a peach of a ride?"

"Only about six miles more to Clintonia," shouted Frank Brandon, from the
front seat which he shared with Dr. Dale.

Most of that six miles consisted of new concrete state road as smooth and
level as a billiard table. Up and up crept the speedometer needle, and the
big car seemed to be fairly flying. Fences and trees flashed past them,
and the smooth road seemed like a river flowing toward them. The boys were
intoxicated with the wild thrill and exhilaration of speed, and laughed
and shouted and pounded each other on the back. For several miles the
speedometer needle never receded, and not until the roofs and church
steeples of Clintonia were visible in the distance did Dr. Dale slacken
pace and bring the big machine down to a sedate twenty-five miles an
hour.

"Well, how did you like that?" he inquired, turning around for a moment to
glance at the excited boys. "Was that fast enough to please you?"

"It was great!" declared Bob. "This car can certainly step along when you
want it to."

"We'll be at my house in less than ten minutes. I hope you all feel as
though you could eat a little something."

"Eat!" exclaimed Jimmy, in heartfelt tones. "Why, I'm so hungry I've been
tempted to start in and eat the upholstery once or twice."

"Please don't," laughed Dr. Dale. "It's too expensive, besides being
indigestible. Control yourself for a few minutes, and I'll promise you
something much better than leather to eat."

"All right, then, I'll do the best I can," promised Jimmy, with a grin.

"We have to pass Antonio's shoe repairing store before we get to Doctor
Dale's house, and if you like, I'll get out and buy you a nice big chunk
of sole leather, Jimmy," suggested Joe. "If you really want something
along that line, it seems a shame not to let you have it."

"Thanks all the same, but I wouldn't like to put you to all that trouble,"
said Jimmy, with elaborate politeness.

Joe was about to protest that he would not mind the trouble in the least,
but before he had time to the car drew up in front of Dr. Dale's house.

Mrs. Dale was waiting for them on the front porch.

"I was beginning to get worried over you," she said. "But I suppose you
found it quite a long trip, didn't you?"

"I can't say that it seemed very long to us," replied Mr. Brandon,
smiling. "When you're in a car, you don't seem to think of the time
much."

"Yes, I've noticed that myself," she admitted. "But you've arrived in