The dense gloom within was slowly giving way to a heavy, blue-black light as the boys' eyes became accustomed to the dark interior. They saw that the sawdust filled the lower part of the building up to within a few inches of the incline they stood upon, so they stepped down upon it, and to give more light as they casually looked about, Paul pushed the great door wide open. And there before the astonished eyes of the two young gentlemen stood an automobile--the Big Six of the Auto Boys, apparently sound and whole. "Rah! Rah! Rah! Rah!" screamed Paul Jones in the most extravagant delight imaginable. "What d'ye _know_ about it? What d'ye know about it? What d'ye KNOW about it?" he cried, adding emphasis each time. But if Mr. Billy Worth was answering the question, his manner of imparting information was somewhat strange, to say the least. For after his first astonished, "What in the world!" he simply seized a rear fender, as if the car might take fright and escape immediately, and there he stood, saying: "Oh, my! I'm so glad! Oh, I am thankful for this day!" For while Paul's emotion found vent in an ecstacy of joy Billy, really more deeply moved, scarcely knew what he did or said. The prayer of thanksgiving in his heart was very earnest and sincere--so much of both that words entirely failed to give his feelings expression. The first sharp edge of their surprise, excitement and delight was gone in a minute or two and the boys began a rapid inspection of the Six and its contents. Even as they did so Mr. Peek, attracted by Paul's delighted yells, came slowly up the incline. His surprise was very manifest, though of a decidedly less demonstrative character than Paul's, for instance. While Worth and Jones inspected the car, Mr. Peek was making a study of the manner in which the machine had been gotten down from the road and into the icehouse. "Except for being so muddy inside as well as outside, she's just as we left her," announced Billy Worth presently. At the same instant Paul, who had been looking at the engine, switched on the spark, touched the starter, and lo! the motor hummed as sweetly and powerfully as anyone could possibly desire. "But how in time did they put it in here and who in thunder done it?"--Jones was apt to lose accuracy and gain a certain inelegance in his speech as his force of expression increased. As if answering Paul's question, Mr. Peek called from outside: "Sure enough, they knew the place!" And he pointed out to the two boys as they ran out to him how the automobile had been brought down the steep bank from the road above by means of heavy planks. There were four of the thick, unplaned boards. "How'd they ever get here, do you suppose?" asked Mr. Peek. "For more'n twenty year, I tell ye, them plank has laid in a pile way over on yon side of the hill. Somebody must 'a' knowed where to lay hands on 'em."