eading sweep of brick buildings fronting on the river's edge
below.

"There's the town," he announced, adding, with a touch of regret: "We're
ahead of time, after all, an' I could have unloaded by myself. Well, it
don't matter noways except for the extra drag on the horses. Giddap!"

"There's--there's an ottermobile comin' up behind," Lou ventured. "They
been tootin' at you for some time, mister."

"Let 'em," the old man cackled shrilly once more. "I've been drivin' on
these roads afore them things was heard of, an' I don't calc'late to
turn out for 'em."

The warning of the siren sounded again disturbingly close, and the rush
of the oncoming car could be plainly heard. Jim glanced at the old man,
and, noting the stubborn set of his jaw, said nothing; but Lou spoke
again, and her voice held no note of alarm, but rather indignation at
the obvious lack of fair play.

"But they got a right; you're on their side of the road," she exclaimed.
"If you'd give them their half, mister, they could pass easy."

"Don't calc'late to let 'em," he responded obstinately. "Ain't goin' to
take their dust if I kin help it."

Deliberately he tugged on the left reins and headed the team straight
across the road. Lou gave a quick glance over the side of the wagon and
behind, and then gripped Jim's arm. He turned and caught one glimpse of
her set face, and then with a roar and a grinding crash they both felt
themselves lifted into the air and landed in some golden, slimy fluid in
the ditch.

"Lou, are you hurt?" Jim tried to wipe the clinging stuff from his eyes
and ears with his sleeve. "Where are you?"

The rapidly diminishing clatter of horses' hoofs down the hill, and the
old man's vigorously roared recriminations assured him of the safety of
the rest of the entourage even before Lou replied.

"Not hurt a mite, but I'm laughin'!" she exclaimed breathlessly. "Oh,
Jim, you--you should have seen it. That ottermobile hit square in the
middle of the wagon, and there ain't--isn't--a single egg----"

"Here, you!" the old man, dripping from head to foot with the golden
slime, rushed up and tugged excitedly at Jim's arm. "Come on an' help me
to ketch them horses! What'd I bring you along for? Let the girl be, I
don't ker if her neck's broke! I got to lodge a complaint against them
rascals, an' have 'em stopped! You're my witnesses that they run into
me, an' I'll make 'em pay a pretty penny----"

"I care whether my sister's neck is bro