“I’ll shove you to one side, and you can take the consequences!”

“You won’t dare to!”

“I won’t, eh?  Just you watch.”

Tom threw forward the lever of his car.  There was a hum of the motor, and the electric moved ahead.  Andy had continued to write in the book, but at this sound he glanced up.

“Don’t you dare to bunk into me!” yelled Andy.  “If you do I’ll sue you for damages!”

“Get out of the way, or I’ll shove you off the road!” threatened Tom, calmly.

“I’ll not go until I get ready.”

“Oh, yes you will,” responded our hero quietly.  He sent his car ahead slowly but surely.  It was within a few feet of the carriage containing Andy.  The bully had dropped his notebook, and was shaking his fist at Tom.

As for the young inventor he had his plans made.  He saw that the horse was a quiet, sleepy one, that would not run away, no matter what happened, and Tom only intended to gently push the carriage to one side, and pass on.

The front of his auto came up against the other vehicle.

“Here, you stop!” cried Andy, savagely.

“It’s too late now,” answered Tom, grimly.

Andy reached for the horsewhip.  Tom put on a little more power, and the carriage began to slide across the road, but the old horse never opened his eyes.

“Take that!” cried Andy, raising his whip, with the intention of slashing Tom across the face, for the front of the auto was open.  But the blow never fell, for, the next instant, the carriage gave a lurch as one of the wheels slid against a stone, and, as Andy was standing up, and leaning forward, he was pitched head first out into the road.

“By Jove!  I hope I haven’t hurt him!” gasped Tom, as he leaped from his auto, which he had brought to a stop.

The young inventor bent over the bully.  There was a little cut on Andy’s forehead, and his face was white.  He had been most effectually knocked out entirely by his own meanness and fault, but, none the less, Tom was frightened.  He raised up Andy’s head on his arm, and brushed back his hair.  Andy was unconscious.

CHAPTER IV

MR. DAMON WILL GO ALONG

At first Tom was greatly frightened at the sight of Andy’s pale face.  He feared lest the bully might be seriously hurt.  But when he realized that the fall from the carriage, which was a low one, was not hard, and that Andy had landed on his outstretched hands before his head came in contact with the earth, our hero was somewhat reassured.

“I wish I had some water, with which to bathe his head,” Tom murmured, and he looked about in vain for some.  But it was not needed, for, a moment later, Andy opened his eyes, and, when he saw Tom bending over, and holding him, the bully exclaimed: 

“Here!  You let me go!  Don’t you hit me again, Tom Swift, or I’ll punch you!”