He hurried out of the saloon. Patsy and the other worthy ordered more beer and divided the money Burnham had paid.
“What do you say, Patsy?” asked his pal. “Want to go after that duck again for a hundred?”
“Not on your life!” returned Patsy fervently. “I wouldn’t tackle him for five hundred.”
And Patsy meant it.
It was in the forenoon of the next day that Stanley Downs again tried out the car he was to use in the race. By his side was the taciturn, efficient young man who had been offered to him by the Moussard Company as his mechanician.
The mechanician often is as important a personage in a racing car as the driver. At any moment during the race the machine may develop some weakness, and it is the mechanician who immediately jumps in to get things going again. At a time when every second counts, the ability of the mechanician to work swiftly very often wins the struggle.
Stanley was entirely satisfied with the performance of the Thunderbolt, and was smiling as he got out of his seat in the garage, after the trial on the track.
“Paul,” he said to the mechanician. “You might as well look things over again. And perhaps it would be well if you got around very early in the morning to make sure that everything is right. The other men here are all safe, of course, or the Moussard people wouldn’t have them. But I believe in seeing for myself that my machine is right before it starts.”
“I’ll do it, sir,” replied Paul briefly. “I’ll have the car in good shape. But I would advise that you look her over yourself afterward.”
“I shall do that, of course, Paul,” returned Stanley. “I’m going to the hotel to rest most of the day. If you want me, you can call me up there.”