He pressed a button on the dash. There was a low humming from somewhere beneath the car, and then the gasoline motor took up the song of progress. The machine vibrated with the power of the engine, until the driver slowed it down. Then throwing in the gear, he let the clutch slip into place, and the big machine glided slowly forward. "We're off!" cried Dick. "Like a charm!" added Paul. "I never saw a big car start so easily." "This machine has a new style of clutch," explained the chauffeur. "You'll find a number of the very latest wrinkles on her," he added with a smile. "Now, where do you want to go?" "Out toward the Bronx," replied Dick. "Get us into something like the country--that is, as much as there is near New York," and soon they were spinning ahead at good speed. It did not take them long to get in the upper part of Manhattan, and a little later they were out on what might be called a country road. "This is great!" exclaimed Dick, as he gazed from the plate glass windows of his touring car on the landscape that fairly flew past. "It sure is!" agreed his chums. "But wait until we start across the continent," went on the young millionaire. "Then we'll have some real fun!" CHAPTER VIII UNCLE EZRA LAUGHS "Suppose you try it now, Mr. Hamilton," suggested the chauffeur, when they had gone several miles, the professional giving the new owner various instructions about the car. "Yes, go ahead, Dick," urged Paul. "The sooner you get to know how to run it, the quicker we'll be off on our trip." "Well, I want you fellows to pick up some of the fine points, too," said Dick. "I don't intend to run the car all the while." "Oh, we'll do our share," agreed Innis. "Sit up now, Dick and show us what you can do." It was not without a feeling of nervousness that Dick took the wheel, for certainly driving this big and powerful car was no light matter. But they were on a broad and straight highway, where there was not much traffic, so Dick took his place at the wheel and levers, with the chauffeur near by in case of emergency, and Paul and Innis looking on, as anxious to learn as was Dick. "She steers easier than I thought she would," remarked the wealthy youth, when he had driven for a mile or so. "Yes, and that's one danger," the chauffeur explained. "You're likely to give too much of a twist. Just a little turn of the wheel answers." "Look out for that dog, Dick!" yelled Paul, as a yellow cur shot from a yard, diagonally across the road, barking at the big car. "I see him!" came the answer. "And there's a goose on the other side!" added Innis, as Dick swerved the machine to one side. "There, you ran over its foot!" A series of "honks-honks!" apprised the young driver that something had happened. Quickly he shut off the power and jammed on the foot and hand brakes. A woman rushed out of a rather dilapidated house crying: "Oh, you've run over Heinie! You've run over Heinie! Oh, you've killed him!" Dick turned pale.