“And show some of those that are still ahead of us, our dust, too!” interposed Billy.
“Exactly. Therefore,” concluded his brother, “let’s put our car in proper shape to-night.”
And they did that, although it took them until nearly one o’clock in the morning. But then Dan and Billy had the satisfaction of knowing that their car was again in as good order as it was when it rolled out of the motordrome at Compton the previous noon.
They were weary enough when they went to bed. All the other contestants who had put up at the inn were long since asleep; but some of them would be obliged to spend an hour or two in the morning overhauling and grooming their cars.
Dan and Billy were eating an early breakfast—the clock stood at 6:15—when Burton Poole came into the dining room, yawning.
“And here’s two more of ’em!” Poole cried. “My! but I didn’t want to get up at all. Chance has been out an hour or more.”
“Your car ready?” asked Billy, with his mouth full.
“Yep. You know, we got in at three o’clock and had plenty of time.”
“Then you’ll be getting under way soon?” suggested Dan.
“We’ll give you a rub on the road, I reckon,” said Burton, lazily. “See what Chance says about it. Oh! here he is.”