“We hit something, didn’t we?” asked Bill Cromley.
“I’ll say we did!” ruefully murmured Ned, rubbing his head that had come in contact with one of the upright supports of the windshield.
By this time the three boys were out in the rain, standing3 on the muddy road and looking at the tree they had struck. It lay almost squarely across the highway—a dead sapling which had broken in two at the crash of the front wheels of the car.
“Um! Not as bad as I thought,” murmured Jerry when, in the light of a powerful searchlight he carried, he had seen that neither front wheel was damaged. “Not even a puncture4.”
“The tree was rotten, or it might have been worse,” said Bob.
Ned had gone forward to walk around the[75] obstruction5 and what he discovered caused him to exclaim:
“Then it was Nixon’s crowd!” asserted Bob. “They knew we would have to come this way to get to Newton, and they put this tree here. There’s where they dragged it from!” he added.
He pointed7 to a place alongside the highway from which, it was evident, the dead sapling had been brought.
“A dirty trick!” murmured Bill Cromley. “Wait until I get my hands on that Noddy Nixon!”
“He’s far enough off by now,” said Jerry. “Well, fellows, if we can get the tree out of the way we can go on, I guess. We don’t seem to be damaged any.”
A hasty inspection8 of the car showed this to be true, and the boys, with the help of the old miner, soon pulled the two pieces of tree out of the way and well to one side, where no other motorist would be put in danger.
THE BOYS PULLED THE TWO PIECES OF TREE OUT OF THE WAY.
All this time the professor sat in comfort in the rear of the car, going over some of his notebooks in the light of a small lamp which was fastened to the back of the front seat. The scientist had turned it on.
[76]
The boys, knowing his ways, did not ask him to help them, and he was so deeply interested in the bugs9 he had caught in the hay that he paid little attention to what was going on around him.
Once more, through the storm and darkness, the Motor Boys proceeded and succeeded without further incident in reaching Newton. There they went to a hotel for the night. They soon discovered that Noddy and his fellow conspirators10 were not at this place, and they surmised11 that their enemies had gone on.
Somewhat to the surprise of the boys, the morning broke clear. Though the storm kept up all night, the rain ceased about sunrise. With cheerful spirits the travelers filed into the dining room, led, as was usually the case, by the substantial Bob Baker12.
“Let’s sit over there,” he suggested, pointing to a table near which hovered13 a rather pretty waitress, albeit14 she was very stout15.
“What’s the idea? Do you know her?” asked Ned, in a low voice.
“No. But she looks good-natured,” Chunky replied. “She won’t mind getting me a couple of extra plates of wheat cakes and she’ll give me plenty of maple16 syrup17.”
The fat but pretty and jolly waitress welcomed[77] them to her table, and she seemed to give special attention to Bob, somewhat to the latter’s embarrassment19.
Professor Snodgrass caused a little disturbance20 when, after looking at the bill of fare, he asked the girl:
“Do you have any lymexylon navale?”
“Er—wha—what’s that, sir?” she asked, reaching for the bill of fare.
“I say have you any lymexylon navale out here?”
“I—I don’t believe we have any for breakfast this morning, sir. But I’ll ask in the kitchen.”
“Dear me, it isn’t anything to eat!” exclaimed the professor, with a laugh. “I was referring to the serricorn beetle21, which is allied22 to the Elaterid? and the Buprestid?. It is called lymexylon navale because of the damage its grubs caused in the Swedish dockyards at the time of Linn?us. It is very destructive to oak trees, and as I noticed some oak trees in front of the hotel, I thought you might have seen some of the lymexylon navale bugs.”
“No—no, sir,” and the girl moved away from the little scientist. “But we have some navel oranges, if that’s what you mean.”
“Oh, no, my dear! Never mind! Bring me some soft-boiled eggs!”
With a look of relief on her face at having[78] received an order which she could understand, the girl hastened toward the kitchen, followed by the smiles of the boys.
“I’ll say you picked a good one, Chunky,” remarked Jerry, after a most bounteous23 breakfast. “Best little waitress we ever struck.”
“I’m coming here again on our way back,” Bob said. “She gave me more maple syrup than I ever had with cakes before.”
“Yes, and you’ve got a generous sample of it on your face now!” teased Ned, as the fat lad made hasty use of his napkin.
They settled their bill at the hotel and were again on their way. Inquiry24 gave them information about concrete roads where they could make good time and not be in danger of being mired25 because of the mud.
There was no trace of the Nixon crowd, and for this the boys were glad, though Jerry said no one could tell when the bully26 might bob up on their trail.
The plan of the Motor Boys was to proceed to Albany, and then take the Mohawk Valley trail to Buffalo27. From there they would go to Cleveland and so to Chicago.
This program was followed, and aside from the usual incidents and accidents of travel—once getting a puncture and again getting on the wrong road—little of moment occurred until they[79] reached Buffalo. There Jerry found something wrong with the motor of his car, and they had to lay over a day until repairs could be made.
It was in Buffalo that they again got a trace of Noddy Nixon. They stopped at the Statler Hotel and, as a special favor, Professor Snodgrass promised not to ask the waitresses or waiters about any strange specimens28 he might desire.
“It’s all right in the country hotels,” Jerry said to the scientist, “but in a big city one they wouldn’t understand you.”
“I see, Jerry,” was the answer. “But there’s no harm in my looking for bugs, is there?”
“Oh, no, look as much as you like,” returned the tall lad.
Jerry went to the garage to get his repaired car. On his return to the hotel he saw Noddy in the lobby talking to Bill Cromley.
“I’ll make it worth your while to come with us,” he overheard Noddy say to the old miner.
Jerry hesitated, wondering what the answer would be. But if he had any doubts as to the loyalty29 of Mr. Cromley, they were soon dispelled30.
“Come on,” urged the bully, taking hold of the old miner’s arm. “I’ll buy you a cigar and we can talk it over.”
“No, you won’t buy me any cigars!” cried the miner, shaking himself free as Noddy tried to[80] draw him toward the cigar counter. “The kind you smoke must be made of skunk31 cabbage! Get that? Skunk cabbage for skunks32!”
Noddy grew red in the face and hastily moved away followed by the laughter of several men who had heard what was said.
“I guess we can depend on Bill,” remarked Jerry to Bob.
“We sure can. Noddy got an earful that time!”
The Motor Boys did not get another view of the bully’s crowd for some days, though once there was evidence that Noddy was not far ahead. One afternoon, when nearing Cleveland, they went through a small town. On the outskirts33 they saw that several bottles had been smashed in the road, the jagged bits of glass offering choice chances for punctures34.
“Some more of their work!” exclaimed Ned, as Jerry carefully avoided the danger. The car was stopped and the glass removed to protect others who might follow.
The boys remained two days in Cleveland to rest, where they enjoyed the sights, including Wade35 Park and the lake front. Then they began the last leg of their auto36 journey, into Chicago.
From here they sent a message to Tinny, letting him know on what train they were starting West. Jerry sold his car for a fair price, as the lads[81] did not know when they could come back, or even whether or not they would reach Chicago again. And to store the machine, or hire some one to run it back, would cost more than it would be worth. Professor Snodgrass had decided37 to continue on for a time with his friends. He said he felt much better.
“Well, we’re fairly on our way at last!” remarked Bob that night, as they took their places in the sleeping car. “We’ll be in Montana in a few days.”
“Yes, and I think we’ve given Noddy and his crowd the slip,” commented Ned.
“It looks so,” affirmed Jerry.
They had five lower berths38 in the middle of the car, and after seeing to the stowing away of their valises, the boys began to prepare for sleep, for they had had a hard day.
“Aren’t you going to turn in, Professor?” asked Jerry, as he saw the little man, with notebook and pencil, making his way to the smoking compartment40.
“I want to finish making a few entries, and then I’ll come to bed, Jerry,” replied Uriah Snodgrass. “I won’t be long.”
The train slowly pulled out of the shed, followed a little later by the second section. Until they reached Livingston, Montana, the boys would travel on the steel rails. In Livingston[82] they would be met by Tinny, who would have a car for them, since they were going into a part of the state inadequately41 served by railroads.
“And now for a good sleep,” sighed Jerry, with relief, as he stretched out between the sheets. The steady motion of the train and the click of the wheels over the rail joints42 was lulling43 him to slumber44 when he was suddenly roused by the voice of the fat man in the berth39 above him.
Jerry well remembered the fat passenger, who had tried in vain to get a lower berth from the porter. The colored czar of the sleeper45 had only said:
“No, sah. We’s done filled up. No lowers.”
With a sigh the fat man had resigned himself to his fate, and it was his voice that now echoed through the hitherto silent car as he cried:
“Get out! Get out! Porter! Conductor! I’m being robbed! Help!”
“Can this be a hold-up?” thought Jerry, reaching out to part the green curtains.
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1
dozing
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| v.打瞌睡,假寐 n.瞌睡 | |
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jolted
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| （使）摇动， （使）震惊( jolt的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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puncture
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| n.刺孔，穿孔；v.刺穿，刺破 | |
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obstruction
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| n.阻塞，堵塞；障碍物 | |
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wreck
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| n.失事，遇难；沉船；vt.(船等)失事，遇难 | |
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7
pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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inspection
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| n.检查，审查，检阅 | |
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bugs
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| adj.疯狂的，发疯的n.窃听器( bug的名词复数 )；病菌；虫子；[计算机]（制作软件程序所产生的意料不到的）错误 | |
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conspirators
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| n.共谋者，阴谋家( conspirator的名词复数 ) | |
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surmised
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| v.臆测，推断( surmise的过去式和过去分词 )；揣测；猜想 | |
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12
baker
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| n.面包师 | |
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13
hovered
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| 鸟( hover的过去式和过去分词 )； 靠近（某事物）； （人）徘徊； 犹豫 | |
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albeit
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| conj.即使；纵使；虽然 | |
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maple
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| n.槭树，枫树，槭木 | |
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syrup
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| n.糖浆，糖水 | |
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scout
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| n.童子军，侦察员；v.侦察，搜索 | |
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embarrassment
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| n.尴尬；使人为难的人(事物)；障碍；窘迫 | |
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disturbance
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| n.动乱，骚动；打扰，干扰；(身心)失调 | |
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beetle
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| n.甲虫，近视眼的人 | |
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allied
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| adj.协约国的；同盟国的 | |
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bounteous
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| adj.丰富的 | |
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inquiry
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| n.打听，询问，调查，查问 | |
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mired
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| abbr.microreciprocal degree 迈尔德（色温单位）v.深陷( mire的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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26
bully
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| n.恃强欺弱者，小流氓；vt.威胁，欺侮 | |
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buffalo
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| n.(北美)野牛；(亚洲)水牛 | |
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28
specimens
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| n.样品( specimen的名词复数 )；范例；（化验的）抽样；某种类型的人 | |
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29
loyalty
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| n.忠诚，忠心 | |
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30
dispelled
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| v.驱散，赶跑( dispel的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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31
skunk
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| n.臭鼬，黄鼠狼；v.使惨败，使得零分；烂醉如泥 | |
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32
skunks
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| n.臭鼬( skunk的名词复数 )；臭鼬毛皮；卑鄙的人；可恶的人 | |
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33
outskirts
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| n.郊外，郊区 | |
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punctures
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| n.（尖物刺成的）小孔( puncture的名词复数 )；（尤指）轮胎穿孔；（尤指皮肤上被刺破的）扎孔；刺伤v.在（某物）上穿孔( puncture的第三人称单数 )；刺穿（某物）；削弱（某人的傲气、信心等）；泄某人的气 | |
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wade
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| v.跋涉，涉水；n.跋涉 | |
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auto
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| n.(=automobile)(口语)汽车 | |
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decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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38
berths
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| n.（船、列车等的）卧铺( berth的名词复数 )；（船舶的）停泊位或锚位；差事；船台vt.v.停泊( berth的第三人称单数 )；占铺位 | |
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39
berth
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| n.卧铺，停泊地，锚位；v.使停泊 | |
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40
compartment
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| n.卧车包房，隔间；分隔的空间 | |
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41
inadequately
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| ad.不够地；不够好地 | |
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42
joints
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| 接头( joint的名词复数 )； 关节； 公共场所（尤指价格低廉的饮食和娱乐场所） （非正式）； 一块烤肉 （英式英语） | |
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43
lulling
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| vt.使镇静，使安静（lull的现在分词形式） | |
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44
slumber
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| n.睡眠，沉睡状态 | |
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45
sleeper
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| n.睡眠者，卧车，卧铺 | |
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46
distress
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| n.苦恼，痛苦，不舒适；不幸；vt.使悲痛 | |
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