"Arden, William - The Three Investigators 28 - The Mystery of the Deadly Double" - читать интересную книгу автора (Arden William)

"To Magic Mountain, my good man!" Jupiter intoned.

"Yes, sir." Worthington smiled. "Very good, sir."

Magic Mountain was some distance to the east of Rocky Beach, inland through southern California's coastal mountains. Worthington drove the great old car out of town on the back county highway. They had reached the first slopes of the dry, dusty foothills when Worthington suddenly spoke.

"Gentlemen, you stated, I believe, that you were involved in no investigation at present?"

"Unfortunately, no," Jupiter admitted. "Why do you--?"

"Because, unless I am mistaken, we are being followed!"

"Followed!" all three boys cried at once, turning to look behind.

"Where, Worthington?" Bob said. "I don't see any car."

"It is out of sight around the last curve at present," Worthington said, "but I noticed it the moment we left the salvage yard, and it has been behind us ever since. A green Mercedes sedan."

"A green Mercedes!" Jupiter exclaimed. "You're sure?"

"Automobiles are my profession, Master Jones," Worthington said firmly. "There it is now! And coming closer."

The three junior detectives stared out the back window. There was no mistake. The green Mercedes was directly behind them and was coming rapidly closer!

"It's the same car, all right!" Pete cried.

"So," Jupiter said triumphantly, "they weren't just lost tourists! I was right!"

"I-I guess so," Pete admitted nervously. "Who could they be? What do they want?"

"I don't know, Second," Jupiter said grimly, "and I don't think we want to find out right now."

"Maybe we're going to!" Bob cried in alarm. "They're moving in, Jupe! Gaining on us!"

"Worthington!" Jupiter exclaimed. "Can you lose them?"

"I shall endeavour to do so," Worthington said quietly.

The gold-plated Rolls surged forward as Worthington pressed the accelerator to the floor. They were in the mountains now, and the narrow two-lane highway snaked above steep drops into rocky canyons. Worthington gripped the large steering wheel of the car, hurling the gleaming machine in sharp turns at the edges of the precipices.

The green Mercedes leaped in pursuit. The two cars swerved and squealed around the curves, their wheels perilously close to the gaping chasms below. On a straight road the powerful old Rolls-Royce might have drawn away, but it couldn't match the agility of the smaller, newer Mercedes. Inexorably, the green car came closer.

"They're gaining on us," Pete cried in dismay.

Worthington's voice was calm. "It is too dangerous to try to go any faster in the mountains." He coolly scanned the road ahead. "But perhaps--?"

Worthington leaned forward, staring ahead. The Rolls had just come round a sharp curve and the Mercedes was momentarily out of sight. Worthington suddenly slammed on the brakes, skidded the big car almost to the edge of a sheer drop on he right, and swung back across the highway into a narrow dirt road that led off to the left. Speeding up again, the expert chauffeur drove the gleaming machine down the dusty side road and into the dense growth of live oaks and chaparral.

Behind them the Mercedes roared on past the side road.