ats and things in there, but there are
none of those articles there now. So if you should come over very early
to-morrow morning, before Mr. Man is up, and get into that place under
the back seat, you would have just about room enough, and while you
couldn't see much, except maybe a little of the road through cracks in
the bottom, you would be riding all the time, and always afterward could
tell how it felt."

Well, that was such a scary thought that at first the Hollow Tree people
couldn't do anything but just sit and shiver and think about how grand
and exciting it would be, but how awful if anything should happen.
Suppose Mr. Man should have to use his pump, what would be likely to
happen then? No one could tell. Mr. Dog said they would have to jump and
step lively then, sure enough.

[Illustration: MR. 'POSSUM TRIED TO TURN THE CRANK A LITTLE]

So then they talked about it and gave up the thought, and went on
talking about it and giving it up some more, until Mr. 'Possum said
that, so far, the worst had never happened to him yet, and that he would
take chances if the rest would; and Mr. 'Coon said it would probably be
the end of all of them, but he'd risk it; and Mr. Crow said he wouldn't
care to pass his life in the Hollow Tree alone, and he might as well go
with the others. Then Mr. Dog skipped home as fast as he could go, to
listen around and see what Mr. Man's plans were for the next morning, so
he would know if they were going on their early trip to Great Corners,
as usual, or on some excursion. But he didn't hear anything about a
picnic before bedtime, and next morning he was up a little before day,
and pretty soon the Hollow Tree people came slipping over, nearly scared
to death, and Mr. Dog let them in by his special door to the barn, and
they all looked at the automobile, and Mr. 'Possum tried to turn the
crank a little, and Mr. 'Coon sat up in the front seat and took hold of
the steering-wheel and pretended to be driving, and Mr. Crow said he
didn't see how a thing that seemed so cold and dead as that could
suddenly come to life and move.

[Illustration: MR. 'COON SAT UP IN THE FRONT SEAT]

Then Mr. Dog said he heard Mr. Man coming down his back stairs, and they
all made a dive for the rear seat, and Mr. Dog put the cushion in place
and was outside waiting and barking "Good morning" to Mr. Man when he
opened the big barn doors.

[Illustration: MADE A DIVE FOR THE REAR SEAT]

Then the Hollow Tree pe