Fortune favored the Benton and Morris Transportation Company for several days and the company’s coffers took on an appearance of prosperity. The Providence _News_ published a half-column story on Tuesday about the enterprise, a story which, evidently built on the article in the Audelsville paper, took frightful liberties with the truth. According to the _News_ Tom and Willard had not only assembled the car but had actually turned out or cast most of the parts! The _News_ even declared that the engine was built on a new and startling principle and promised to revolutionize the future construction of gas engines! Tom was a veritable wizard of mechanics and Willard an electrician of remarkable genius. To the boys themselves the article sounded absurdly silly and it made them rather ashamed, but it was interesting reading and it wasn’t long before they discovered that it was helping their business. Travelers from Providence wanted above all else to see and ride in the famous automobile, and if the appearance of the car struck them as being somewhat peculiar and old-fashioned they only nodded and looked wise. However, Providence didn’t supply enough travelers to Audelsville to overtax The Ark, and a dozen patrons a day was considered good business. And so things stood when, on Saturday, their first stroke of ill-luck befell them. Thus far The Ark had given practically no trouble. Sooty spark plugs had on one occasion somewhat interfered with the car’s performance, but that was a matter of small moment and easily remedied. On Saturday morning, however, when Tom ran The Ark out into Cross Street and started toward the hotel to look for passengers for the 9:01, it didn’t take him long to discover that the automobile was suffering from a new and, to Tom, alarming malady. From under the floor, as it seemed, came a most fearsome thumping, as though the car’s vitals had all broken loose and were having a battle royal. Tom stopped in consternation, got out, and peered under the car. Then he walked around it and finally lifted the hood and viewed the engine anxiously and sternly. But everything looked perfectly normal, and presently he took his seat again and started on. But as soon as he put the load on the engine the thumping began again. It was so loud that he wouldn’t think of taking the car onto Main Street. But just what to do he didn’t know. He stopped again under the green shade of a horse-chestnut tree and frowned. It was getting toward nine o’clock and soon it would be too late to meet the first train. In despair he got out again and went over the engine. It was getting plenty of oil, the wiring seemed all right and the cylinders appeared to be working nicely. Whatever the trouble might be, it was plainly back of the fly-wheel, and that meant――well, almost anything! Tom wished Willard were there to share the worry, but Willard had something to do at home for his mother, and Tom had agreed to pick him up on the way from the hotel to the station.