Part 13 (2/2)
”It was a cow put us here,” said Mr Basswood, gravely ”Just a plain, every day, red cow” And in spite of the accident his eyes had a twinkle in them
”A cow!” came from several of the others, in wonder
”Yes, a cow!” answered Ben, and his tone showed his deep disgust ”I was going down the hill just as nicely as you please when along ca her, and when he saw us coet the cow out of our way But that e from the middle of the road, so I had to turn to one side--and this is the consequence”
”But I am so thankful that no one was hurt,” broke in Mrs Basswood
”Think of what ht have happened if the car had turned over!” and she shuddered
”But where is the cow?” questioned Roger
”Oh, as soon as she had put us in this hole she turned tail and ran down the hill as fast as she could, and the uess the ht hold hies,” remarked Shadow ”Say! this puts ot on the front piazza of a house, and----”
”For gracious sake, Shadow! I guess you'd want to tell stories at a funeral,” burst out Ben ”Never et this machine out from between this rock and that tree”
”You didn't break the steering-gear, did you?” asked Dave, anxiously, as he allowed the flashlight to play over and around the touring-car
”I don't believe I hurt anything, Dave But of course I can't be sure until I try to run the car,” answered Ben ”What's worrying et out of this fix? I don't believe I can back out--in fact it wouldn't be safe”
”Looks to et out of here,”
conaled the other car
”I think I see a way of aiding you,” said Dunston Porter, as exa the rock that held the wheel to the tree ”I think if we dig under the edge of this rock, we can loosen it and roll it down the hill
Then we'll be able to lift the front of the auto down on us”
”We can easily fix that part of it,” answered Dave ”All we've got to do is to take that towing-rope we brought along and fasten it to a tree and the back axle of the car”
”That's the talk, Dave!” cried his uncle ”Get the rope and make it fast at once”
While our hero and several of the other boys were adjusting the towing-line which had been brought along for eencies, Dunston Porter and Mr Basswood set to work to loosen the rock which held the wheel
This was no easy task, but finally, with the aid of a hammer and a small crowbar, it was accomplished, and the rock slid down the roadway Then the autoan to start forward
”Look out there!” cried one of the boys ”This line may not hold!”
”That will hold two cars like that,” answered Dave The rope strained and creaked, but did not break, and soon those in front of the car had the ht position, headed down the road
”Now Ben, I guess you're all right again,” said Dave