That evening, as he returned from the post office, he met Tom and Dick at the foot of the steps leading to their dormitory. He waved at them an open letter that he had been reading.
Its from the Committee, he explained. It gives the route and final instructions. Come up to the rooms and well go over it together.
A bond of friendship, far from common, united these three comrades the Three Guardsmen, as they were jokingly called, because they were so constantly together. They had first met at a summer camp, some years before, and a strong similarity of character and tastes had drawn them to each other at once. From that time on, it had been one for three and three for one.
Full to the brim as they were of high spirits and love of adventure, they often got into scrapes from which it required all their nerve and ingenuity to emerge with a whole skin. Their supreme confidence in themselves often led them to take chances from which older and wiser heads would have shrunk. And the various exploits in which they had indulged had taught each how fully and absolutely he might rely on the others. On more than one occasion, death itself had been among the possibilities, but even that supreme test had been met without flinching.
Only a few months before, when, on their journey through Mexico, Dick had fallen into the hands of El Tigre, the dreaded leader of guerillas, Bert and Tom had taken the trail at once, and after a most exciting chase, had rescued him from the bandits clutches. During a trip to the Adirondacks, Tom had been bitten by a rattler and would have perished, had it not been for Berts quickness of mind and swiftness of foot. And Bert himself never expected to come closer to death than that day on the San Francisco wharf, when Dick had grasped the knife hand of the Malay running amuck, just as it was upraised to strike.
Any man or any danger that threatened one would have to count on tackling three. Each knew that in a pinch the others would stick at nothing in the effort to back him up. And this conviction, growing stronger with every new experience, had cemented their friendship beyond all possibility of breaking.
Their early ties had ripened and broadened under the influence of their college life. Dick had entered a year before the other two, and it was this that had moved them to choose the same Alma Mater. Dick and Tom were studying to be civil engineers, while Bert was more strongly drawn toward the field of electricity and wireless telegraphy. Their keen intelligence had won them high honors in scholarship, and their brawn and muscle had achieved an enviable distinction in athletics. On the pennant winning team of the year before, Berts brilliant pitching had been ably supported by the star work of Tom at third, while Dick, beside being the champion slugger of the team, had held down first base like a veteran. All were immensely popular with the student body in general, not only for their prowess, but because of the qualities of mind and heart that would have singled them out anywhere as splendid specimens of young American manhood.
Bert and Dick roomed together, while Toms quarters were on the floor below. Now, as it was nearer, they all piled into Toms sitting-room, eager to discuss the contents of the official letter.
Here it is, said Bert, as he tossed it over to the others. You see, I have the southern route.
O, thunder, groaned Tom, the toughest of the lot. Youll fairly melt down there at this time of year.
It is rough, said Dick. The roads there are something fierce. The northern or central route would have been ten times better.
Yes, agreed Bert, it certainly is a handicap. If Id been left to choose, myself, I wouldnt have dreamed of going that way. Still, its all a matter of lot, and Ive got no kick coming. Somebody would have had to draw it, and I might as well be the victim as any one else.
Spoken like a sport, all right, grumbled Tom. But it makes me sore at fate. Youll need something more than Reddys shamrock to make up for it.
You might hunt me up the hind foot of a rabbit, shot by a cross-eyed coon in a graveyard, in the dark of the moon, if you want to make sure of my winning, jested Bert. But, seriously, fellows, Im not going to let that rattle me a little bit. It may be harder, but if I do come in first, therell be all the more credit in winning. As for the heat, Ill make my own breeze as I go along, and Ill take my chances on the roads.
Well, I suppose theres no use growling, admitted Tom, grudgingly. At any rate, well see a section of the country weve never seen before.
We, cried Bert. What do you mean by that?
Just what I say, answered Tom, looking a little guiltily at Dick.
What, yelled Bert, leaping to his feet. Are you two rascals going along?
Surest thing you know, said Dick, calmly. Did you think for a minute that Tom and I would miss the fun of seeing you scoot across the continent and win that ten thousand dollars? Not on your life. We were going to surprise you, but since this dub has let the cat out of the bag, we might as well own up. Theres nothing to do, now that we know the route but to go out and get the tickets.
Well, youre a pair of bricks, gasped Bert. The finest pals a fellow ever had. Thats the best news Ive had since Hector was a pup. I didnt know that Id see a friends face from the start to the finish. Talk about shamrocks and rabbits feet! This news has got them skinned to death. It wont be any trick at all to toss off a few hundred miles, if I can figure on seeing you fellows when I turn in for the night. Say, fellows, I cant put it into words, but you know how I feel.
Pure selfishness on our part, said Dick, airily, to mask his own deep feeling. We want to see the San Francisco Fair, and figured that wed never have a better chance.
Yes, mocked Bert, delightedly, I size up that selfishness all right. But now lets study the route and figure out the schedule. Then you gay deceivers can get through tickets with stopover privileges, and Ill know just where to find you along the way.
You see, explained Tom, we figured that we could get into the big towns ahead of you and act as a sort of base of supplies. You can keep tab on the way the Blue Streak is running, and if anything goes wrong if a tire bursts or a fork breaks or you have engine trouble you can wire ahead and well have everything ready for you to make a lightning change the minute you heave in sight. Of course, you may have to do some temporary patching and tinkering along the way, but in really big things we may come in handy. But now lets cut out the hallelujahs and get down to brass tacks.
Which they did to such good effect that before they turned in for the night, they had outlined a plan that covered every probable contingency. Of course there was no such precision possible as in the case of a railroad schedule. A hundred things might happen to cause a change here, a delay there, but, between certain elastic limits, the route and time were carefully worked out. If they should have to revise it, as they doubtless would, the telegraph and long distance telephone could be depended on to help them out.
Starting from New York, Bert figured that the first leg of the journey would take him as far as Philadelphia. This, of course, would not be typical of the regular distance he would have to cover each day, in order to beat the time record. But the race was not to start until noon, so that a half day was all that would be left the riders. And that half day would be slower than the average, because they would have to thread the streets of the greater city with all its hindrances and speed regulations, and would have bridges and ferries to cross before they could fairly let themselves out. Of course this would not count for a day in the timing, as they would be allowed a half day at the end of the journey to make up for it. In other words, the day ran from noon to noon, instead of from midnight to midnight.