CHAPTER III
NEWS FROM THE WEST
THE track was a half-mile one, and, as the length of the race was five
miles it would be necessary to make ten laps or circuits. The course
was in the shape of an ellipse, with rather sharp turns at either end,
where the contestants, if they did not want a spill, or a bad skid,
must slacken their pace. It was on the two straight stretches that
speed could be made.
At the report of the pistol Noddy's car shot off as an arrow from a
bow, the explosions of the cylinders sounding like a small battery of
quick-firing guns in action. But the others were after him, the five
cars bunched together, that of the motor boys a little behind the
other four.
"We've got to catch him, Jerry," whispered Bob.
"Easier said than done," replied Jerry, as he shoved the gasolene
lever over a trifle, and advanced the spark, thereby increasing the
speed of the car. "Noddy's got a powerful machine."
"They should have had a handicap on this race," said Tom Jennings, the
young man whom the hotel clerk had asked to be a fourth passenger in
the motor boys' car, so that the conditions of the contest would be
met. "It's not fair to have a high power auto race one of two
cylinders."
"Ours has four," spoke Ned. "Of course its not as up-to-date as
Noddy's is, but--"
"We'll beat him!" exclaimed Bob. "We've done it before and we can do
it again."
"I'm afraid not," went on Tom. "That big green car of his will go
ahead of anything on this track.
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