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to fail。〃
Faster and faster he rode。 He was rapidly overhauling Andy's car now；
and； as they heard him approach； the three cronies turned around。
〃He's going to race you； after all； Andy！〃 cried Sam。
〃You mean he's going to try；〃 sneered Andy。 〃I'll give him all the
racing he wants！〃
In another few seconds Tom was beside the auto； and would have
passed it； only Andy opened his throttle a little more。 For a moment the
auto jumped ahead； and then； as our hero turned on still more power； he
easily held his own。
〃Aw； you can never beat us！〃 yelled Pete。
〃Of course not！〃 added Sam。
〃I'll leave him behind in a second；〃 prophesied Andy。 〃Wait until I
throw in the other gear；〃 he added to his cronies in a low voice。 〃He thinks
he's going to beat me。 I'll let him think so； and then I'll spurt ahead。〃
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS ELECTRIC RUNABOUT or The Speediest Car on the Road
The two machines were now racing along side by side。 Andy's car was
going the limit on third gear； but he still had the fourth gear in reserve。
Tom； too； still had a little margin of speed。
Suddenly Andy reached forward and yanked on a lever。 There was a
grinding of cogs as the fourth gear slipped into place； for Andy did not
handle his car skillfully。 The effect； however； was at once apparent。 The
automobile shot forward。
〃Now where are you； Tom Swift？〃 cried Sam。
Tom said nothing。 He merely shifted a lever； and got a better spark。 He
also turned on a little more gasolene and opened the muffler The
quickness with which his motor…cycle shot forward almost threw him from
the saddle； but he had a tight grip on the handle bars。 He whizzed past the
auto； but； as the latter gathered speed； it crept up to him； and； once more
was on even terms。 Much chagrined at seeing Tom hold pace with him；
even for an instant； Andy shouted；
〃Get over on your own side there！ You're crowding me！〃
〃I am not！〃 yelled back Tom； above the explosions of his machine。
The two were now racing furiously； and Andy； with a savage look；
tried to get more speed out of his car。 In spite of all the bully did； Tom was
gradually forging ahead。 A little hill was now in view。
〃Here's where I make him take my dust！〃 cried Andy； but； to his
surprise Tom still kept ahead。 The auto began to lose ground； for it was not
made to take hills on high gear。
〃Change to third gear quick！〃 cried Sam。
Andy tried to do it。 There was a hesitancy on the part of his car。 It
seemed to balk。 Tom； looking back； slowed up a trifle。 He could afford to；
as Andy was being beaten。
〃Go on！ Go on！〃 begged Pete。 〃You'll have to keep on fourth gear to
beat him； Andy。〃
〃That's what！〃 murmured the bully。 Once more he shifted the gears。
There was a grinding； smashing sound； and the car lost speed。 Then it
slowed up still more； and finally stopped。 Then it began to back down hill。
〃I've stripped those blamed gears！〃 exclaimed Andy ruefully。
〃Can't you beat him？〃 asked Pete。
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS ELECTRIC RUNABOUT or The Speediest Car on the Road
〃I could have； easily； if my gears hadn't broken；〃 declared the bully；
but； as a matter of fact； he could not have done so。 〃I oughtn't to have
changed； going up hill；〃 he added； as he jammed on the brakes； to stop the
car from sliding down the slope。
Tom saw and heard。
〃I thought you were so anxious to race；〃 he said； exultantly； as well he
might。 〃I don't want to try a contest down hill； though； Andy；〃 and he
laughed at the red…haired lad； who was furious。
〃Aw； go on！〃 was all the retort the squint…eyed one could think of to
make。
〃I am going on；〃 replied our hero。 〃Just to show you that I can go
down hill； watch me。〃
He turned his motor…cycle； and approached Andy's stalled car； for Tom
was some distance in advance of it； up the slope by this time。 As he
approached the auto； containing the three disconcerted cronies； something
bounded out of Tom's pocket。 It was the bottle of stove blacking he had
purchased for Mrs。 Baggert。 The bottle fell in the soft dirt in front of his
forward wheel； and a curious thing happened。 Perhaps you have seen a
bicycle or auto tire strike a stone at an angle； and throw it into the air with
great force。 That was what happened to the bottle。 Tom's front wheel
struck the cork； which fitted tightly； and； just as when you hit one end of
the wooden 〃catty〃 and it bounds up； the bottle described a curve through
the air； and flew straight toward Andy's car。 It struck the brass frame of the
wind shield with a crash。
The bottle broke； and in an instant the black liquid was spattered all
over Andy； Sam and Pete。 It could not have been done more effectively if
Tom had thrown it by hand。 All over their clothes； their hands and faces；
and the front of the car went the dreary black。 Tom looked on； hardly able
to believe what he saw。
〃Wow！ Wup！ Ug！ Blug！ Mug！〃 spluttered Sam； who had some of the
stuff in his mouth。
〃Oh！ Oh！〃 yelled Pete。
〃You did that on purpose； Tom Swift！〃 shouted Andy； wiping some of
the blacking from his left eye。 〃I'll have you arrested for that！ You've
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS ELECTRIC RUNABOUT or The Speediest Car on the Road
ruined my car； and look at my suit！〃
〃Mine's worse！〃 murmured Sam； glancing down at his light trousers；
which were of the polka…dot pattern now。
〃No； mine is；〃 insisted Pete； whose white shirt was of the hue of a
stove pipe。
Andy wiped some of the black stuff from his nose； whence it was
dropping on the steering wheel。
〃You just wait！〃 the bully called to Tom。 〃I'll get even with you for
this！〃
〃It was an accident！ I didn't mean to do that；〃 explained Tom； trying
not to laugh； as he dismounted from his motorcycle； ready to render what
assistance he could。
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS ELECTRIC RUNABOUT or The Speediest Car on the Road
CHAPTER IV
TALK OF A NEW BANK