Bert Wilson's Twin Cylinder Racer

Blue

few days later, he swept up to a waiting

around the motorcycle, looking at it almost wit

an enthusiasm equal to Bert's own. "You skimm

n the planet," chimed in Tom. "You'd give an a

rs. Partington calls it, there are mighty few things that will make me take their dust." An

ed lightning travel, any way?" asked Dra

four-fifths seconds," was the answer. "That

eling," mu

reat records have been hung up. In England last year a motorcycle made 300 miles in 28

ath of a cannon ball like that. It would

ert. "It's a case of 'the quick or the dead' wh

ke the daylights out of you to travel at the speed y

the same flat leaf springs that they use in the finest kind of automobiles. You wouldn't believe that there are over 250 inches of supple, highly tempered springs between the saddle and the road. It's as elastic and flexible as a bamboo cane. Each sp

ll right," mocked Tom. "We children

ayful pass at

splacement of 61 inches. And yet you can control that tremendous power so far as to slow down to

gasus,' after the flying

smiled Bert. "Still I don't claim to beat anything that goes through the air. Bu

ight make you hustle

r. Do you remember the time she ran away from th

he went still faster when we scudded up the tra

Tom. "Gee, but that was a narrow squeak.

ore long, on the splendid machine whose handlebars

The inventive genius of the twentieth century had spent itself on every contrivance that would add to its speed, strength and beauty. It was a poem in bronze and steel and rubber. From the extremity of the handlebars in front to th

ost you over three hundred bucks," said Tom, "but afte

t amount of money for the fun I've had already. And what I'm going to have"-he

Dick. "I saw it stated somewhere that a quarter of a millio

m more and more. In the great pastures of the West, the herders use them in making their rounds and looking after the sheep. All the police departme

ime is coming when they'll be used as wi

ride down to the switch," grinned Drake. "By the way, Bert, the press as

ct, "if she'll only do as well in the race fro

?" queried Hinsdale. "Have you

time to get into shape. As a matter of fact, I'm almost fit now, and Reddy is training me for two hours every afternoon. I've almost got down to my best weight already, and

winning. But I think I have a chance. I'd like to win for the honor of it and because I

torcycle to go from the Atlantic to the Pacific. A guess had been hazarded that it could be done in twenty days. This had been disputed, and, as an outcome of the discussion, a general race had been projected to settle the question. The Good Roads Association of Americ

racing, and the pick of the world were expected to compete. But of special interest to Bert was the international motorcycle race, which for the first time was to be held in America. Two years before, it had taken place in Paris and, a year later, in London. But this year it was America's turn, and because of the immense crowds expected at the Exposition, S

ost exciting series of diamond battles. He had been chosen as a contender on the American Olympic team, and had carried off the Marathon after a heart-breaking race, in which every ounce of speed and stamina had been tried to the utmost. In an auto race between rival campers, his hand at the wheel had guided the R

ame the result on fate. He had won the deciding game in the baseball race, after his comrades had virtually thrown it away. In the Marathon, it was with bruised and bleeding feet that he overtook his antagonist at the very tape. The harder bad luck tried to down him, the more fiercely he rose in rebellion. And it was this bulldog grip, this u

ome. But here the "human equation" was not the only thing involved. The quality and strength of the machine he rode would be a very prominent and perhaps a deciding factor. He felt sure that he was in such prime physical condition that he could endure the gruelling grind. But would

parts could be replaced, and, at intervals along the route, supplies could be held in readiness, in addition to those that the rider carried. But essentially the identical machine must be used throughout the race. In the event of a hopeless smash

hine that a gipsy has for a horse. Among a host of others, he had chosen one that appealed to him as the acme of what a motorcycle s

ed by a foot lever on the right side of the machine and also by a grip lever in the left handlebar. The

as a marvel of simplicity. A single downward press

t ran on ball bearings that were absolutely frictionless. In both the front and rear hubs there was a kn

more convinced he grew that he had secured a "gem of the first water." And now

d the most critical inspection could find no fault with any detail of the

Bert?" asked Tom. "Cut out the Pegas

Besides, blue is our college color and it ought to bring me luck. That's the color I wore when we took the Grays and Maroons into camp, and I had it at m

will be tickled to death to know that the good old blue is showing the way across country. And

rt was warmed and elated by the confidence his comrades had in him, and h

ed Dick. "There's the Yellow Dragon and the Red Devil and the Brown Antelope and the Wh

ld see them coming all at once, he'd

d all come along together. But there are so many different routes that, ten to

should think that would be one of the mo

lation on their pet hobby. This race they think will be of great importance for this purpose, because it won't be based on theory but on actual experience. So they have mapped out a large number of possible lines to be followed-northern, central and southern,-and when they've got them all marked out, lots will be drawn and the

ain of being disqualified. But you're given a chain of important towns and great centers that you must hit one after the other on your

rk?" put in Axtell. "Is t

t, in case of a smashup, a fellow couldn't slip in another one without being found out at the next stopping place. Then, too, if they tried to get a lift on a train, there would have to be too many in the secret. Besides, in all the names I've seen so far of the racers, there's only one that might possibly stoop to anything of that kind. His name is Hayward,

seems as though the best man an

race is to start from N

y. It's to be actually from ocean to ocean. The rear wheel is to be wet in the Atlantic. Th

me race," rem

avel like the wind

he clutch, "to make it in twenty days