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and stood up on the pedals. For a moment the velocity of the thing
increased, and then they saw the dust fly from the brake, as it came
down on the front tire. Dangle's right leg floundered in the air as he
came off in the road. The tandem wobbled. "Hold it!" cried Phipps over
his shoulder, going on downhill. "I can't get off if you don't hold it."
He put on the brake until the machine stopped almost dead, and then
feeling unstable began to pedal again. Dangle shouted after him. "Put
out your foot, man," said Dangle.
In this way the tandem riders were carried a good hundred yards or more
beyond their quarry. Then Phipps realized his possibilities, slacked up
with the brake, and let the thing go over sideways, dropping on to his
right foot. With his left leg still over the saddle, and still
holding the handles, he looked over his shoulder and began addressing
uncomplimentary remarks to Dangle. "You only think of yourself," said
Phipps, with a florid face.
"
They have forgotten us," said Jessie, turning her machine.
There was a road at the top of the hill--to Lyndhurst," said
"
Hoopdriver, following her example.
"
It's no good. There's the money. We must give it up. But let us go back
to that hotel at Rufus Stone. I don't see why we should be led captive."
So to the consternation of the tandem riders, Jessie and her companion
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