Read Ebook: Bert Wilson at the Wheel by Duffield J W

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Ebook has 873 lines and 54636 words, and 18 pages

PAGE Three men of the roughest order were dancing distractedly around 46

Bert Wilson at the Wheel

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."

"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."

THE FLYING AUTO

A group of the campers stood regarding the big red touring car rather dubiously.

"The fact is," Bob Ward was saying, as he meditatively chewed a long piece of grass, "you never can tell when the fool thing is going to go back on you. I used to drive my uncle's car a good deal, but I never could go very far without some part of the machinery breaking down. Uncle Jack said I was a Jonah and I guess I was, because he could run the pesky thing all over the country if I wasn't with him, and it would go like a bird. One day I ran it into a fence and nearly got killed, so I took the hint and haven't fooled with one since."

"But we ought to make a try at locating a site for the new camp," Frank Edgewood objected. "We volunteered, and we'll be the laughing stock of the whole camp if we don't succeed, besides breaking our word to Mr. Hollis."

"Yes, I don't see why you said you could do it, if you are going to get cold feet at the last minute," said Jim.

"I haven't got cold feet," Bob defended hotly, then virtuously, "it isn't because of my own danger that I hesitate, but I don't like to drag you fellows into it with me."

"If you don't mind breaking your own neck, you needn't worry about ours," said Dave Ferris; "we'll stay here while you take a little spin across country," grinning wickedly. "Of course, if you should find a good camp location in the meantime, you could claim all the glory"--this last condescendingly.

Before Bob had time to retort, a cry of "Bert, Bert Wilson!" caught the boys' attention, and they turned in time to see a young fellow take a flying leap over one of the fences and land in the midst of a group of excited, welcoming friends.

"Make believe we're not glad to see you, Bert. We thought you wouldn't be able to get off this year."

"Tom Henderson spread that report. Where is he?"

"Wait till I get at him."

"He ought to have a ducking," and other undeserved threats were hurled at poor Tom's innocent head.

"Hold on, fellows," said Bert, laughing; "Tom wasn't to blame. I didn't know myself that I could make the camp till yesterday."

At that moment the maligned Tom dashed up, nearly upsetting his friend in an ecstasy of delight.

"You're a brick with a capital B and the best kind of a sight for sore eyes," gasped Tom, getting his breath back by degrees. "I never was so glad to see anyone in my life. And you came just in the nick of time, too, to help us out."

Then, dragging his friend away unceremoniously, Tom explained the situation in which he and the other volunteers found themselves.

"You will help us out, won't you, Bert?" he asked appealingly.

The dramatic arrival of Bert at the camp just when they most felt the need of him had been almost as unexpected to him as to the other campers.

Through the recommendation of Mr. Hollis, he had secured a position with a large manufacturing business in New York. There from the very start he had made good and his industry and ability were soon noted by his employer. It was not long before his salary was increased and larger opportunities afforded him, and he soon found himself treading the path that was bound to lead to success.

Of course, like every other healthy boy, he felt the need of friends and recreation. The first he found in Tom Henderson, with whom he struck up a great friendship. Another crony was Frank Edgewood, who worked on the same floor as himself. When the work of the day was done they were usually found together, either in each other's rooms or at some of the places of wholesome recreation of which the city offers so great a variety.

If Bert had one trait that stood out more prominently than any of the others it was his love for mechanics. Anything in the way of a clever mechanical toy, a puzzle, or a machine attracted him immensely. He wanted to "see the wheels go 'round." Especially was this true in the case of automobiles. The huge machine moving so swiftly, so noiselessly, with such a sense of freedom and the sensation of flying, drew him like a magnet. He scarcely dared to dream that one day he might be the actual owner of a motor car, but he did hope that some day or other his hand might be on the wheel, his foot upon the brake, while he steered the flying monster as it sped like a flash across the country.

His dream seemed perceptibly nearer being realized when Tom introduced him to the owner of a garage in the vicinity of his home. There he speedily became familiar with every joint and crank and lever of the great machines. He saw them taken apart and put together, he saw them brought in battered, broken, almost wrecked, and made as good as new. From theory to practice was not far. Little by little he was permitted to help in the minor repairs. After a while he was entrusted with short trips, at first in the company of an experienced chauffeur and at last on his own responsibility. It was not long before he felt capable to handle, steer, drive, and repair, and, if he had cared to do so, he would have had no difficulty in passing an examination and securing a license to drive a car.

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