Realizing, however, that two heads might be better than one, Tom turned the car around and headed back along the street in search of his partner. Jerry Lippit, curled up in a hammock in his side yard, heard the approach of The Ark a block away and, although the book he was reading was terribly fascinating, simply had to investigate. So when Tom came abreast of the Lippits’ house Jerry was awaiting him on the curb. Tom was glad of an excuse to stop that horrible thumping if only for a minute, and so slowed up. “’S matter?” asked Jerry eagerly. “I don’t know. I wish I did. Something’s busted, I guess. She started to act that way when I took her out of the garage.” “Maybe she didn’t want to get up so early,” suggested Jerry. “Maybe she’s still asleep and snoring. What you going to do?” “I don’t know,” answered Tom disconsolately. “She seems to run all right, but I’d hate to take her through town making such a racket. I guess I’ll have to get Jimmy Brennan to look her over. I’m going over to Will’s now.” “Would it make it any worse if I went along?” asked Jerry eagerly. Tom shook his head. “I don’t suppose so. Get in. Gee, there it goes again!” “Sounds as if she was falling to pieces, don’t it?” asked Jerry cheerfully. “Didn’t leave a screw-driver or a wrench or anything like that inside her, did you?” “Don’t be a chump,” growled Tom as he steered into Lincoln Street. At the Morris’, Grace, Willard’s sister, came out to the gate and informed them that Willard was at his father’s shop on the next street. So, after Grace had been acquainted with the catastrophe and had properly sympathized, The Ark thumped her way around to Logan Street. By that time Jerry was talking baseball, but found a very uninterested audience in Tom. High school was to play a team from the cotton mill that afternoon, and Jerry, who had succeeded to the position of second baseman in the absence of Jordan, was full of what they were going to do to their opponents. “Billy’s going to pitch and it will be a dandy game. Are you coming out?” Tom shook his head. “Better. Why don’t you? You can’t run the car, can you? You and Will come and see the game. It’s a fine chance, Tom.” “Maybe we will, if the car isn’t fixed; and I don’t suppose it will be,” answered Tom discouragedly as he drew up in front of the cabinet shop and honked the horn. Willard came out and was told of the trouble, Tom running the car back and forward to prove that he was not exaggerating. “There’s just one thing to do,” said Willard decisively. “And that’s to get hold of Jimmy. Come on in and telephone to him.” So Tom followed Willard to the shop, leaving Jerry in the car, and got Jimmy Brennan on the telephone. After reciting the symptoms Tom asked Jimmy what he thought the trouble was.