Mr. Saunders, who had emerged from the shop in response to the hubbub, grinned as he directed Tom to take the buggy further along and run it on to the elevator. “You tell your father that if he wants to sell this he’s to let me know. I might find a customer for it. When you going to fetch that automobile away?” “Connors said he’d send right over for it,” answered Tom. “He’s coming now, I think,” said Willard, as a team drawn by a pair of dancing, half-broken colts came around the corner. If the trip with the buggy had been exciting the journey home with the automobile was more so. Tom and Willard refused to answer questions, but that didn’t keep the others from piling into the automobile as soon as it was under way. Jimmy secured the driver’s seat and performed wonderfully on the wheezy horn all the way to the stable. Tom and Willard chose to accompany the car on foot, but the rest of the fellows all managed to get into or onto it, and the new owners feared for the springs. No accidents happened, however, although when the young horses were confronted by a trolley car on Washington Street it looked for a minute as though there would be a runaway with a second-hand automobile doing a snap-the-whip through town. Tom and Willard had to laugh to see how quickly the boys tumbled out of the car when the horses began to plunge! Finally, however, the car was safely deposited in the yard and helping hands rolled it into the stable, or, as Tom had begun to call it now, the garage. It was no longer possible to avoid an explanation and so the two boys acknowledged that they had bought the car. “What you going to do with it?” demanded Teddy Thurston, kicking a tattered tire contemptuously. “Oh, just――just run it,” answered Willard. Jimmy laughed loudly. “I’d like to see either of you fellows run an auto! Besides, if it will run why didn’t you run it around here instead of having it hauled?” “It isn’t in running order now,” replied Tom with dignity. “We’re going to have it all fixed up.” “Bet you it will take some fixing,” observed another youth. “Looks to me like it was ready to fall apart. Did you have to buy it or did he give it to you?” “He traded it for the buggy,” said Jimmy, “and gave him something to boot. You can’t beat old Saunders on a trade!” “That’s all right,” replied Willard smilingly. “You fellows will be standing around begging for a ride in a week or two.” “Yes, we will!” jeered Teddy. “I wouldn’t trust myself in that thing with you for a thousand dollars, Will!” “All right; remember that,” said Willard. “Hustle along now; we’re going to lock up!” “Lock up!” exclaimed Jimmy with a wicked grin. “Great shakes! You don’t think anyone’s going to _steal_ it, do you?”