Down in the darkness beyond Dave made out the red, rear-light of the Basswood automobile. As the second touring-car came on Luke leaped to one side, but his warning had had its effect, and now Dave jammed on both brakes with all the force at his command, at the same time swerving slightly to the left. He just grazed a trunk strapped to the back of the first machine, and then came to a halt on a water-break a short distance beyond. "Somebody get out and put a few stones under the wheels!" cried Dave, who could not leave his seat because of one foot on the brake. "All right, we'll fix it!" cried his uncle, and leaped out, followed quickly by the boys in the tonneau of the car. Loose stones were to be had in plenty, and soon the car wheels were well blocked. Then Dave was able to join those on the ground. "Shall we get out?" asked Laura, anxiously. "Suit yourselves," returned Dunston Porter, who was already moving in the direction of the other car. The Wadsworth machine contained a hand flashlight, and getting possession of this, Dave and his chums hurried toward the other automobile. They had already seen at a glance that the Basswood touring-car had swung around to the side of the road, and that one front wheel was held fast between a large rock and a fair-sized tree. Apparently the car was not hurt, and no one seemed to be injured. "How did it happen, Ben?" sang out Dave, when he saw that the accident was not a serious one. "Funniest thing you ever heard of," returned his chum. "You couldn't possibly guess it." "Didn't you slip on the rocks?" queried Phil. "It was a cow put us here," said Mr. Basswood, gravely. "Just a plain, every day, red cow." And in spite of the accident his eyes had a twinkle in them. "A cow!" came from several of the others, in wonder. "Yes, a cow!" answered Ben, and his tone showed his deep disgust. "I was going down the hill just as nicely as you please when along came a cow. A man was driving her, and when he saw us coming he did his best to get the cow out of our way. But that mooly didn't budge from the middle of the road, so I had to turn to one side--and this is the consequence." "But I am so thankful that no one was hurt," broke in Mrs. Basswood. "Think of what might have happened if the car had turned over!" and she shuddered. "But where is the cow?" questioned Roger. "Oh, as soon as she had put us in this hole she turned tail and ran down the hill as fast as she could, and the man went after her," explained Mr. Basswood. "I guess the man ran away because he was afraid we might hold him responsible for damages," remarked Shadow. "Say! this puts me in mind of a story," he added. "One time a cow got on the front piazza of a house, and----" "For gracious sake, Shadow! I guess you'd want to tell stories at a funeral," burst out Ben. "Never mind your yarn now. Let us see if we can get this machine out from between this rock and that tree."