"Is--is any one under the car?" he faltered. "My Heinie! Oh, my Heinie!" cried the woman again. "You haf runned ofer my Heinie!" With a bound Dick was out of the car through the sliding door in front, and peering between the wheels. He could see no child, and gave a sigh of relief. "Who is Heinie?" he asked the woman. "Who is Heinie? He is my best goose, and you haf runned over him mit your steam roller. You shall pay mit him yet!" "Oh, if it's only a goose that's all right," said Dick as he took out his pocketbook. "How much?" "Heinie was worth more as a dollar," she exclaimed, as she picked up the goose, which was still protestingly honking. "His feets is broken. He was worth more as two dollar." "Here are five," said Dick, generously. "I couldn't help it. I steered out to avoid the dog, and your goose got in the way. I thought it was a child, by the way you called." "Heinie is more as a child by me. I haf him more as five years now, and always--always he is careful mit der autos. But yours! it is not a auto--it is a house!" "Well, maybe he'll get better. His foot isn't much hurt," said Dick with a laugh, as he passed over the money. "I'm sorry." "Poor Heinie," murmured the woman, as she gathered her apron about the goose and went into the house. "He was worth more as fife dollar!" "You're starting in great, Dick," laughed Paul, as his chum got back into the touring car. "At this rate you'll need to take a big pocketbook along every time you go out." "He aimed at the dog and hit a goose," added Innis. "Lucky it was no worse," said Dick. "I sure thought I was in bad by the way she yelled about 'Heinie.'" "You don't yet quite appreciate how easily the car steers, I guess," suggested the chauffeur. "Try it some more." They went on a little more slowly, and had no more accidents. Dick soon became familiar with the mechanism, and rapidly acquired confidence in himself. Then Paul and Innis took turns, under the watchful eye and ready hands of the chauffeur. They stopped for dinner at a wayside hotel, and then drove back to New York, Dick arranging to have the car kept in a nearby garage. The next day he went out again, on a longer run, taking Grit with him. The bulldog seemed to take kindly to the new car, and made himself at home in it. The chauffeur had it easier now, for Dick felt confident enough to do all the operating himself. "We ought to stock up and live in it one night," suggested Paul, the third day. "Time enough for that," replied the delighted owner of the _Last Word_. "I'm going to drive it to Hamilton Corners in a few days." "You are?" "Sure. That won't be much of a run, compared with our trip across the continent."