“I suppose,” said Willard after a moment’s thought, “that a thousand is a pretty good offer. I wonder if we’d do better to take it.” “I wouldn’t take it from him if it was two thousand!” declared Tom vindictively. “Anybody who’s done the mean things he’s done――――” “He said he didn’t put Johnny Green up to that, and I sort of believe him, Tom.” “Maybe he didn’t,” grumbled the other, “but he fixed it so we couldn’t get a stand on Main Street, didn’t he? Well, that’s enough. If he wants to make trouble, let him! But there’s one thing we’ve got to do in a hurry, and that is buy that truck and get started before he finds out about it. I don’t know just what he could do, but I’ll bet he’d do it! Let’s see Jimmy as soon as we can and hear what he thinks.” And when Jimmy had heard what they had to tell him he said just one word, and that was “Hustle!” CHAPTER XXIV JIMMY GOES TO NEW YORK And Jimmy hustled. He gave notice to his employers that he was leaving them on the 20th of the month and then demanded two days off, or, more strictly, a day and a half, since it was Friday when he scurried off to New York and half of Saturday was his anyhow. Tom and Willard took him down to the 9:01, which would enable him to reach New York at about two in the afternoon, and all the way to the station and while they waited for the express they discussed Jimmy’s mission excitedly. It was agreed that he was to purchase a used truck if possible, but if he did not find any second-hand ones that suited him he was to negotiate for a new one on the best terms obtainable and the firm would pay by installments the difference between the seven hundred dollars which Jimmy bore away with him in the shape of a New York draft and the price of the car. Meanwhile the street railway company, as good as their word, had started in on the old barn and the gap in the floor was being bridged expeditiously with nice new, clean-smelling pine. The day after they closed the deal with the real estate agent Tom, Willard, Jimmy and Mr. Benton had gone to Lawyer Gilbraith’s office and an imposing document had been drawn up. By the terms of the new agreement each of the three partners was to share equally, while the name of the firm was changed to the City Transfer and Garage Company. It was during Jimmy’s absence that the boys held their second business meeting and that Willard announced the earnings for the last month. The station work had brought in $189 and rentals had added $74.50, a total of $263.50. This represented an increase of $75.75 over the business of the preceding month. Expenses had been $54.70, or $1.32 less than for the previous period. The month’s profit was $208.80. “Gee!” exclaimed Tom awedly. “If we can make that much now what will we do when we get the truck?”