“He played us as mean a trick as ever was played,” declared Billy.
“He did indeed. But we have caught up with him again. He won’t get past the Carpenter House to-night.”
Which was a fact, for after Dan and Billy had cleaned up their car and had put their next day’s supply of gasoline under lock and key this time, to be sure of it, they went out on High street and saw Chance and Burton Poole with a crowd of college fellows, going to one of the students’ boarding houses for supper.
The Speedwells ate their own supper, and then walked about the town quietly. They learned that forty of the racing cars had reached Greenbaugh during the evening. The streets were crowded with sight-seers. Late in the evening the seminary boys made a demonstration.
They had fireworks on the campus and then paraded the streets in autos and afoot, Burton Poole’s car in the lead with great placards on it.
Red fire and a noisy demonstration accompanied the parade; but the town police kept good order. There was a big, six-seated car that belonged in the town, and was hired by the seminary boys. This had a prominent place in the parade, and the next morning, when Dan and Billy got out at daybreak, they saw this machine, loaded with noisy but sleepy-looking fellows, rolling down to the High street.
“They’ve made a night of it!” exclaimed Dan. “And I bet Chance and Burton have been with them. They’ll feel just like running an auto to-day—I don’t think!”
“All right. If they want to give themselves a handicap,” returned Billy, “I won’t complain.”
“Let’s hurry and get away. I don’t want to see Chance Avery to-day if I can help it.”
“You mean to keep ahead of him, then?” chuckled Billy.