A hasty inspection of the car showed this to be true, and [the boys], with the help of the old miner, soon [pulled the two pieces of tree out of the way] and well to one side, where no other motorist would be put in danger.
[THE BOYS PULLED THE TWO PIECES OF TREE OUT OF THE WAY.]
All this time the professor sat in comfort in the rear of the car, going over some of his notebooks in the light of a small lamp which was fastened to the back of the front seat. The scientist had turned it on.
The boys, knowing his ways, did not ask him to help them, and he was so deeply interested in the bugs he had caught in the hay that he paid little attention to what was going on around him.
Once more, through the storm and darkness, the Motor Boys proceeded and succeeded without further incident in reaching Newton. There they went to a hotel for the night. They soon discovered that Noddy and his fellow conspirators were not at this place, and they surmised that their enemies had gone on.
Somewhat to the surprise of the boys, the morning broke clear. Though the storm kept up all night, the rain ceased about sunrise. With cheerful spirits the travelers filed into the dining room, led, as was usually the case, by the substantial Bob Baker.
“Let’s sit over there,” he suggested, pointing to a table near which hovered a rather pretty waitress, albeit she was very stout.
“What’s the idea? Do you know her?” asked Ned, in a low voice.