"A narrow escape," assented Isabel. "But not as bad as the other one was. You should have seen that! We're safe now." The Whirlwind careened along the road, from the shelving gutter back into the middle of the highway. "Why didn't you let me take the wheel?" asked Walter, looking at Cora in a strange sort of way. "I couldn't seem to let go," she said with a nervous little laugh. "I knew, of course, that you could run it more safely than I could, but somehow I couldn't seem to let go. My fingers appeared to be glued to the wheel." "I certainly could not have done better," admitted Walter. "But I thought I might help you. Look at Ida, though! She is going like grim death." "If she doesn't encounter another farmer she may be all right," said Cora. "But I wonder why I don't go faster. Oh, no wonder. I'm on second speed. I forgot to throw in the high gear. Here it goes. Now watch me pass them." She advanced the lever, and the car shot forward. It was going at a greatly increased speed, and easily passed Bess and Jack. "Here's where we leave you," called Cora. "It's about time," replied Jack. "I thought something was wrong with you. "Third gear," answered Cora. "Forgot I had it." Her voice floated back on the wind. With a merry shout she turned on more gasolene and advanced the spark. She was almost up to Ida. The race was to end at a bridge, which was only a few rods ahead. "Careful," cautioned Walter to the fair driver beside him. She was making some rather reckless curves. "I'm all right," declared Cora. "I'm sure we'll win," exclaimed Mary. The Whirlwind was now close to Sid's car. He heard it coming and looked around. Then he caught the steering wheel from Ida, leaning over to reach it. "Foul!" shouted Walter. "That's not allowed!" "Never mind!" panted Cora. "I'm not afraid to let him steer. I can beat him!" Jack stood up in his machine. He was angry, and showed it in his face. "Stop, sis," he called to Cora. "The race is yours. Don't pass him." "She can't!" retorted Sid. "Oh, I'm afraid!" gasped Bess, beside Jack. "He's steering right in front of her to cut her off. He won't turn out." Then, as if realizing that the race would be counted lost to them for Sid's violation of the rules, Ida tried to displace the hands of her, companion from the wheel. "Let me steer!" she exclaimed. "I want to! Let me, Sid!" "No!" he answered angrily. "I'm going to run it now." The car was swaying from side to side because of the erratic motion imparted to it, due to the struggle between Sid and Ida to gain possession of the wooden circlet. "Let me take it! I want to beat her!" spoke Ida in a tense whisper, and Sid, with a queer look at her, nodded. He released his grip of the wheel, and again Ida took it in a firm grasp. But the change was not skillfully enough made, and the next moment the Streak cut diagonally across the road, right in front of the Whirlwind.