Три товарища

           Karlwassniffingalongthehighway.

           "Otto,"saidI,"herecomesavictim."

           AbigBuickhootedimpatientlybehindus.Hewasovertakingusrapidly.Soonthetworadiatorswerelevel.Themanatthewheelglancedatusidly!HiseyesurveyedtheshabbyKarlcontemptuously.Thenhelookedaway—andhadforgottenusalready.

           AfewsecondslaterhewasobligedtonoticethatKarlwasstillrunninghimneck-and-neck.Hesatupalittle,gaveusanamusedglance,andsteppedontheaccelerator.StillKarldidnotyield.Littleandfleetasaterrierrunningbesideabloodhound,hestillheldhisplacealongsidethegleaminglocomotiveofnickelandvarnish.

           Themangrippedthewheelmorefirmly.Hewasstillcompletelyunsuspecting,andgaveusascornfullook.Hehaddecided,evidently,toshowuswhathissleighcoulddo.Hesteppedsohardontheacceleratorthattheexhaustroaredagain.Butitwasnogood.Hecouldnotgetby.Unsightlyandill-favoured,Karlstucktohimstill.

           Themanstareddownatusinastonishment.Hecouldnotbelievehiseyes—ataspeedofoversixtymilesanhournottohaveshakenoffthisantiquatedrattletrap!Heglancedathisspeedometerinbewilderment—theremustbesomethingwrongwiththething.Heopenedherout.

           Thetwocarswerenowracingsidebysidealongthestraightroad.Afterafewhundredyardsalorrycameclatteringupfromtheoppositedirection.TheBuickhadtodropbackbehindustoletitpass.Nosoonerwashe"alongsideagainthanamotor-hearsesweptintoview,wreath-ribbonstrailinginthewind;onceagainhehadtogiveway.Thereafterthecourselayopen.