The two men were fleeing across the field. Seeing the car bearing down upon them, they began to dodge. The big white eyes of the headlights followed them wherever they went. It was maddening. Now the fugitives began zig-zagging. So did Crazy Jane. Once she nearly ran them down. The Italians sprang out of the way just in time and began running back toward the camp. Jane pursued them as soon as she could get the car turned about and facing the other way. By this time the men had gotten a long start.
“They’re making for the camp, the villains,” breathed Jane.
“It is because they are trying to get out of your way,” answered Harriet almost breathlessly. “You will have to head them off.”
“Head them off nothing!” exploded Jane. “Rather will I take their heads off, the miserable rascals.”
“Jane, Jane! You mustn’t run them down. You simply _must not_. You might kill them. Please, please don’t try to do that, dear!” begged Harriet.
“All right, darlin’. But you’re making me lose a lot of fun. I don’t get an opportunity like this every day in the week. They deserve all I can give them.”
“You mustn’t harm a human being, no matter how bad he is. There, they have turned toward the road.”
“I won’t hurt them,” promised Jane. “I’ll just scare them a little.”
“Oh!” cried Harriet as the car rose on two wheels, nearly turning over. “Do be careful!”
“Don’t be afraid. As long as I’ve got two wheels on the ground I’m all right. Now if I had only one wheel on the old sod you might worry, but you wouldn’t worry for long. See ’em go. They know I’ve got them now!”
Just then the men plunged headlong into a ditch that extended all the way across the field. The girls had not discovered it until that moment. Jane checked her car just in time to prevent it also from going into the ditch.
“There’s a bridge to the right,” Harriet informed her, then was sorry she had made the suggestion. Crazy Jane charged the bridge at full speed. All four wheels seemed to strike the planking at the same instant.
Jane turned sharply. They were now chasing the two men obliquely across the field. The men were lagging.
“They’re getting winded,” shouted Crazy Jane triumphantly.
“Please go back now,” begged Harriet “You have frightened them enough. They never will trouble us again.”