Wiley and Trixie, rounding the bend, disappeared behind the plum thicket. "Boys and dogs has both got plenty of gumption," Grandpa told Mama, "more'n folks give 'em credit for." Just then, we saw it! "Look, Grandpa!" "Yeah! There 'tis. It's a automobile all right. A one-seater. Foot dool! I wish it wasn't coming so all-fired fast. It ain't a Ford Model T. But hanged if I can tell what make it is." Grandpa was talking low and quick, as much to himself as to me and Mama. "Man, man, just look at her wheels roll! Lickety-split!" Mama shielded her eyes against the morning sun and looked hard at the black automobile. I put my hand up on my forehead too, and stared. The thing sailed right by in a big whiff of dust and was gone before any of us had a chance to get a good look at it. Wiley and Trixie ran up in the thick of the dust cloud. He was hollering and waving his arms; she was barking at every breath. "Did y'all see it? Did y'all see it? What kind was it, Grandpa? Could you tell? Didn't it have a funny gasoline tank? Mama, lem'me go to the store! Will you? It's bound to stop, and I could see it up close. Can I go? Can I, Mama?" Wiley was gasping for breath as he talked. "Son, you couldn't run all the way from here to your papa's store. It's a mile, and you're out of wind already!" "No'm, I got plenty of wind. And I ain't gonna run. I'll ride Dale. Please, Mama! Please?" "I don't think—" "Why don't you let him go, Nannie? If I was ten years younger, I'd go myself!" "Well, all right." "Hot diggity!" Wiley gave a whoop and lit out toward the barn. "That's it, son! Light a shuck!" Grandpa called after him. "Bandershanks, open the well-lot gate," Wiley hollered back, "and I'll dance at your wedding!" Grandpa said, "Come on, sugar, I'll give you a hand with that dilapidated old gate; you couldn't budge it. Reckon I'm gonna have to come out here and brace that thing with some two-by-fours. Jodie don't never get time for fixing things." With Mama's help, we got the sagging gate dragged open just in time for Old Dale to come jogging through, with Wiley astraddle of his back. Wiley hadn't even put on Dale's bridle, his blanket, a saddle, or anything! He was just holding on to Dale's mane with both hands and kicking his ribs with both feet. "Why, son, I could've helped you get the saddle!" "Don't need no saddle, Grandpa! Get up! Get up!" Mama said Old Dale didn't appear the least bit interested in going to see any automobile. But, he did strike up a trot when Wiley got him to the foot of the hill and on the main road. Trixie barked and wanted to follow them, but we called her back. "I'll tell you, Nannie," Grandpa said as he fastened the sagging gate back in place, "I got so carried away with looking at the automobile I wasn't paying no mind to who was on it. You happen to notice who 'twas?" "One of them was Ward Lawson, but the man holding the wheel was a total stranger to me."