In the meantime the big touring car was leaving Crumville rapidly behind. On the front seat, beside Mr. Porter, sat Phil, waving an Oak Hall banner and cracking all kinds of jokes. In the back were the two girls with Dave and Roger. All were well bundled up, for the air, though clear, was still cold.

"Here is where we make fifty miles an hour!" cried the shipowner's son, gayly.

"Oh, Phil!" burst out Laura. "Fifty miles an hour! Uncle Dunston, don't you dare----"

"Phil is fooling," interrupted her uncle.

"That's it--I made a mistake--we are to go at sixty miles an hour, just as soon as we pa.s.s the next chicken coop. We won't dare do it before, for fear of blowing the coop over. We----"

"Why not make it seventy-five miles while you are at it," broke in Dave. "Nothing like going the limit." And at this there was a general laugh.

"There is a bad turn ahead," said Dunston Porter, a minute later.

"They have torn up part of the road around the hill. We'll have to take it pretty slowly."

The touring car crept up the hill, past several heaps of dirt, and then started to come down on the other side. Here there was a sharp curve, with heavy bushes on both sides. Mr. Porter blew the horn loud and long, to warn anybody ahead that he was coming.

"Look out!" yelled Phil, suddenly. But the warning was not necessary, for Dunston Porter saw the danger and so did the others. A horse and buggy were just ahead on the torn-up highway, going in the same direction as themselves. The horse was prancing and rearing and the driver was sawing at the lines in an effort to quiet the steed. It looked as if there might be a collision.

CHAPTER III

A TALK OF THE FUTURE

The girls screamed and the boys uttered various cries and words of advice. Dave leaned forward, to jam on the hand-brake, but his uncle was ahead of him in the action. The foot-brake was already down, and from the rear wheels came a shrill squeaking, as the bands gripped the hubs. But the hill was a steep one and the big touring car, well laden, continued to move downward, although but slowly.

"Keep over! Keep over to the right!" yelled Dunston Porter, to the driver of the buggy. But the man was fully as excited as his horse, and he continued to saw on the reins, until the turnout occupied the very center of the narrow and torn-up highway.

It was a time of peril, and a man less used to critical moments than Dunston Porter might have lost his head completely. But this old traveler and hunter, who had faced grizzly bears in the West and lions in Africa, managed to keep cool. He saw a chance to pa.s.s on the right of the turnout ahead, and like a flash he let go on the two brakes and turned on a little power. Forward bounded the big car, the right wheels on the very edge of a water-gully. The left mud-guards sc.r.a.ped the buggy, and the man driving it uttered a yell of fright. Then the touring car went on, to come to a halt at the bottom of the hill, a short distance away.

"h.e.l.lo!" exclaimed Dave, as he looked back at the turnout that had caused the trouble. "It's Mr. Poole!"

"You mean Nat's father?" queried Phil.

"Yes."

"Hi, you! What do you mean by running into me?" stormed the money-lender, savagely, as he presently managed to get his steed under control and came down beside the touring car.

"What do you mean by blocking the road, Mr. Poole?" returned Dunston Porter, coldly.

"I didn't block the road!"

"You certainly did. If we had run into you, it would have been your fault."

"Nonsense! You pa.s.sed me on the wrong side."

"Because you didn't give me room to pa.s.s on the other side."

"And your horn scared my horse."

"I don't see how that is my fault. Your horse ought to be used to auto-horns by this time."

"You've sc.r.a.ped all the paint off my carriage, and I had it painted only last week," went on the money-lender, warming up. "It's an outrage how you auto fellows think you own the whole road!"

"I won't discuss the matter now, Mr. Poole," answered Dunston Porter, stiffly. "I think it was your fault entirely. But if you think otherwise, come and see me when I get back from this trip, which will be in four days." And without waiting for more words, Dave's uncle started up the touring car, and Aaron Poole was soon left far behind.

"If he isn't a peach!" murmured Roger, slangily. "It's easy to see where Nat gets his meanness from. He is simply a chip off the old block."

"He's a pretty big chip," returned Phil, dryly.

"I don't see how he can blame us," said Dave. "We simply couldn't pa.s.s him on the left. If we had tried, we'd have gone in the ditch sure.

And the sc.r.a.ping we did to his buggy amounts to next to nothing."

"I am not afraid of what he'll do," said Dunston Porter. "A couple of dollars will fix up those scratches, and if he is so close-fisted I'll foot the bill. But I'll give him a piece of my mind for blocking the road."

"But his horse was frightened, Uncle Dunston," said Laura.

"A little, yes, but if Poole hadn't got scared himself he might have drawn closer to the side of the road. I think he was more frightened than the horse."

"He certainly was," declared Phil. "When we sc.r.a.ped the buggy his face got as white as chalk, and he almost dropped the lines."

"He'll hate all of us worse than ever for this," was Dave's comment.

"I am not afraid of him," answered the uncle.

On and on sped the big touring car, and soon the stirring incident on the road was, for the time being, forgotten. Crumville had been left far behind, and now they pa.s.sed through one pretty village after another. On the broad, level stretches Dunston Porter allowed the boys to "spell" him at the wheel, for each knew how to run an automobile.

"Twenty miles more to Ryeport!" cried Dave, as they came to a crossroads and read a signboard.

"And it's just half-past five," added the senator's son, consulting his watch. "We'll get there in plenty of time to wash up and have a fine dinner."

"And, say, maybe we won't do a thing to that table!" murmured Phil, smacking his lips.

"Oh, you boys are always hungry," was Jessie's comment.

"Well, you know, we've got to grow," answered Phil, with a grin.

"I think I'll enjoy eating after such a long ride," said Laura. "The fresh air certainly does give one an appet.i.te."

"I think I'll order bread and milk for all hands," remarked Dunston Porter, with a sly smile.

"Bread and milk!" murmured Jessie, in dismay.

"Sure. It's famous for your complexion."

"A juicy steak for mine!" cried Dave. "Steak, and vegetables, and salad, and pudding or pie."