A Hoodoo Machine; or, The Motor Boys' Runabout No. 1313.

The story follows three energetic friends—Matt, Billy, and Joe—who spend their weekends racing along Long Island’s backroads in a borrowed touring car. Their easy camaraderie and encyclopedic knowledge of every turn make them the quintessential motor boys of the early 1900s, always ready for a new challenge.

One bright Thursday they spot a lone white runabout with the ominous number 1313 painted on its side, careening wildly as if possessed. The driver fights a steering wheel that seems to have a mind of its own, swerving past telephone poles and almost colliding with an oncoming freight train. Intrigued and a little uneasy, the trio decides to tail the erratic vehicle, hoping to uncover the source of its “hoodoo” reputation before the road claims another victim.

As they pursue, the boys’ mechanical skills and quick wit are put to the test, and the strange car’s unpredictable antics spark a mix of excitement and dread. Listeners will feel the rumble of early engines, the thrill of the chase, and the lingering question of whether some machines are simply cursed.