They entered it and started off, just as Mrs. Duy Puyster drove up in her elegantly appointed carriage, while Sarah, with tears of mortification in her eyes, climbed up beside the farmer and his wife.

“You saved the day for me, Tom,” whispered Miss Nestor, as the young inventor increased the speed of his car.  “It was only just in time.”

“Don’t forget the apple turnovers,” he whispered back.

Once she had made the plunge, the new cook seemed to lose her fears of the auto, and enjoyed the ride.  In a short time she had been safely delivered at Miss Nestor’s home, while that young lady repeated her thanks to Tom, and renewed her invitation for him to come and sample the apple turnovers, which Tom promised faithfully to do, saying he would call on his return from Philadelphia.

Musing on the amusing feature of his trip, Tom was urging his auto along at moderate speed, when, as he turned down a country road, leading to his home, he saw, coming toward him, a carriage, drawn by a slow-moving, white horse, and containing a solitary figure.

“Why, that looks like Andy Foger,” spoke Tom, half aloud.  “I wonder what he’s doing out driving?  His auto must be out of commission.  But that’s not strange, considering the way he abuses the machine.  It’s in the repair shop half the time.”

He slowed down still more, for he did not know but that Andy’s horse might be skittish.  He need have no fears, however, for the animal did not seem to have much more life than did Eradicate’s mule, Boomerang.

As Tom came nearer the carriage, he was surprised to see Andy deliberately swing his horse across the road, blocking the highway by means of the carriage and steed.

“Well, Andy Foger, what does that mean?” cried Tom, indignantly, as he brought his car to a sudden stop.  “Why do you block the road?”

“Because I want to,” snarled the bully, taking out a notebook and pencil, and pretending to make some notes about the property in front of which he had halted.  “I’m in the real estate business now,” went on Andy, “and I’m getting descriptions of the property I’m going to sell.  Guess I’ve got a right to stop in the road if I want to!”

“But not to block it up,” retorted Tom.  “That’s against the law.  Pull over and let me pass!”

“Suppose I don’t do it?”

“Then I’ll make you!”

“Huh!  I’d like to see you try it!” snapped Andy.  “If you make trouble for me, it will be the worse for you.”

“If you pull to one side, so I can pass, there’ll be no trouble,” said Tom, seeing that Andy wished to pick a quarrel.

“Well, I’m not going to pull aside until I finish putting down this description,” and the bully continued to write with tantalizing slowness.

“Look here!” exclaimed Tom Swift, with sudden energy.  “I’m not going to stand for this!  Either you pull to one side and let me pass, or—­”

“Well, what will you do?” demanded the bully.