e run in the car all alone on a secluded road late that
afternoon.

Tom returned, with eyes shining, and cheeks flushed with elation.

"Well, how did it go? asked his father.

"Fine! Better than I expected," responded his son enthusiastically.
"When it gets to running smoothly I'll pass anything on the road."

"Don't be too sure," cautioned Mr. Swift, but Tom only smiled.

There was still much to do on the electric runabout, and Tom spent the
next few days in adjusting the light steel wind-shield, that was to
come down over the driver's seat. He also put in a powerful electric
search-light, which was run by current from the battery, and installed
a new speedometer and an instrument to tell how much current he was
using, and how much longer the battery would run without being
exhausted. This was to enable him to know when to begin recharging it.
When the current was all consumed it was necessary to store more in the
battery. This could be done by attaching wires from a dynamo, or, in an
emergency by tapping an electric light wire in the street. But as the
battery would enable the car to run many miles on one charging, Tom did
not think he would ever have to resort to the emergency charging
apparatus. He had a new system for this, one that enabled him to do the
work in much less than the usual time.

With his new car still unpainted, and rather rough and crude in
appearance, the lad started out alone one morning, his father and Mr.
Sharp having declined to accompany him, on the plea of business to
attend to, and Mr. Damon not being at the Swift house.

Tom rode about for several hours, giving his car several severe tests
in the way of going up hills, and speeding on the level. He was
proceeding along a quiet country road, in a small town about fifteen
miles from Shopton, when, as he flashed past the small railroad
station, he saw a familiar figure standing on the platform.

"Why, Ned!" called Tom, "what are you doing over here?"

"I might ask the same thing of you. Is that your new car? It doesn't
look very new."

"Yes, this is it. I haven't had a chance to paint and varnish it yet.
But you ought to see it go. What are doing here, though?"

"I came over on some bank business. A customer here had some bonds he
wanted to dispose of and I came for them. You see we're enlarging our
business since the new bank started."

"Has it hurt your bank any?"

"Not yet, but Foger and his associates are trying hard to make