Dead Man's Quarry Read Online Free Page B

Lion, there’s a good chap.”
    â€œCertainly,” said Lion, detaching his immaculate pump from his immaculate bicycle; it was a new bicycle, and his own property, and he cleaned it carefully before every journey. “Those people in Worcester are absolute swindlers, hiring out a bike without a pump or mending outfit. I shouldn’t pay them, if I were you.”
    â€œAs long as I can borrow yours,” replied Charles easily, “I don’t mind.”
    â€œThat doesn’t alter the matter,” said Lion severely, pursuing the ethics of the case. “They didn’t know I had a pump. For all they knew, you might have been going to cycle a thousand miles all on your own.”
    â€œCome on, you two,” called Isabel. “We’re all going to coast down this hill, and see who goes the farthest along the flat at the bottom. Anybody using either pedals or brakes will be disqualified.”
    I beg to be disqualified in advance,” said Dr. Browning, eyeing the long, steep slope that stretched away in front of them. “My brake is my best friend. I suppose it’s no use asking you children not to be foolhardy. But for heaven’s sake don’t start racing down that hill all in a bunch. Go one at a time. Then only the first one will break his neck, and the others’ll take warning.”
    Felix laughed.
    â€œAfter that,” he remarked, “I feel it’s up to me to go first and save the lives of everybody else.”
    But Isabel had wheeled her bicycle out into the road and put her foot on the pedal.
    â€œNo,” she said firmly, “I’m going first.”
    Half teasingly, half in earnest, Felix wheeled his bicycle alongside hers and prepared to start.
    â€œCan’t let you sacrifice your valuable life, Isabel,” he said jestingly. “Let me go first and flatten out the bumps.”
    Nora, watching the little contest, saw something like a flash of real temper pass over her friend’s flushed, piquant face. It was gone in an instant, and she smiled at her devoted slave.
    â€œNo, really,” she insisted. “I’m quite determined, Felix. Let everybody have about half a minute’s start, and sit and wait for the others wherever their bicycle stops. Good-bye, Felix! You come next. What a gorgeous run it’s going to be!”
    Felix had no choice but to give way. Isabel mounted her bicycle and started, slowly at first, then gathering speed till her machine was whizzing down the long hill at a breakneck pace. Her hatless red head disappeared behind a clump of trees at the far corner of the downhill road.
    â€œA reckless young woman,” sighed Dr. Browning. “She seems to lose no opportunity of courting a broken neck. However, having come thus far without a disaster, I suppose she can be trusted to look after herself.”
    â€œIsabel will never break her neck,” said Nora comfortably. “Don’t you worry, Father. She has no end of presence of mind. As for me, I make no rash promises not to use my brakes. I don’t like the look of this hill.”
    â€œIsabel is an idiot,” observed Lion thoughtfully. “If she doesn’t look out, she’ll smash her bike to pieces. She won’t care, because it’s only a hired one. But I’m not going to take any risks with mine.”
    He looked fondly at his glittering machine.
    Felix said nothing, but mounted his bicycle in grim silence. It was plain that he did not mean to descend basely to the use of his brakes. He whizzed down the hill after Isabel and reached the turning-point of the road, at least, in safety. Lion, calling to Sir Charles to be sure and not leave the pump behind, followed more cautiously, and Nora and her father, with a backward glance at Charles, who was screwing the cap on his valve, mounted together and followed, gaining rapidly on the unadventurous Lion. Even with the judicious use of her brakes, Nora found the