Motorcycle chums stormbond

CHAPTER I A FRIENDLY BOUT WITH THE GI OVES sure beats the record!'’

Whoever heard of Christmas holidays with not even a speck of shore ice on Lake Constance to encourage a fellow?”

''Huh! things have got to a pretty pass, I think, when we go and have nearly baseball weather this time of year. Why, what d’ye think, I got a brand new sweater on Christmas, which was j^esterday — picked out the color myself, just to suit my fine taste; and what good’s it going to do me; tell me that. Freckles? ”

"Just you hold your horses, Budge; this weather ain’t going to last right along; is it, Jack?”

"Well,” observed the third boy, with a laugh, “I should say uot. Fact is, the way winter keeps holding ofif this year makes the old weather prophets say we^re just sure to get a bitter time of it in February and March. Got to even up somehow, you know, boys.”

'^That^s it,” said the tall, angular boy, who was always called Freckles” by his mates, because at most times he sported a liberal supply of the same; though in reality he bore the name of Ambrose Codling, ^^and mark my words Budge you ^11 find plenty of use for that same sweater before the flowers bloom again.”

'^But think of me,” Jack went on to say, whimsically, ^^they made me a present of the finest pair of hockey skates you ever saw; and from the looks of things right now, you ^d think I ought to just hang the same on the wall of my room, decorated with the colors of Staunton High. Now, if they were water skates, I might find use for them. ”

At that there was a laugh from Freckles, while the fat boy who answered to the name of Budge, looked rather confused, and turned redder than ever in the face.

It was no secret that Budge aspired to be a great inventor, and that once upon a time within the last year he had announced to certain chums how he had made a wonderful pair of what he called water shoes/^ with which any fellow would be able to skim along over the surface of the fine lake that lay only a few miles away from Staunton, the lively town in which these boys lived.

So, one day he invited them out to witness his triumph. Lucky for poor Budge that he had limited the number of guests to his three sworn chums, else would his humiliation have been greater.

He had fastened to his feet a pair of strange, boat-like contrivances that looked something like enormous snowshoes built up in the shape of boxes. Then off he had started with the greatest confidence in the world, while the others kept alongside in a couple of Rangeley Lake skiffs.

Alack and alas! Before Budge had taken six great strides with his wonderful water shoes’’ he must have lost his balance in some way, for he struggled desperately, waved his arms frantically, and then vanished from view.

The other boys had to cut the clumsy contrivance loose in a big hurry, and drag the unfortunate inventor aboard a boat, more dead than alive; for Freckles claimed that Budge had swallowed enough water to lower the lake several inches.

From that day on Budge never attempted to walk on the water again; and for fear lest the more agile Freckles might want to tiy the shoes, and excel him at his own game, he had taken an ax, and deliberately smashed the things into kindling-wood.

That was doubtless what Jack Kinkaid so slyly referred to when he spoke about what fun he might have, could he change his now useless Christmas present into water skates.’’

At the time the three lads were thus exchajuging views on the probability of the week’s holidays passing without their customary frolics on the ice, or with their bobsleds down the steep hillsides near Staunton, they were gathered in what the fat boy. Budge, whose real name was Nelson Clifford, chose to call his ^Taboratory . ”

His father was the mayor of Staunton, being a wealthy, retired business man; and having fond recollections of his own boyhood, he sympathized so much with the aspirations of his son that there was nothing within the bounds of reason which the latter expressed a desire to own, but that his wish was granted.

II

The fact of the matter was that Budge showed such an abnoimal inclination to put on flesh that his parents, were worried. They believed that in order to counteract this unpleasant tendency the boy should indulge in all manner of vigorous outdoor sports. Indeed, Dr. Codling, father of Freckles, had secretly advised such a course of treatment; and as it just suited the ideas of Budge, he had a motorcycle and all manner of up-to-date appliances in his gymnasium, from Indian clubs to lifting machines and parallel bars.

The '' laboratory was a little den off from the barn which had been transformed into a gymnasium at the time the change had been made from a carriage and pair to a touring car, and a spacious garage built. Indeed, this very room had doubtless once been used to hang the various sets of harness in. And here, too. Budge must have wasted the midnight oil, or electricity, in fashioning those amazing water shoes’' that would have brought him to his death, only for his wisdom in having his chums along at the time he first gave them a real test on the lake.

There was a fourth member of the little circle, and his name was Alec Travers. To tell the truth he was the leader of the quartette; and the rest were only too pleased to look up to him in this capacity, as a general thing. Once in a while Freckles, or it might be Budge, would try to usurp the reins; and at such time good-natured Alec let them have all the rope they wanted, even encouraging them in their ambition, possibly knowing that the usual result would come about all the sooner.

Alec had no parents, but lived with a guardian, a Mr. Worthington, who was wellto-do; and as the boy would come into quite a good-sized fortune when he reached the age of twenty-five, according to his father’s will, he never lacked for means.

But Alec was rather different from most lads of his age, and Mr. Worthington had no fear of his liberality being abused in the slightest degree.

Wonder if Alec’s thought up anything for us to do the next four days,” remarked Freckles, as he picked up some object that he discovered lying on the desk of the ambitious inventor; whereupon it was deftly snatched out of his hands by Budge, and rammed in a capacious drawer. Hello! what’s that mean. Budge?” the tall boy added; ^^what under the sun are you trying to get up next? Looked like a frog to me/^

^‘Frog!’’ ejaculated the inventor, looking daggers at his chum, seems like your education must a been neglected, that you can ^t tell a real bird when you see one. ’’

^‘Oh! was that what it was?’’ exclaimed Freckles, ^^well, what’s the difference any way, only a few feathers. Why do I say that, you’re just going to ask? Why, didn’t you ever hear the story about the Irishman who went out hunting shortly after he landed in America?”

‘^No, go on and tell it. Freckles,” urged Jack, who was looking at some prints the owner of the ^4aboratory” had tacked on the walls, and which included airships, motorcycle designs, and all manner of things along those lines.

^‘Well, you must know they don’t have frogs over in Ireland, at least that’s what I’ve been told by Mickey O’Brannagan down at the livery stable. And Pat, seeing a lovely red-bird, took deliberate aim, shut both eyes, and banged away. As he pulled both triggers at the same time, of course he landed on his back. When he got to his feet, the bird was out of sight* but Pat felt sure he must have bagged his game, so going up to the tree

H he began to hunt around under it, till he suddenly spied a frog. He looked at it in astonishment, picked it up, and held it out; and this is what he said: 'Arrah! but ye wore a foine birrd afore I knocked all the fithers aff yer back!’ ”

Of course the other boys had a laugh at ilie story; but Freckles returned again to the attack. His curiosity had really been aroused by that rough pattern of a bird which he had found on the desk of the ambitious but thus far very unsuccessful Budge.

'^See here, you,” he remarked, shaking his long forefinger in the face of his stout chum ; '‘what ’re you up to now? I hope you haven’t got a notion in your head that you can invent an aeroplane that will beat a creation hollow. Just remember the fate of Darius Green and his flying machine, will you, and take warning? Why, bless your innocent soul. Budge, if ever you tried to fly, and took a header, you’d splash all over the country when you struck. Take my advice, and don ’t do it. Bad enough for you to ride a motorcycle, and go scouring all over this broad land with Alec, Jack and myself; but draw the line at sticking to the earth. If any thing happens to you while on

It was only a question of time when the surplus of flesh borne by the challenger must weary him; and then would come the opportunity Freckles was waiting for.

Finally the efforts of Budge to get in a swift, well-aimed blow began to tell on him, and instead of being the aggressor, he had to defend himself. Freckles seemed to wake up, and it was he who did the dancing around now, making frequent jabs at some exposed part of the fat boy^s body, and often landing with more or less of a thump, that would bring out a grunt from the one who received it.

Faster and warmer grew the battle, and evidently Budge must take a good many more private lessons from his instructor before he could best the lanky chum at this lively game. Both were perspiring freely, but Budge was as obstinate as a mule — ^he had been nicknamed by his boy friends simply because as a rule he would never budge — ^and refused to acknowledge defeat, seeming to hope for a lucky break that would favor him.

Suddenly Freckles made a tremendous effort, and shot his mitt out with such power that poor Budge was knocked backward, struck a window, and disappeared from the view of his chums amid a jingling of broken glass.

Chapter II The Bearer Of News

“Oh! thuiider! I didn’t mean to do that!” gasped the astonished Freckles, when he heard the crash, and saw his antagonist vanish through the window, which he really carried with him, sash and all.

Jack Kinkaid was quick to act.

While the tall boy stood there, almost petrified with surprise and consternation, he sprang to the opening, and thrust his head out. Immediately he was seen to stretch his hand toward some one who must have been within reach.

It was Budge, of course. He had landed on a big piano case that by the greatest of good luck happened to lie just under that particular barn window; just as if on purpose to receive his sprawling figure.

Freckles saw that his face was streaked in little patches with blood; and that aroused him as nothing else could do. Remorse was tearing at his heart; he already felt decidedly nu comfortable because he had allowed himself to put so much ^^steam’^iuto that last unfortunate blow.

“Oh! I^m awful sorry, Budge, I did it; sure I never meant to hit you so hard!’^ he exclaimed, hastening to the side of the fat boy, as Jack assisted the other to carefully crawl back through the window.

Even in defeat Budge refused to acknowledge unconditional surrender.

“Huh!’’ he grunted, being very short of wind, “you needn’t flatter yourseK that you did it all. Chances are, if I hadn’t caught my heel in a crack just when you lunged for me, my little game would a-worked, and I’d a-ducked the neatest ever. Say, Jack, am I a sight; will I look like the map of Ireland, with all them scratches running criss-cross over my face? And just to think, there’s goin’ to be one of them nice barn dances Friday night, up-country, and I’ve asked Susie Thomas to go with me! Oh! my stars, am I marked for life? Who’s got some court plaster handy? Freckles, don’t you always carry a supply along? Take a good look. Jack, and tell me the worst. I’m gettin’ a good grip on myself, and I kin stand it now. Go on.”

When Jack had investigated, and rubbed the streaks of blood away with his handkerchief, he announced the glad news that he did not believe any serious damage had been done by the broken glass.

^'Only a few scratches, Budge, believe me, he declared, ^^and ti^ey’ll never show two weeks from now. But I warn you that you won ^t look as pretty right away as you have been doing. It’ll take haK a foot of plaster to cover all these lines. And let me tell you it was as lucky an escape as anybody ’d want to have. Why, you might have cut yourself terribly with all that broken glass. Every pane went to smash. My! but you shot out of that window like a cannon ball!”

Means more work for me a-puttin’ that sash to rights again; but I’m that thankful it’s no worse. I’ll do it gladly. But don’t think I’m going to throw up the sponge, and cry quits with you. Freckles. Just you wait, that’s all.”

^^Till you get a few more lessons from Sim, is that it?” retorted the other, with a grinj *^oh! all right. Budge, only next time we have to go I’m meaning to make sure there’s no window for you to back through, when I give you a gentle little tap. I was badly scared, and that^s right, when I heard the smash, and saw your heels going through there/^ ^‘Well,^' observed Budge, in a resigned mood, reckon I oughtn^t to put up any kick if only I look decent enough to go to that barn dance on Friday; I^d hate sure to disappoint Susie/’

''So far as that goes, don’t you worry; I ’ll see that she gets there, if so be you can ’t go,” remarked Freckles, calmly; at which the other stared at him, frowned, and shook his head while waiting for Jack to start using the court plaster that had been produced.

"You seem to be mighty accommodating, Freckles Codling, ” he remarked, suspiciously. "Makes me remember that you used to be sweet on Susie yourseh, till she took to going places with me. P’raps this was a plot to knock me out of attending that dance with her. I begin to smeU a rat. ”

"Then hurry up and get your broom and basket, because, you see, they weren ’t needed to sweep me up after all,” chuckled the tall boy, throwing the padded boxing gloves aside after he had unlaced them.

"Listen!” exclaimed Jack, pausing a minute later, in the act of covering the last double scratch, which Budge himself humorously referred to as the ‘^canals on Mars/^

‘^Somebody coming, that^s right added Freckles, who had a keen pair of ears.

“And of course it must be Alec; because none of that old Gid Staples’ crowd ever bother us nowadays,” added Budge.

“A good reason why,” Jack went on to say. “We managed to teach them a good lesson the last time, and they’re in the same class with the burnt child that dreads the fire. They know how it hurts to run up against the mower, or fall into the threshing machine. Yes, it’s our Alec, all right, for there goes the signal.”

“Answer it, somebody, please,” urged Budge, “it ought to be my place, as the fellow owning the ranch; but with all this sticking plaster on my cheeks and nose and forehead. I feel like my face was crinkled up, and I couldo ’t crack a smile to save me. That’s right. Freckles, you’re a good whistler. And here he comes.”

The outer door opened to give admittance to a well-built boy, who possessed a resolute face, and brown eyes, as well as curly hair of the same color.

Of course he stared as he saw what Jack was doing.

^^Well, tell me what’s been going on here among you fellows?” he asked as soon as he could catch his breath.

Freckles simply pointed toward the gaping sash; and naturally the sight of this only increased the wonderment of the newcomer.

^‘Tell me,” he exclaimed, ^^did somebody throw a stone through that window, and hit you. Budge? But no, that couldn’t have been, because I don’t see even a little bit of broken glass on the floor. That sash must have gone outward; say, did you fall with it. Budge? What were you doing? Oh! I see now; you’ve got your gloves on, haven’t you? "VVlio did it, Freckles?”

Yes, we were having a friendly little bout, you see, and he made a crack at me which I meant to duck; but I caught my heel and he landed. As I’d lost my balance, why, you see, I just went kerflop through backwards. Tell me, am I going to be marked for life, Alec? Jack says not, but then mebbe he’s just telling me that so I won’t know the w:orst all at once. D’ye think I might go to that barn dance Friday night. Will I look like a butcher? Can I take the court plaster off by then, would you think, Alec? Oh! tell me something to encourage me, won’t you?”

So Alec had to gravely examine his hurts, and when this had been done he assured the anxious fat boy that he had had the luckiest tumble in all his career, since the chances were as forty- nine out of fifty that he might have met with a terrible injury, with aU that splintered glass around him.

Being very clumsy Budge was frequently getting into trouble with his numerous stumbles. His friends could look back to a multitude of scrapes he had got into just because it was so easy for him to trip, and go lunging headlong. But his good nature covered a multitude of short-comings; it was like the mantle of charity that hides a host of petty sins.

^H’m glad to hear you say all that, Alec,” Budge went on, as Jack finished the job of plastering his face, until he looked a curious sight, and might have passed for a tattooed South Sea Islander, so Freckles hastened to assure him; telling the other that he had the chance of his life to make a profitable engagement.

“You wouldn’t go and contract with Bar-

STORTvIBOUND num for his fat boy when we wanted you to/' he went on to say, with pretended indignation,'' and now you'd command a much higher salary as the Wild Boy from Borneo, just caught in the bush, and with his face all tattooed after the style of his tribe. You'll be sorry you let this chance go by. Budge. Think of the good times you'd have, seein' the world free, and gettin' all the good eatin', same's the other freaks. Think it over. It's the chance of a life-time, old feUer."

Budge, however, was used to the chaffing of this joking chum; so that he only nodded his head, made a little grimace of pain, and then grinned horribly; that word is the only one capable of describing his appearance with all those strips of the court plaster adorning his red face, and the whole distorted into what he doubtless intended to be a smile.

<< Forget it, won't you, fellers?" he remarked. ^‘It's a past number now. I'm the only one to suffer. Yes, if you want, Freckles, you can even up by coming around tomorrow morning, and help me put new glass in that sash. Be sure'n come early, mind you, because," with a quick glance toward Alec, something might happen that we^d want to skip out of town in a hurry/’

'^That’s right,” added Freckles, '^because I c’n see by the look on Alec’s face, that he’s holding something back right now. What’s the use of keeping us on the anxious seat, so? Suppose you own up, Alec. When do we start?”

'^Just as soon after breakfast as we can get away. Fact is, I ’m going to ask you three to drop around, and have an early bite with me, so’s to gain an hour or so of time,” Alec went on to say.

That caused the others to exchange puzzled glances.

‘^What’s all the hurry about, Alec?” grumbled Budge, who never liked to be unduly pushed, but preferred to just take his own time about things, like most stout people do,

Rome wasn ’t built in a day. And you know breakfast ’s nearly always my best meal of the whole day. If I don ’t get my usual supply aboard then, I’m apt to be peeved for a long time afterwards, and make everybody sorry. ” Yes, why stir up the roaring lion that way, Alec?” Freckles remarked. ^^You told us once that we ought to make that cabin camp of Mr. Sands’ in less’n six hours, under

3!

favorable conditions; and sure, the roads are pretty fair right now, considering that it's close to the end of December, when they're nearly always buried under two feet of snow. "

Alec pretended to look surprised, for he elevated his eyebrows.

^^Who said anything about Mr. Sands' camp?" he observed.

‘^What! Ain't we going up there, then?" demanded Budge, weakly.

^^Not that I know of," came the quick reply.

^'Then where are we going, Alec?" asked Freckles. ^'For goodness' sake alive, if you ain't the most tantalizing feller I ever saw. Headed for Florida this time; or is it a nice little spin down through Mexico, to see what the revolutionists are doing these days? But whatever it is, tell us right away. Budge here will surely have a fit and burst his hoops if you don't spit it out quick."

^^Well, the fact is, boys, after we start out in the early morning, I don 't know any more than you do where we'll bring up. We're going somewhere, and in a big hurry, too," and Alec calmly seated himself, while the others gathered around him in a semi-circle.

their faces eloquent of curiosity in great streaks.

^^Oh! come off, Alec, and stop tantalizing a feller,^’ said Budge.

'^Yes,’^ added Jack, “youVe got us all keyed up to high pitch now, Alec; so take pity on us, and spin your little yarn, like a good fellow.’^

'^Just what I^m going to do, boys,’^ the newcomer went on to say. ^^WeVe been through a whole lot of odd happenings together since first we got our motorcycles; but by the time you hear what we’re bound to try next, you’ll agree with me that it’s the queerest stunt of the whole bunch. And now, listen!”

Chapter III Motorcycle Against Touring Car

OR, Alec, and don^t you dare hold back another second,” exclaimed Budge, making a threatening fist of his chubby hand, and waving it before the eyes of the tantalizing one.

What's your hurry. Budge?” asked Alec, seeing his chance to get back at the stout chum, don't you remember, Rome wasn't built in a day? Just hold in your horses; take things easy, like I do, and you'll grow fat. But, joking aside, boys, the queerest thing possible has just happened over at our house.”

^^Yes?” the three others said in unison, as Alec paused to catch his breath.

^^You remember a friend of my guardian stopped over with us last night. He was heading north in his car at the time, and left this morning. It never occurred to Mr. Worthington that he had forgotten to ask where he expected to stop tonight, until he suddenly ran across a very important paper that Judge Rollins must have dropped without knowing it. It is of the greatest importance that he get it again as soon as possible. Mr. Worthington doesn’t know where he could get in touch with him inside of a week, and it will be too late then, for the option will have expired, and the judge stands to lose a big slice of his fortune. Are you following me, boys?”

^^Yo\i bet we are; go right along,” cried Freckles, whose eyes were really sparkling with excitement, as though he already scented the glorious proposal which the other was soon to put forward.

^^When I saw how troubled Mr. Worthington was,” continued Alec, suddenly, just like that, I had an idea. The roads are good, the weather seems to promise to be fine yet awhile; now, what was to hinder me going on my motorcycle after Judge Rollins and tracking him along from village to village, finally overtake him, restore the paper, and then come back, after having a bully spin over a couple of hundred miles, it might be?”

^^Wow! one of your brightest flashes, and that’s saying a good lot, Alec, because you’re always having Freckles declared with

the air of sincerity that told how he meant every word of it.

^^And of course, when you say that you could do this, it’s just the same as meaning three other fellows I could name go along with you?” suggested Jack, confidently.

^^Well,” remarked Budge, ^^I’d like to see him proposing to leaye us in the lurch, when we’ve got a standin’ agreement to the effect that an injury to one is an injury to all; and that we share and share alike whether it be good or evil. Course it means we’re in the swim with Alec. He never could think anything else,” was the way Budge gave vent to his opinion.

Alec seemed to wince a little, though he did not try to persuade Budge to change his mind — ^not just then, at any rate.

Well, now that you get the idea how does it seem to strike you? ” he asked.

think it would be a cracker jack of a run!” exclaimed Freckles.

“And seems to me it would give us a good chance to air our knowledge of following a trail,” said Jack, who seemed greatly pleased with the idea. “It ought to be great fun figuring out just which way they would be most apt to turn whenever we come to a crossroads, or where the pike forks. And think of the thousand-and-one questions we can fire at people, asking them if theyVe seen such and such a car pass by, how long since, bound which way, and so on. I give you my word for it, Alec, I like the idea first-rate.’’

‘^I’ve been reading up some more on that subject,” admitted Budge, cautiously, as he glanced first at Alec, and then at each of the others, as though wondering how they would take the fact, '^and let me tell you, it’s mighty interestin’, now. There’s w^ays to follow a trail even when it goes in and out of the water. And p’raps, if I had a chance 1 might show you something I studied by heart.”

Alec rubbed his chin, and then looked uneasily at Budge, giving the others a sly wink meanwhile, which put them wise to the fact that there was something up.

^^Do you think it would be wise for you to undertake such a strenuous chase, Budge, heating up your blood, so soon after you’ve been seriously injured?” Alec asked, as a feeler.

‘'But you’re mistaken, Alec; I ain’t hurt much at all. This here lot of plasters might make you think so, but it’s pretty much all a bluff. A few little scratches, that’s all. Who cares for them? Course I’m iu good trim for a warm spin ; never felt better in all my life. And you know, all of you do, that I’ve improved in my riding a hundred per cent since that time we went down to the Land of the Sky in North Carolina. I don ’t take near so many headers as I used to; and I always pick out a nice soft place to land in, don’t I, Freckles?”

Thus directly appealed to, and in such a plaintive tone, the tall boy could not find it in his heart to deny the fact.

just reckon, suh, that is what you do,” he went on, pretending to imitate one of the natives whom the motorcycle boys may have met in their visit to the Southland just mentioned. Leastwise, I remember that the very last time you got pitched by your bucking motorcycle, you did drop into the muck bed of a marsh; and we had to pull you out by means of long poles. Wheel I c’n hear that squash when you lit, every time I think of it. And how the mud did fly!”

‘'There, that settles it, Alec. Count me in when you make up the roster of them that are going on this new trip,” declared Budge, with the look on his face that stood for determination and never-give-upness. ”

^*But there’s one thing you forget, Budge, ” insinuated Freckles, who guessed how Alec would rather the fat rider did not try to keep along with the rest of the party on this particular little dash, that promised to be a warm one.