e."

"And I am very sorry it happened," said the man who had gotten out of
the car. "My machine is a new one, and it does not run just right, but
this is the first time it ever made such a racket. I thought I was going
to be blown up, and I guess your horse did too, Miss. I'm very sorry for
the fright I caused you. I'll not start my auto again until you drive
on. Then, if it should happen to back-fire again, your horse will not
mind it so much."

"Thank you," the young lady said. "But I do not want to drive on right
away. I came to see you," she announced to Grandpa Ford.

"To see me?" and Mr. Ford was quite surprised. "You drove up here to see
me?"

"Yes, if you are Mr. Munroe Ford." And the young lady smiled pleasantly.

"Yes, that's my name," said Mr. Bunker's stepfather. "And if you don't
believe me you can ask these boys," and he pointed to Russ and Laddie,
who were staring at the pretty young lady. "Only," went on the old
gentleman, "they would probably say I was 'Grandpa Ford,' and so I am,
to them."

"That's who he is," declared Russ.

"He's grandpa to all us six little Bunkers," added Laddie. "We thought
it was a big cannon," he went on, speaking about the noise.

"I seem to have stirred up some excitement," remarked the man who owned
the new automobile. "I had better get away from here before I have the
police after me," and he laughed, to show he was only joking. Of course
it was not his fault that the automobile made so much noise.

"If you are not going to drive on, to get out of the way of my machine,
where your horse won't hear any more explosions, I think I had better
drive on myself. I'll go as quietly as I can," he said.

"And I'll hold her horse," offered Grandpa Ford. "As long as she has
come to see me, and is going to stay, I'll see that her horse doesn't
run away."

"You know how to manage horses," said the automobile man. "I don't. But
I can run an auto."

"Yes, I've been among horses for a number of years," replied Grandpa
Ford. "I have three or four on my place, Great Hedge. I'd rather drive a
horse than an auto. But won't you get down and come in, if you want to
see me?" asked Grandpa Ford of the young lady.

"Thank you, no. I'm only going to stay a few minutes, Mr. Ford," she
answered. "I feel almost like calling you Grandpa Ford myself," she
added. "You look just like a grandfather I used to have."

"Call me that as much as you please," laughed Grandpa Ford. "But what
shall