“That’s all right,” said Dan. “She can do fast time—there’s no doubt of it. But that isn’t the way to win an endurance test of a thousand miles, Billy.”
“I expect not,” agreed his brother.
“Fast traveling will shake the best car to pieces. And we are not up in the mechanics of the automobile yet—we can’t stop anywhere on the road and repair the vitals of our craft, as these professionals do.”
“We’ve got to learn,” said Billy, thoughtfully.
“That’s the checker! If we are going in for mechanics—motorcycles, motor cars—perhaps, Billy, power boats——”
“Ouch! you’re treading on a sore corn,” grunted Billy, but with a grin. “I was watching those scooters running up and down the river under the bridge the other day till my tongue fairly hung out of my mouth! My goodness me, Dannie! what couldn’t we do with a motor boat—eh?”
“We couldn’t plow for corn with it, I reckon,” laughed the elder brother. “But it would be fine to own a launch like the Pedoe, or the Mainspring II.”
“And how about John Lovell’s Blue Streak?” exclaimed Billy. “I saw her on the Fourth. Why, she cut the water like a shark going to dinner!”
“Well, to get back to what I was saying,” Dan observed. “If we are going in for these things, we must have some technical training. We can’t think of going to school after next year. Father can’t afford to send us. But we must get in somewhere—into some shop where we can learn mechanics.”
“The Darringford Shops, for instance?” suggested Billy.