't stand and wait--that would be
losing time--so we kept busy. Went into the stores and bought
things--violets, candy, golf-balls, tennis-shoes, new gloves, and
neckties. Harry didn't need 'em, but he couldn't waste any time
and--

"'There's the car!'

"In each store Harry had used the magic words, 'Charge it,' and passed
on.

"We were going over to Chesterville to settle with the contractor who
had built his father's house. We had an hour and four minutes in which
to do it all, and then--the 6.03 express for New York. Harry had to
get it to be in time for a bridge party.

"We climbed in. Harry grabbed the wheel. The gas-lever purred, the
gears clicked, the car jumped into motion and rushed, screeching, up
the hill ahead of us, shot between a trolley-car and a wagon, swung
around a noisy runabout, scared a team into the siding, and sped
away.

"The town behind us! Country-houses on either side! A bulldog in the
near perspective! He set himself, made a rush at us, as if trying to
grab a wheel off the car, and the wheel got him. We flushed a lot of
chickens. The air seemed to be full of them. Harry waved an apology to
the farmer, as if to say:

"'Never mind, sir, I'm in a hurry now. Take my number and charge
it.'

"'He struck a fowl, and, turning, I saw a whirl of feathers in the air
behind us and the farmer's fist waving above the dust.

"Harry would have paid for the dog and the fowl in money but not in
time--not even in a second of time! Harry had an engagement for a
bridge party and must catch the 6.03 express.

"A man on a bicycle followed by a big greyhound was just ahead. We
screeched. The man went into the ditch and took a header. The
greyhound didn't have time to turn out then. He bent to the oars until
he had gained lead enough to save himself with a sidelong jump into
the buttercups.

"'Charge it!'

"The needle on the speedometer wavered from fifty to fifty-five, then
struck at sixty, held a second there, and passed it. Gnats and flies
hit my face and stung like flying shot. The top of the road went up in
a swirl of dust behind us. I hung on, with my life in my trembling
hands. We zipped past teams and motor-cars.

"We filled every eye with dust and every ear with screeches and every
heart with a swift pang of terror.

"'Charge it!'

"A rider with a frightened horse raced on ahead of us to the next
corner. We sped across the track into Chesterville and--

"'Hold up! There's the office ahe