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 cylinders1 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 Jack2, 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.147
Off he went up the road, followed a moment later by Bob. The wheels ran perfectly3 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 fully4 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."148
"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 shrill5 cry and the rapid pounding of a horse's hoofs6, and before they had time to ask themselves what it was, a light carriage, drawn7 by a spirited horse going at full gallop8, 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," gasped9 Bob, as he recovered his wits, "and did you see one of the reins11 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.149
"Something's wrong with my wheel; go after her."
But Jack was out of hearing and without looking back, he faced after the runaway12, 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 brook13, 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 brute14. His leap was true and he caught the bridle15 near the bit with both hands and hanging on with a bull-dog grip, gradually 150brought 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."151
They found that a buckle16 where the rein10 was fastened to the bit had given way, and by means of some stout17 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."
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收听单词发音
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1
cylinders
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| n.圆筒( cylinder的名词复数 )；圆柱；汽缸；（尤指用作容器的）圆筒状物 | |
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2
jack
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| n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克 | |
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3
perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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5
shrill
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| adj.尖声的；刺耳的；v尖叫 | |
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6
hoofs
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| n.（兽的）蹄，马蹄( hoof的名词复数 )v.（兽的）蹄，马蹄( hoof的第三人称单数 ) | |
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7
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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8
gallop
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| v./n.(马或骑马等)飞奔；飞速发展 | |
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9
gasped
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| v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要 | |
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10
rein
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| n.疆绳，统治，支配；vt.以僵绳控制，统治 | |
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11
reins
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| 感情，激情； 缰( rein的名词复数 )； 控制手段； 掌管； （成人带着幼儿走路以防其走失时用的）保护带 | |
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12
runaway
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| n.逃走的人，逃亡，亡命者；adj.逃亡的，逃走的 | |
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13
brook
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| n.小河，溪；v.忍受，容让 | |
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14
brute
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| n.野兽，兽性 | |
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15
bridle
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| n.笼头，束缚；vt.抑制，约束；动怒 | |
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16
buckle
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| n.扣子，带扣；v.把...扣住，由于压力而弯曲 | |
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