“This is something like, isn’t it?” said Dick to Dora, who was beside him.

“Oh, it is splendid!” she replied enthusiastically.  “I feel as if I could go on riding forever!”

“An auto certainly beats a team all to bits, if the road is good.”

They passed up another hill, and then through a patch of woods.  Then they made a sharp turn, and the car began to descend over a road that was filled with loose stones.

“Say, Dick, you’d better slow up,” cautioned Sam, as the machine gave a quick lurch over a stone.  “This road isn’t as smooth as it was.”

“I know it.”

“I saw a road to our right,” said Grace.  “Perhaps we should have taken that.”

There was no time to say more, for the automobile was jouncing over the stones in too lively a manner.  Alarmed, Dick, who had already shut off the power, applied the brake, but he was not used to this and he jammed it fast so it did not altogether prevent the car from advancing.

“Oh, we must stop!” screamed Dora, a moment later.  “Look ahead!”

Dick did so, and his heart gave a leap of fear.  Below them the stony road was narrow, and on one side was a rocky gully and on the other some thick bushes.  In the roadway was a farmer with a large farm wagon filled with lime.  Should they hit the turnout below somebody would surely be hurt and perhaps killed.

CHAPTER XIV

WHAT A ROMAN CANDLE DID

It was a time for quick action, and it was a lucky thing that Dick Rover had been in perilous positions before and knew enough not to lose his presence of mind.  As the others in the automobile arose to leap out he called to them: 

“Sit down!  Don’t jump!  I’ll look out for things!”

Then, even as he spoke, Dick turned the steering wheel and sent the big machine crashing into the bushes to one side of the roadway.  He chose a spot that was comparatively level, and in five seconds they came to a halt just in front of half a dozen trees.

“We must take care of Tom’s machine!” cried Sam, and leaped over the back of the automobile.  The machine had cut down the bushes, so the path was clear and he ran with might and main to the roadway.  At the top of the hill was the second car, coming along at a good speed.

“Stop! stop!” he yelled, frantically, and waved his arms in the air.

Tom saw the movement and knew at once something was wrong.  He threw off the power and applied the emergency brake and the automobile just passed Sam and no more.

“What’s the matter?” came from everyone in the second car.

“That’s what’s the matter,” answered Sam, pointing to the foot of the rocky hill.  “That wagon—­Well, I declare!”

The youngest Rover stared and well he might, for the farmer’s turnout with the load of lime had disappeared from view.  The farmer had turned into a field at the bottom of the hill just as Dick turned his car into the bushes.