ied seemed much heavier than when he went in.

"It's all right, Tom," he said. "I've got it. Now for the trip home,
and I hope we don't have any accidents. It took longer than I thought
to check over the bonds and receipt for them. But I've got the cash.
Now to save the bank!"

He took his place beside the young inventor, holding the valise between
his knees, while Tom turned on the power and sent his car dashing down
the street, and toward the road that led to Shopton.

CHAPTER XIX

STOPPED ON THE ROAD

"Did Mr. Chase make any objection to giving you the cash?" asked Tom,
as he shoved the controller over another notch, and caused the motor to
make a higher note in its song of speed.

"Oh, no, he was very nice about it," replied Mr. Damon. "He said he
hoped our bank would pull through. Said if we needed more cash we could
have it."

It was nearly one o'clock, and they had the worst part of the journey
yet to go. Thirty miles of stiff roads lay between them and Shopton,
the last five and the first five being fairly good, with, here and
there, soft spots.

Up hill and down went the electric auto. At every opportunity Tom let
out all the speed he could draw from the motor, but there were many
times when he had to slow down. He had just made the ascent of a steep
hill, and was turning into a fairly good road, skirting the edge of a
steep cliff, when there came a sharp report.

"Bless my soul! That's a fuse, I'm sure of it!" cried Mr. Damon.

"No," announced Tom, as he quickly shut off the power. "It's a
puncture. One of the inner tubes of the tire has been pierced. I was
afraid of that tube."

"What have you got to do; put on a new tire?" asked Mr. Damon.

"No, I'm going to put on a new wheel. I carry two spare ones with tires
all ready inflated. It won't take long."

But the process of changing wheels consumed more time than Tom
anticipated for the nut was stuck, and he and Mr. Damon had to exert
all their strength before they could loosen it. When the new wheel was
in place ten minutes had been lost.

"Hold on now, I'm going to speed her!" cried Tom, when they were once
more in their seats, and speed the machine he did. The road was rough,
but despite this the lad turned on almost full power. Over the bumps
they went, around curves and into rain-washed ruts careening from side
to side, and throwing Mr. Damon about, as he expressed it afterward,
"like a bean inside of a football." As for the young