“I prefer to leave it here,” said Sid shortly.  “Stop, please, and I’ll loosen the rope.”

“Oh!” exclaimed Cora shortly.  She could not understand Sid.  Walter stopped her car, and before it had come to a full halt Sid was detaching the tow rope.  Mary took this chance to alight from the Whirlwind, as they were not far from the post-office, and Ida followed her.  Sid cranked up for the short run into the blacksmith shop.  Ida and Mary were walking down the street together.

“Go ahead!” Sid called to Walter.

“Oh, you’re welcome,” replied Walter sarcastically.  “Not the least trouble, thank you.  Glad at any time—­”

Sid shot at him an angry glance over his shoulder.

“I’d like to know who had a better right to haul me out of the ditch?” he said sneeringly.

Jack, with the twins, had run on.  As Walter started Cora’s machine off again, they saw a man coming out of the smithy.  He helped Sid push the car in, and then stood talking with him in a friendly sort of fashion.  The man’s clothing was unkempt, and his general appearance anything but prepossessing.

“Who’s that?” asked Cora.

“Him, you mean?” inquired Walter.  “Oh, that’s Lem Gildy.  Or just plain Lem, if you like that better.”

“What does he do?”

“Nothing.  Easily said.  Yet I’ve heard it remarked that he’d do anything for money.”

“Curious that Sid should be on such friendly terms with such a character.”

“Rather,” remarked Walter, and he turned to see Sid pointing at the big car, while Lem Gildy was nodding his head as if assenting to something.

CHAPTER VII

TWENTY THOUSAND DOLLARS LOST

Edward Foster, as he ran his machine along the country road toward New City, where he was to transact his business at the bank, was thinking of many things.  And not all of them were connected with the large sum of money and the bonds which he was to exchange for stock.  A certain bright-eyed girl figured largely in his reveries.

“Guess I’d better put on a little more speed,” he said to himself.  “It’s going to take some time to get this all straightened out, and I don’t like to have such a large sum with me on the road.”

He speeded up his car, and was soon on the outskirts of the city, where he had to go slower, threading his way in and out among many vehicles.

He reached the bank shortly before noon, was greeted by the president and the secretary, who were expecting him, and was shown into a private office.

“Well, we have the stock all ready for you,” said the president genially.  It was not every day that his bank disposed of such a large block.  “I trust you will find it a good investment.”

“I believe I will,” replied Ed as he reached his hand in his inner pocket to take out the wallet that contained the money and bonds.  “I looked into—­”