The boys rolled their motor-cycles out in the road. They leaped into the saddles, started off, and in another instant had turned on the power and were off down the highway leading to Cresville. As they whizzed past the house, in which several lights now gleamed, they heard Noddy cry:
“Confound them! I’ll fix them for spying on me!”
At the same time they heard the explosions that indicated that Noddy had put his motor cycle in operation.
“The race is on!” cried Ned.
And a race it was to be. They were about thirty-five miles from home. There was a good road, and, with the moon high up now, it was well lighted. The acetylene lamps on the machines also gave good illumination. In a few minutes the motors of the three boys were humming on half-speed.
Behind them, borne on the night wind, could be heard the puffing of the motor-cycle in pursuit. But the three chums had a start of several minutes, which counted much.
“Look behind and see if you can see his lamp,” said Ned.
“Not a gleam,” reported Bob, after a hasty glance.
Several miles were passed in this fashion, the pursuing machine getting no nearer. Then, all at once, Ned cried:
“I can see his light!”