Motor Matt; or, The King of the Wheel

by Stanley R. Matthews

  CHAPTER XIII.

  THE BLUEBELL.

  The two boys got out of sight in a swale before the cowboy returnedfrom the spring. Looking back, just before they dropped from view ofthe _jacal_, they were unable to see anything of the man.

  Taking Matt's arm, Clipperton drew him along the swale, then over thewestern bank of it and into a shallow valley between two low hills.

  "It's nearly two o'clock," Clipperton was muttering. "Twentymiles--four o'clock. We'll get a horse at the Bluebell. You can make itif you _ride_."

  "Where did you come from, Clipperton?" asked Matt.

  "Phoenix."

  "How did you come?"

  "On foot. Didn't dare look for a horse. Afraid they'd find out and stopme."

  Matt halted and laid a hand on Clipperton's arm.

  "Did you come out here, all the way from Phoenix, on foot, to help me?"he asked quietly.

  "Why not?" flamed Clipperton. "I got you into the trouble. I wasafraid you might think I knew what Perry and the rest were doing. Ididn't. It was a put-up job, but I didn't know until too late. I--Icould kill Perry! He told me to write that letter. Said he'd keep hishands off and stay away. You saw how he did it."

  Swirling hate poured out with the words. Clipperton was breathing hardand talked in husky gasps.

  "You were to do that mile race at two o'clock," said Matt.

  "I did a twenty-mile race; somewhat earlier."

  "Why, that race was as good as a hundred dollars to you!"

  "If I win this it'll please me more."

  "You've won it, Clip," said Matt, in a low tone. "You've got me awayfrom that hut."

  "I haven't won it!" cried Clipperton. "It's won when you face thestarter on your wheel and cut out Perry. The coyote!"

  "You've found out about Perry?"

  Clipperton muttered something in a savage undertone. Matt put out hishand and Clipperton clasped it quickly.

  "I guess we understand each other, Clip," said Matt. "How far away isthe Bluebell?"

  "At the end of this valley. Hurry. You've _got_ to get to Phoenix intime."

  "I don't see how I can, even with a horse."

  "You can. You _must_!"

  They made their way down the valley as fast as they could, Matt'sbenumbed limbs slowly regaining their strength, and Clipperton keepingup by sheer force of will. From time to time they gazed behind them,but they could see nothing of the cowboy. If he was looking for them hewas evidently searching in the wrong direction.

  "How did you find out where I had been taken, Clip?" queried Matt.

  "Tubbits Drake knew," replied Clipperton. "I went to him early thismorning. I made him tell me. Then I started. It was a long twentymiles. I had to wait at the hut until the man went away. If he hadn'tgone when he did he would have had to fight. Perry, Drake, Spangler andthree men furnished by Hawley captured you. They were hiding by thecanal all the time, Hawley's motor-car brought you out here. Hawleywasn't with it. He sent his driver. I was a fool. But I know a fewthings _now_."

  By the time Clipperton had finished, he and Matt had come to the endof the valley. Rounding the base of one of the hills an ore-dump brokeinto view, surmounted by a derrick. From the top of the derrick swungone of the aerial wires of Chub's wireless telegraph-line.

  A few yards from the foot of the derrick was a small house. A man inhis shirt-sleeves sat tilted back in a chair in the shade. He waswatching the two boys curiously as they hastened toward him.

  "Hello, neighbors!" he called, when they had come close. "Kind of queerto see a couple of lads loose in these hills on foot. What are you----Jumping Jerushy!" the man suddenly exclaimed. "If it ain't Matt King!Why, I thought----"

  "I know what you thought, Delray," said Matt hurriedly. "I was abductedfrom Phoenix last night in order to keep me out of the race. I wasbeing held a prisoner----"

  "At Pedro Garcia's old _jacal_," interpolated Clipperton.

  "And Clip, here, got me away," went on Matt. "I have to get to Phoenixby four o'clock."

  Delray whistled. "Mebby you could do it if you had wings, Matt," saidhe. "Why, it's nearly two o'clock, and there's twenty long milesbetween here and Phoenix. That's a deuce of a note. Abducted by Hawley!Thunder! What did he do that for?"

  "Let him take your horse," cried Clipperton, sinking down in the shade."He can make it!"

  "Horse?" echoed Delray. "I haven't got a horse. There isn't a horsethis side of the Arizona Canal, eight miles away. Give it up, Matt.There'll be bicycle-races after you're dead and gone."

  A half-stifled groan broke from Clipperton's lips. Matt and Delray,looking toward him, saw that he had his face in his hands.

  "What's the matter with him, Matt?" asked Delray.

  "I've lost the race for King," said Clipperton, lifting his haggardface. "I did it! But I got to him as quick as I could. Perry--I--I----"The words died huskily away on Clipperton's lips and he finished byshaking his fist menacingly in the direction of Phoenix.

  Matt walked over to Clipperton.

  "You didn't lose the race for me, Clip," said he, "and I want you tounderstand that here and now. You were no more to blame for it than theman in the moon. I ought to have----"

  Matt halted abruptly. In front of him was the derrick, thelightning-rod point of Chub's aerial wire glistening in the sun. Hewhirled and jumped like a madman for Delray.

  "Great Caesar's ghost!" cried Delray, "have you gone dippy, Matt?"

  "Is that wireless apparatus working?" shouted Matt.

  "It was, last night."

  "If it's working now," went on Matt excitedly, "maybe I can put thistrick through yet. Get at your key, Delray! Try and get Chub."

  "What the blazes----" Delray stared. "Say, Matt, do you think I cansend you through to Phoenix by wireless?"

  "Get Chub!" yelled Matt. "Don't stand there like a stick, Delray. GetChub, I tell you! I'll tell you what to say when you get him. There's achance, a _chance_!"

  While the dazed Delray went into the house and sat down at hissending-key, Matt hovered frantically around him. The minute Delraytouched the key the Hertzian waves got busy, crackling and flashingbetween the two polished balls of the terminals.

  "I don't know why you think I can get anybody in Phoenix thisafternoon, Matt," complained Delray. "The whole town must have emptieditself into the park. It's a safe guess, anyhow, that Chub will bethere."

  Matt's heart went down into his shoes. He hadn't thought of that. Ofcourse, Chub would be at the track! Chub was there to see Matt win themotor-cycle! Oh, the irony of fate!

  Clipperton thrust his drawn face in at the door. His eyes glowed with ahope which was past his understanding.

  Delray rattled the key and the flashes quivered back and forth betweenthe balls, jumped off the lightning-rod tip at the top of the derrickand darted in every direction with the swiftness of thought.

  Suddenly the sounder began to click. "What's this, what's this?"mumbled Delray, bending over the relay instrument and listeningintently. Scarcely breathing, Matt and Clipperton kept their eyes onDelray's face. "Why, it's Susie McReady!" exclaimed Delray. "Matt Kingis missing--Chub and Perk at the park hunting for him--everybody intown hunting--Susie came back to the house to ask me to hunt--now, whatdo you think of that? Talk about luck! But what good is it going to do?That's what gets me."

  "Tell Susie I'm here," said Matt; "tell her I was abducted from Phoenixlast night to keep me out of the race; tell her to call up MajorWoolford on the phone at the park; tell her to have the major layquick hands on Ed Penny and send him along the Black Canyon road on the_Comet_ as fast as he can come; have Susie tell the major to tell Pennythat everything depends on the record he makes between Phoenix and theBluebell, and that I'll walk along the Black Canyon road to meet him andsave a little time. Shoot 'er through! Hustle, old chap."

  "Oh, tell, tell, tell!" groaned Delray. "Why, you're talking like ahouse afire. Here goes."

  _Click_, _click_, _clickety-click_, sang the key, the crackle of thespark keeping a merry accomp
animent. Delray repeated the message. As hewas finishing, Matt started for the door.

  "Wait," called Delray, "here's an answer." The sounder began to clickand then stopped dead. "No, there ain't," muttered Delray; "something'sslipped a cog and the home-made machine is out of commission. Anyhow,Matt, she held together until we got your message through. Go it, andgood luck to you!"

  Matt was already through the door and striking a bee-line for the BlackCanyon road, which ran past the derrick. Clipperton had caught hissecond wind and was following him.