“Pierre Dufour has just a little bit of a walk ahead of him,” went on George, speaking rapidly. “This is my machine, bought with my own coin; and if you chaps want a dandy ride, jump in.”
“What?” gasped Fred Winter.
“Why not?”
“That’s a bully idea,” laughed Aleck Hunt. “I’ll go, all right. Know how to run the machine?”
“I can start and stop it,” answered George; “and talk a streak about carburetors, spark plugs and steering gears; and if nothing busts, and it stays face up, I’m all right. Jump in. That silly chump may be nosing back any minute—quick! Want to go, Somers?”
Bob shook his head, and asked:
“How about the other boys?”
“We can leave the car in a garage somewhere and look out for ’em. I’ll bet Pierre is over by the house-boat now; and you wouldn’t catch me falling into any trap.”
“You two fellows go,” said Fred, solemnly, “and we’ll walk back. It’s going to be a fine night to look at the moon, and——”
“That settles it,” laughed Aleck.