ed the
spark and the gasoline control until they were running at twenty-five
and then thirty miles an hour.

"Now, don't get gay, Tom!" warned Dick. "This road wasn't built for
racing."

"Pooh, what's thirty miles an hour!" declared the fun-loving Rover, who
just then felt like "letting out." "You know this machine can make fifty
and better, Dick."

"I know it, but you've got to have a safer road than this, Tom."

"Beware of the turn!" cried Sam, who sat on the front seat with Tom,
while Dick was alone in the tonneau. "It's a bad one!"

"I know it, but I'll make it," answered Tom, and then the touring car
reached a bend in the road, and went whizzing around it with a sudden
lurch that made Sam cling desperately to the seat and sent Dick flying
from one side of the tonneau to the other.

"Tom, be careful!" cried Sam. "Do you want to pitch me out on my head?"

"Do that again, and I'll make you let Sam drive," came from Dick.

"It was the brake--it didn't act just right," answered Tom, just a
little frightened. "I think it's loose."

"Better stop and look at it," answered Dick, promptly.

"Oh, I guess it's all right," said Tom. The touring car continued to
move along, up a winding hill. Then came a level stretch for half a
mile, and then a sharp descent, leading into Carwood.

"Now be careful----" commenced Dick. And then stopped short, for a
sudden snapping sound reached his ears.

"What's that?" cried Sam, in alarm.

"The brake--it's broken!" answered Tom. And then he set his teeth
grimly, to try to guide the heavy touring car down the steep hill
without disaster.

CHAPTER V

LOOKING FOR THE LOST FLYING MACHINE

It was the foot brake that had given away. The hand brake was still fit
for use, but each of the Rover boys remembered with dismay that this
brake had been loose for some time. They had thought to tighten it up,
but other matters had claimed their attention, and they had not deemed
it absolutely necessary before taking the short trip to Rayville, since
on starting the other brake had seemed to be in good order.

"Can you do it, Tom?" asked Dick, quickly, as the big car gathered
headway on the steep hill.

"I'll try!" was Tom's reply. "But it's some hill."

"If only we don't meet anything," put in Sam. "Blow the horn, Dick!"

The oldest Rover boy did as requested, leaning over from the back seat
to do so, and thus leaving Tom free to manipulate the steering wheel.
Dick also set th