bank.

Once more the electric auto started off, and was soon on the
quiet country road, where Tom speeded it up moderately. He hoped
to be able to make the entire distance to the shore cottage on
the single charge of current he had put into the battery at home,
and, as there was no special need for haste, he wanted to save
his power. The machine was running smoothly, and seemed able to
make a long race against time.

The travelers ate lunch that day at Pendleton, a town some
distance from Shopton. They had covered a substantial part of
their trip. After a brief rest they started on again. Tom had
planned to spend two days and one night on the road, hoping to be
able to reach the shore cottage on the evening of the second day.
There, after recharging the battery, he would spend a night, or
two, and proceed to the track, ready for the race.

They found the roads fairly good, with bad stretches here and
there, which made it necessary for them to slow down. This
delayed them, and they found the shadows lengthening, and
darkness approaching, when they were still several miles from
Burgfield, where they intended to sleep.

"Will it be all right to travel at night?" asked Mr. Damon, a
bit nervously.

"Why, are you thinking of hold-up men?" inquired Mr. Sharp.

"No, but I was wondering about the condition of the roads,"