Chapter 49 Summary

The Austin has finally lost its brakes, a condition that Herriot endures for some time. He repeatedly asks Dr. Farnon to have the brakes fixed, but Dr. Farnon never seems to get around to it. The Dales country is extremely hilly, and Herriot has several near misses with the car and usually ends up stopping the car by crashing into an inanimate object.

Dr. Farnon finally drives the car and narrowly misses colliding with the farmer he and Herriot are on their way to see. As they whip around the farmer's yard trying to stop, Dr. Farnon calmly handles the situation until they find a ditch where they can safely stop. Dr. Farnon remonstrates Herriot for keeping quiet about the brakes, and as usual, Herriot says nothing.

Chapter 49 Analysis

Dr. Farnon's habit of putting things off finally takes a deadly turn. As it...