“I don’t see anything,” said Nellie.  And then Sam had to explain and point out the situation of the first car.

“I guess I can get down the hill well enough,” said Tom.  “But this appears to be a poor road.  We ought to try to find something better.”

All those in the second car got out and walked to that which was stalled in the bushes.  They found Dick and Fred walking around the machine trying to learn if any damage had been done.

“We might have kept right on,” said Sam, and explained why.

“Well, we are here, and now comes the problem of getting back on the road,” said the eldest Rover.  “I don’t think I can back very well in here.”

“Better make a turn on the down grade,” suggested Sam.  “We can cut down some of the big bushes that are in the way, and fill up some of the holes with stones.”

It was decided to do this, and all of the boys took off their coats and went to work.  Soon they had a fairly clear path, and after backing away a few feet from the trees, Dick turned downward in a semi circle, and got out once more on the road.  This time he was mindful to use the brake with care, and consequently he gained the bottom of the stony hill without further mishap, and the second machine came after him.

“There is that farmer,” said Songbird.  “Why not ask him about the roads?”

“I will,” said Dick, and stalked into the field.

“This ain’t no good road to Philadelphia,” said the farmer, when questioned.  “Better go back up the hill and take the road on the right.”

“We can’t get back very well.”

“Then you had better go along this road and take the first turn to the left and after that the next turn to the right.  You’ll have about three miles o’ poor roads, but then you’ll be all right, but the distance to the city is six miles longer.”

There was no help for it and they went on, over dirt roads which were anything but good.  They had to go slowly, and Tom kept the second car far to the rear, to escape the thick dust sent up by the leading machine.

“This isn’t so fine,” declared Dick, with a grimace at Dora.  “I am sorry we took that false turn at the top of the hill.”

“Oh, we’ll have to take the bitter with the sweet,” answered the girl, lightly.

“I shan’t mind it if you don’t, Dora.”

“Don’t worry, Dick, I am not minding it a bit.  I am only glad we got rid of that intoxicated chauffeur.  He might have gotten us into far more trouble than this.”

Inside of an hour they found themselves on a good stone road and reached a signboard put up by the automobile association, telling the exact distance to Philadelphia.  This set them at ease mentally, and they started off at a speed of twenty miles an hour.  Tom wanted to “let her out,” as he put it, but Nellie demurred and so he kept to the rear as before.

“But some day I am going to have a machine of my own,” said he, “and it is going to do some speeding, I can tell you that.”