CHAPTER VII
THE RACE
The House on Wheels was half way up a steep slope when the motor stopped and the heavy, and somewhat clumsy car—clumsy because of its bulk—began to go backward. Of course there were brakes. Tom had provided a double set, and they would hold. He had tested them under severe strains. But it took a moment for both the young men to realize what had happened and to decide what to do.
Of course there was only one course of action after Tom had quickly discovered that the stoppage of the motor was not momentary, and that it could not be galvanized into action by the self-starter. The thing to do was to jam on the brakes, which the young inventor did before the backward motion of the House had gained it such momentum that it could not be checked.
"Whew!" whistled Ned, as he felt the machine come to what seemed like a reluctant stop. "That was a close call!"
"Oh, no," said Tom, half smiling. "I could have let her get up even more speed than she had, rolling backward, and yet have brought her to a stop with the one set of brakes."
"On this hill?" Ned was a bit incredulous.
"Yes, or on a steeper one. I want to try her on some mountain."
"Maybe you'll get the chance," Ned remarked.
"What do you mean?" asked Tom, for there seemed to be something his chum was holding back. But as, just then, a peculiar buzzing sounded from beneath the motor hood, Tom decided to investigate that before asking any questions.
The brakes were holding the House on Wheels midway up the rather steep hill, but on getting out of the driver's seat, which the two young men did very soon after the accident, their first care was to block the rear wheels with a log of wood which they dragged from a near-by thicket. After seeing that this would keep the car from rolling back downhill, even if the brakes should let go, Tom fastened a rope to the log and the other end of the cable to the rear of the House on Wheels.
"What's the idea?" asked Ned. "Going to use that as a drag going downhill on the other side?"
"No. But haven't you often noticed that where motorists have to stop on a hill, and use rocks or logs to block them, they go away after getting a new start and leave the obstructions in the road?"
"I've seen that many a time," agreed Ned, "and I've bawled 'em out for it more than once. The trouble is that they aren't there to hear what I think about 'em."
"That's just it. Well, I may want to start up without having to release my brakes suddenly, hence the log of wood. And as I don't want to leave you behind to roll the log out of the way, I fastened on this rope. We'll pull the log behind us up to the top of the hill, where it is level, and then we can stop and take it off."
"Good idea!" commented Ned. "Now let's see what's wrong. I do hope it isn't anything serious."
"No, it can't be," decided Tom. "The motor was too severely tested for that. It's just some little dingus that's out of order—maybe a broken oil pipe or a loose wire."
It was the latter that proved to be the seat of the trouble when a careful check-up had been made. In the haste with which the House on Wheels had been assembled, this little item was overlooked. It required but a short time to put the ignition cable back in place, and then, having run the motor for some time, listening to the smooth purr of it, Tom announced that he was satisfied there would be no further trouble.
It was when they were ready to start on again that Tom's wisdom in blocking the wheels was demonstrated. For there was no need of a sudden letting in of the clutch, after racing the engine in gear to get momentum and speed enough to make a flying start uphill. The brakes were already released. The log prevented the House on Wheels from rolling backward, and the machine started slowly up the grade as if taking off from a level. The log was pulled along by means of the rope, and did not remain in the road a menace to following travelers.
"She's coming up in good style," commented Ned, as he observed the increasing speed of the machine even though the grade of the hill grew greater.
"Couldn't be better," agreed Tom, with a satisfied smile. "All the power I need and then some! When she gets broken in I expect great things of her."
"Looks so," murmured Ned.
In a short time they were at the top of the hill and a long, level road lay before them. They made a momentary stop to cast off the blocking log and then went on.
"I'm going back and take a look inside," said Ned after a while. "I want to see how she rides."
There was a passage leading from the driver's seat to the interior of the House, and Ned was soon making his way through the various "rooms" as they might be called, though compartments would probably be the better term. He sat in the small chairs, let down one of the cots and stretched out on it and sat at the table, pretending to eat, though, as yet, there was no food aboard.
"How is it?" asked Tom, as his chum reappeared in the communicating passage.
"Slick as oil!" was the enthusiastic comment. "Rides like an ocean liner."
"That's good. Then there's nothing wrong in the construction. I was afraid she might sway too much."
"There is a little swaying," admitted Ned. "But I think that will be smoothed out when you get a load in."
"I guess so," agreed Tom. "Well, come out here and try your hand at it."
"What do you mean?" Ned wanted to know.
"I want you to drive for a while. You've driven lots of cars, and I want you to get the feel of this. It seems a trifle stiff to me, and I want to see if you get the same impression. I can loosen the gear up a bit if it is."
"You mean you want me to drive your House on Wheels?" asked Ned.
"Sure! Why not?"
"I may wreck her."
"So might I. Accidents are always likely to happen. But I've got to get some other impression than my own as to how she holds the road, takes corners, and the like, and you're the best one I know to give me the information I need. Besides, you'll be coming on trips with me, and I can't always be at the wheel."
"Me come on a trip with you in this?" chuckled Ned. "Well, I like that!"
"What do you mean? Why wouldn't you come?"
"On yours and Mary's honeymoon trip? Excuse me!"
"Say, cut that stuff out!" and Tom seemed serious. "Who's said anything about a honeymoon?"
"Nobody—nobody's said a word. At least, you and Mary haven't," admitted the financial manager. "But actions speak louder than words. And I thought that's why you were getting this canal boat in shape."
"Nothing of the sort!" exclaimed Tom sharply. "I mean—of course—that is, I—Oh, heck! Come on out here and take the wheel!"
"All right!" agreed Ned. "But don't blame me for what happens."
"I won't," and Tom steered the machine over to the side of the road to bring it to a stop out of possible traffic while he changed places with his chum.
After proceeding at a moderate rate for a mile or two, in order to familiarize himself with the brakes and controls, Ned let out a little more gas and the House on Wheels shot ahead on the smooth, level concrete highway which the two had practically to themselves.
"How does she feel, Ned?" asked Tom, as they sped along.
"Fine."
"And how does she handle?"
"Light as a cork! There's no steering strain at all."
"I'm glad of that. I wanted to make sure of it."
"But take her yourself," urged Ned, guiding the House to the side of the road in case any motorists were following. "You haven't had the wheel when you had a chance to let out. Go ahead."
"All right," agreed Tom Swift.
He had not long been in the driver's seat, and was working up speed, when from behind came a long, shrill whistle. For a moment the young men thought it might be one of those signals connected to the exhaust pipe of some speeding motorist. But a look into the rear vision mirror showed a fast freight train approaching. Then, for the first time, Tom and Ned noticed that they were running parallel to railroad tracks and close to them.
On came the fast freight, and the engineer seemed either to be trying to attract the attention of the occupants of the peculiar car or else saluting them. Then Tom cried suddenly:
"I know what he wants!"
"What?" asked Ned.
"A race! And he's going to get it. Come on, steam baby!" yelled Tom, noting that he was now even with the locomotive. "We'll see what you can do against the House on Wheels!"