"You did exactly right," said Colonel Howard; "it was the turning-point of the whole affair."
"That fellow Young ought to be court-martialled," growled the irate Camp.
"Never mind, Camp," laughed Colonel Howard; "you out-generalled me fairly enough, and the rest was simply the fortune of war. By-the-way, what became of Jack and the 'quad'?"
Now it happened that there was an interesting answer to Colonel Howard's query about this "quad"; but that is another story.
[THE CARE OF A WHEEL.]
BY DUDLEY D. F. PARKER.
It is astonishing, considering the number of riders of the wheel at present, the comparatively small percentage that know really anything about their "mounts." A visit to any bicycle repair-shop will conclusively dispel all doubts as to the truth of this assertion. Here you will find long lines of wheels awaiting repairs, some of the damages, of course, being serious, but the majority are unruly valves, punctures, and bearings out of adjustment. It is particularly noticeable the number of wheels in which a slight knowledge of their construction would have enabled the repairs to be made at home.
How frequently one sees a rider, wrench in hand, dubiously surveying his wheel at arm's-length, now tightening a nut here or loosening one there, in a vain endeavor to fix in this manner something that is out of order and prevents his wheel from running properly! But beyond the fact that something is wrong, he has not the slightest idea of the nature of the trouble.
Or again, another enthusiast is deluging every visible chink in his bicycle with oil, in the hopes of finding some mysterious squeak, the location of which would be an easy matter if the position of the different bearings were understood. It is conceded without exception by all wheelmen that a fair knowledge of the construction of a wheel is essential to its proper care.