“I don’t want to come in second,” spoke up Ned. “I want to beat him.”
“So do I,” replied Jerry, “but it’s not going to be so easy. Our car’s doing well, but we can’t expect wonders of it.”
“The race isn’t over until you’re at the finish tape,” said Tom Jennings. “Keep on, boys, I’d like to see that Nixon chap beaten. He thinks he owns the earth.”
For two miles there was no change in the position of the cars. Then slowly, very slowly, Jerry saw that his red machine was overtaking the yellow car. Inch by inch it crept up, the steersman of the rival car doing his best but failing to get more speed out of the engine.
“Too bad we have to pass you!” cried Jerry, as he careened past the yellow machine.
“That’s all right,” sung out the steersman good-naturedly. “Beat that other one, if you can.”
“We’re going to try!” yelled Ned, above the noise of the exploding cylinders.
They were on a straight stretch then and, as Noddy looked back and saw the red car closer to him than it had been before, he put on more speed. His green auto shot forward but Jerry still had something in reserve, and he let his machine out another notch.
“He’s got to slow up for the turn!” cried Ned. “Maybe we can pass him!”
“Yes, but we’ve got to slacken up too, if we don’t want a spill,” replied Bob.