:
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50