“Come back! Where are you going?” cried the guardian.
“I’ll show you, I’ll show them! Just watch and you’ll see more fun than a barrel of monkeys eating cayenne pepper.”
Dashing up to the car, she advanced the spark control, and gave the crank a quick turn. The car began a sputtering that quickly grew into a roar from the exhaust. Crazy Jane leaped in. She was clad in a bathrobe that reached to her ankles; her tangle of hair fell about her face and shoulders giving her face a wilder and more weird expression than ever.
Jane threw in the high speed lever. The car leaped forward. Harriet Burrell, who had divined something of Jane’s purpose, made a running leap and landed on the step, grasping one of the cover braces for support.
“Jane, Jane! For goodness’ sake, what are you going to do?”
“I’m going to give the rascals the scare of their lives. They haven’t had enough. Get in!”
Harriet did so, but only to prevent being thrown off the car. She had little desire to participate in the drive that she well knew would be an exciting one. Miss Elting was shouting to Jane to come back. Jane did not or would not hear. Uttering a shrill little cry of triumph she drove the car ahead at a perilous rate of speed. Over the rough field the automobile lurched and careened imperiling the safety of its occupants and threatening momentarily to upset and wreck the car.
The two men were fleeing across the field. Seeing the car bearing down upon them, they began to dodge. The big white eyes of the headlights followed them wherever they went. It was maddening. Now the fugitives began zig-zagging. So did Crazy Jane. Once she nearly ran them down. The Italians sprang out of the way just in time and began running back toward the camp. Jane pursued them as soon as she could get the car turned about and facing the other way. By this time the men had gotten a long start.
“They’re making for the camp, the villains,” breathed Jane.
“It is because they are trying to get out of your way,” answered Harriet almost breathlessly. “You will have to head them off.”