hill that Josh
suddenly found his machine toppling over. He did not know of any
obstacle which he could have run across, for the road seemed absolutely
free from stones and such things; and even as he struggled desperately
to keep the heavy machine from smashing to the ground he felt a
suspicion flash through his brain that in some manner his passenger
might have been responsible for the unexpected catastrophe.

Both of them fell off, but beyond the shock, and perhaps a few minor
scratches, Josh was not hurt. Indeed, boylike he immediately showed much
more concern over a possible injury to his motorcycle than he gave any
thought to himself.

Rod heard the crash, as well as the exclamation of dismay springing from
Hanky Panky, who was put to some quick work in order to pull up in time
to avoid running the unfortunates down.

Rod immediately reached the ground, and laying his machine down hurried
back.

"Nothing serious, I hope, Josh?" he inquired, Hanky Panky bustling
around, while Oscar was hopping up and down, as though he might have
received a bruise on his leg that was painful to a degree.

Josh was frowning dreadfully. Truth to tell his suspicions were growing
stronger and stronger all the while; and he even believed the man to
whom he had extended the courtesies of the road had purposely brought
about the accident at such a particular moment when the fall would be
apt to prove less serious than when they were whizzing along at twenty
miles an hour.

"I don't know yet whether the machine is knocked out of commission or
not," muttered Josh, disconsolately, as he proceeded to hastily examine
into matters; "but it would be exasperating for us if that happened,
just when we're close to the battle line, and want to get around so
lively. Hang the luck, I say!"

He glared in the direction of the apparent cause of all the trouble; but
as Oscar was now raising his trouser leg, as if meaning to examine into
the state of his own injuries, of course the look was wasted so far as
he was concerned.

Rod frowned also. Up to then he had not allowed himself to suspect that
the so-called Switzer-American could be other than he so frankly
claimed; but somehow it began to dawn upon Rod that there may have been
a method in his madness. What if it were all a part of a deep-laid
scheme calculated to delay them, for some dark purpose or other?

The thought made him angry. Now that it was too late he felt that they
should have