boys walked back to the hotel shed and got out the touring-car. Bert took the vacant seat beside Roger, and away the party bowled over the highway that ran around Lake Sargola.
"I wish we had a car," said Bert. "But dad won't get one, because, last summer, a friend of his was killed in an automobile accident."
"Well, that's enough to take the nerve out of any one," was Dave's answer.
The car rolled on, and Bert asked about the doings of the boys at Oak Hall, and told of life at the technical training school which he attended. They had almost circled the lake when Roger slowed down.
"What do you say to a trip to the top of Sugar Hill?" he asked.
"Sugar Hill?" cried Bert. "Can you go up that hill with this car?"
"Sure!" was Roger's prompt reply. "It's pretty steep, I know, but I'm sure I can make it."
"It's a fine view from there, Roger. But the hill is pretty steep towards the end."
"Oh, I'm not afraid of it." The senator's son turned to the others. "What do you say?"
"I'll go anywhere," declared Phil.
"Same here," laughed Dave. "But don't be too long about it, Roger."
"Why?"
"I think that storm is working its way back again."
"Oh, nonsense, don't be a croaker, Dave! It won't rain in a year of Mondays!" cried the senator's son, and then he put on speed once more, and headed the touring-car for Sugar Hill.
The place mentioned was an elevation about a mile back from the lake. It was almost a mountain in size, and the road leading to the top was anything but a good one, being filled with ruts and loose stones. But the engine of the car was powerful, and it was not until they were almost to the top of the hill that Roger had to throw the gears into second speed.
"Some climb and no mistake!" murmured Dave. "Can you make it, Roger?"
"Top or bust!" was the laconic answer.
Scarcely had the senator's son spoken when there came a loud report from the front end of the car.
"A blowout!" gasped Phil.
"The front tire on this side has gone to pieces!" announced Bert. "Will you have to stop?"
"Can't--not here!" announced Roger, grimly. And then he shut his teeth hard and turned on more gasoline. Up and up they bumped, the burst tire cutting deeply into the rough stones. But the power was there, and in less than thirty seconds more the car came to a standstill on the level top of Sugar Hill.
"Phew; that was a narrow shave!" remarked Bert, as the boys got out of the car. "Roger, what would you have done if you couldn't go ahead? There wasn't room to turn."
"I knew there wasn't room, Bert; that's the reason I made the car go up," was the reply. "It was a bad hole to get caught in."
"I guess it cost you the shoe," remarked Dave, as he examined the article. "Pretty well cut up."
"It was an old one, anyway, Dave. Now we'll have the pleasure of putting on one of those new ones," and he smiled grimly, for he did not like that task any better than does any other autoist.
"Oh, we'll all help," cried Phil. "It won't be so bad, if we all take turns at pumping in the air."
"Wish I had one of those new kind of machine pumps on the car," answered Roger. "But I haven't got it, so it's got to be bone labor, boys." And then the damaged wheel was jacked up and a new shoe with its inner tube was put on and inflated. All told, the job took the boys a full half-hour, for the new shoe was a tight fit and did not want to go over the rim at first.
"Hello, what do you know about this!" cried Phil, as they were finishing the blowing up of the tube. "It's raining!"
"Yes, and look how black it is getting over yonder!" exclaimed Bert. "We are in for a storm now, sure!"
"I was almost certain we'd catch it," said Dave. He unscrewed the pump from the wheel. "Roger, we had better get back to that hotel just as fast as we can."
"My idea, exactly, Dave, for I don't want to be caught on this hilly road in a storm."
"Better put the top up," advised the shipowner's son. "It's going to pour in a few minutes."
"And hadn't we better put on the chains, too, Roger?" questioned Dave. "It may be dangerous work going down the hill if it rains hard."
"Yes, we'll put up the top and put on the chains," was the quick reply of the senator's son. "You fellows attend to the top and I'll see to the chains."
By the time the top had been put up and fastened it was raining steadily. Also, the wind was beginning to blow, showing that the downpour was liable to become worse.
"Fasten the side curtains, Phil; I'll help with the chains!" sang out Dave, and while the shipowner's son and Bert fastened the curtains, so as to keep out the driving rain, our hero aided Roger.
"You'll get wet, Dave; better get in the car," panted Roger, who was working as rapidly as circumstances permitted.
"No wetter than you," answered Dave, and then he pulled the second chain in place and fastened it. Both boys got into the touring-car just as a heavy crash of thunder sounded out.
"Phew! listen to that, and look at the lightning!" cried Phil. "Say, if you are ready, Roger, we had better get out of here!"
"If you can only get back to the hotel," murmured Bert, anxiously. "If I were you I'd not think of going home until the storm clears away."
"Back to the hotel will be enough for me," answered Roger. "All ready?" he asked, for he had already cranked up.
"All ready," answered Dave, who had gotten on the front seat, thus allowing Bert and Phil the better shelter of the tonneau of the car.
The senator's son started up the automobile and made a circle on the top of the hill. Then, just as there came another flash of lightning and a loud crash of thunder, the boys began the long and perilous journey down the rough road leading from Sugar Hill.
CHAPTER IV
A QUESTION OF STOCKS
"Some rain, believe me!"
It was Dave who uttered the remark, as the touring-car commenced the long and dangerous descent of Sugar Hill. A sheet of water was dashing against the wind-shield, which had been raised as high as possible.
"I wish it was driving the other way," answered Roger, who was peering forward. "It covers the glass so I can hardly see."
"Better take it slow," suggested Dave.
Another flash of lightning lit up the scene, accompanied by a crack of thunder that made some of the boys crouch down for a second. Then came more wind and more rain.
"I hope the wind and lightning don't throw a tree down across the roadway," cried Phil, loudly, to make himself heard above the fury of the elements.
"We've got our eyes open!" answered Dave. "I'll look over the wind-shield," he added, to Roger, and lifted a corner of the front curtain for that purpose.
"You'll get wet, Dave."
"Not a great deal, and I'd rather do that than have an accident," was the reply.
Roger had thrown the car into low gear, so that the power was really acting as a sort of brake. Slowly they slid along, over the wet stones and dirt. Then came a sharp turn, and the senator's son slowed down still more. The touring-car skidded a distance of several feet, and all held their breath, wondering if they would go