lied Tom, trying not to blush. "Do
you mean my dad or Mrs. Baggert?"

"Neither, you old hypocrite you! I meant Miss Mary Nestor."

"Oh, hadn't you heard?" inquired Tom innocently. "She is going to Long
Island to visit some friends, and she'll be at the race."

"You lucky dog," murmured Ned with a laugh, as he went into the bank.

Once more the electric auto started off, and was soon on the quiet
country road, where Tom speeded it up moderately. He hoped to be able
to make the entire distance to the shore cottage on the single charge
of current he had put into the battery at home, and, as there was no
special need for haste, he wanted to save his power. The machine was
running smoothly, and seemed able to make a long race against time.

The travelers ate lunch that day at Pendleton, a town some distance
from Shopton. They had covered a substantial part of their trip. After
a brief rest they started on again. Tom had planned to spend two days
and one night on the road, hoping to be able to reach the shore cottage
on the evening of the second day. There, after recharging the battery,
he would spend a night, or two, and proceed to the track, ready for the
race.

They found the roads fairly good, with bad stretches here and there,
which made it necessary for them to slow down. This delayed them, and
they found the shadows lengthening, and darkness approaching, when they
were still several miles from Burgfield, where they intended to sleep.

"Will it be all right to travel at night?" asked Mr. Damon, a bit
nervously.

"Why, are you thinking of hold-up men?" inquired Mr. Sharp.

"No, but I was wondering about the condition of the roads," replied the
eccentric man. "We don't want to run into a rock, or collide with
something."

"I guess this will light up the road far enough in advance, so that we
can see where we are going," suggested Tom, as he switched on the
powerful electric search-light. Though it was not dark enough to
illuminate the highway to the best advantage, the powerful gleam shone
dazzlingly in front of the swiftly moving auto.

"I guess that will show up every pebble in the road," commented the
balloonist. "It's very powerful."

Tom turned off the light, as, until it was darker, he could see to
better advantage unaided by it. He slowed down the speed somewhat, but
was still going at a good rate.

"There's a bridge somewhere about here," remarked the lad, when they
had gone on a mile further. "I