Colin stood at the front of the bus, surprisingly steady on his feet. He sang at the top of his lungs in a strong Irish tenor, “Yankee Doodle went to town, riding a steam pony. Led the magpies on a chase and made them look like phonies.”
The rest of the passengers joined in the chorus, singing, “Yankee Doodle keep it up, Yankee Doodle dandy. Fight the magic and the Brits, and with machines be handy.”
My blood ran cold as the meaning of their song struck me and I realized amongst whom I’d fallen. These were the infamous Rebel Mechanics, the underground group that wanted to use machines to overthrow the magical ruling class and break the American colonies away from Great Britain. Just being with them would be considered treason.
My heart racing with the awareness of where I was, I turned to Lizzie and shouted over the noise of the engine and the bus wheels clattering on the pavement, “You’re rebels?”
She gave me a reassuring smile. “There is nothing treasonous about what we’re doing here. Do you think this is wrong?”
I honestly didn’t know what to think. I’d heard rumors about this group in New Haven, where some university students had supported the cause, but my father hadn’t taken the rebels seriously. He’d said it was merely young men being foolish. I didn’t think it wise to say this while I was at their mercy. “We are perhaps going a trifle fast for safety,” I suggested, holding my bag with one hand while I gripped the edge of my seat with the other.
She laughed. “Yes, I suppose we are, but we’re merely proving that this machine is as good as any magical engine. Usually, we’d travel at a more reasonable speed.”
There was a shout from the back of the bus, and I looked over my shoulder to see a man positioned at the rear window waving frantically. Colin noticed the gesture, stopped singing, and nodded. Then he leaned out the front window and signaled Alec, who frowned and adjusted a lever. The bus picked up speed, making even more alarming noises. I was afraid it would fall apart around us. “What’s happening?” I asked Lizzie.
“The police are giving chase. You were right about us going too fast.”
“The police?” I squeaked in horror. I could never find a position in a good home with a criminal record. I wondered if the authorities would believe this band of dangerous rebels had kidnapped me.
I glanced anxiously over my shoulder again and saw the rear lookouts grinning broadly. “They’ve given up!” one shouted. Colin raised his arms over his head in triumph.
His sister shook her head. “They’ll signal ahead and cut us off!” she warned. “We should stop now!”
“The race is still on!” he cried out. “We don’t stop until we’ve won!”
The magical carriage kept pace with us. The driver must have been a real gamesman, for the police pursuit hadn’t deterred him. We’d reached the lower boundary of Central Park, which meant we were within twenty blocks of my destination. “Come on,” I pleaded under my breath, unsure whether I was egging on the engine or urging our competitor to give up so the race would end. The park passed by in a green blur as we rattled furiously up the avenue. I couldn’t even tell how many blocks we’d traveled, as each cross street went by in a flash.
Our opponent gradually fell behind until his carriage disappeared from sight. “Those engines don’t have the capacity for long runs at high speeds, not without a constant input of magic, so it was hardly a fair contest,” Lizzie said. “But I do think we’ve made our point that there are other viable sources of power.” Around us, the bus full of Mechanics cheered and launched once more into their raucous Yankee Doodle song. I merely sighed in relief.
The bus slowed, and Colin came over to me. “We’re near your destination, and the police will head us off at any moment, so this is where you get off.” He bade me brace myself in the doorway, then jumped down to run alongside the bus. Holding his arms up to me, he shouted, “Jump, Verity! I’ll catch you!”
The bus still seemed to be moving terribly fast, but I heard a police bell approaching and realized that if I didn’t jump, I might never make it to my interview. I took as deep a breath as my stays allowed and flung myself out the doorway.