That, in a nutshell, was just what was worrying me, but there seemed to be nothing more to say. I relapsed into silence. We rolled or floated or bounced, or whatever you may choose to call it, into town without accident or incident. People stared considerably at the kangaroo antics of our car, and one or two horses, after their first glance, developed _furor transitorius_ on the spot; but Hawkins managed to pull up before his cigar store, which was in the outskirts of the town, without kicking up any very serious disturbance. The cigars aboard, I had hoped to turn my face homeward. Not so Hawkins. “Now, down we go to the square,” he cried buoyantly, “do a turn before the court house, float straight over the common, and then bounce away home. I guess it'll make the natives talk, eh, Griggs?” “Your things usually do, Hawkins,” I sighed. “But why perform to-day? This is only the first trial trip. Something might go wrong.” “My dear boy,” laughed the inventor, “this is one of those trial trips that simply can't go wrong, because every detail is perfected to the uttermost limit.” That settled it; we made for the square. The square, be it remarked, is in the center of the town. The court house stands on one side, the post office on the other, and the square itself is a beautifully kept lawn. We were just in sight of the grass when I fancied that I detected a rattle. “What's that noise, Hawkins?” I said. “Give it up. Something in the machinery. It's nothing.” “But I seem to feel a peculiar shaking in the machine,” I persisted. “You seem to feel a great many things that don't exist, Griggs,” remarked Hawkins, with a touch of contempt. “But----” “Hey, mister!” yelled a small boy. “Hey! Yer back seat's fallin' off!” “What did he say?” muttered Hawkins, too full of importance to turn his head. “Hey! Hey!” cried the youngster, pursuing us. “Dat back seat's most fell off!” “What!” shrieked Hawkins, whirling about. “Good Lord! So it is! Catch it, Griggs, catch it quick!” I turned. The boy was right. The rear seats of the automobile had managed to detach themselves. In fact, even as we stared, they were hanging by a single bolt, and the head of that was missing. “Griggs! Griggs!” shouted Hawkins, wildly endeavoring to stop the engine. “Grab those seats before they fall! I didn't screw 'em on with a wrench--only used my hands--but I supposed they were fast. Heavens! If they drop, we shall go----” Just at that moment a sudden jolt sent the seats into the road. Two hundred pounds of solid material had left the Hawkins Auto-aero-mobile! Hawkins didn't have to finish the sentence. It became painfully evident where we should go. We went up! Up, up, up! In the suddenness of it, it seemed to me that we were shooting straight for the midday sun, that another thirty seconds would see us frying in the solar flames. As I gripped the cushions, I believe that I shrieked with terror.