kled
a little on their foreheads, and at last that wheel was done, too, and
they were all quite exhausted and lay in the shade a while to rest and
talk about it. Mr. 'Possum said it might take a little longer than he
thought, to finish the automobile, and that it was better not to hurry
so, as new thoughts were coming to him all the time. He said that next
year they would make another and probably change the style a good deal.

Then when they were rested he showed them some nice straight limbs of
the tree that they could saw off for the axles, and when they got those
sawed off, which was easier to do, of course, he measured them and
showed them how to shave the ends nice and smooth with Mr. Man's
drawing-knife, and how to cut out of a strong piece of board some things
he called brackets for the back axle to turn in, because the back axle
had to turn, and how to bore holes with Mr. Man's auger, in the back
wheels and drive them on tight, and how to bore holes in the front
wheels and put them on loose with pegs to hold them on, because the
front wheels have to turn, and how to bore a hole in the middle of the
front axle and in the bottom of the big wood-box, for the steering-rod,
because the wood-box was going to be used for the body, and the
steering-rod would turn the front axle and hold it to the body at the
same time.

Mr. 'Possum said that he had noticed that on Mr. Man's car the
steering-rod did not stand straight up, but slanted a good deal, which
seemed to him a mistake; no doubt if Mr. Man could see their car he
would have his changed. Then the 'Coon and the Old Black Crow said, "Of
course," and that there never was anybody so smart to invent things as
Mr. 'Possum, and that it was too bad he couldn't go over and suggest
thoughts to Mr. Man.

The Hollow Tree people didn't get their car done that first day, but
they got it a good deal more than half done, and could hardly wait to
get at it next morning. They hurried out right after breakfast, and Mr.
'Possum had Mr. 'Coon and Mr. Crow sawing, and boring, and shaving with
Mr. Man's drawing-knife, making the crank, which was a sort of double
windlass that stood up in the car over the back axle, built so two
people could turn it; and there would be a strong strap that went down
through a hole in the bottom of the car and around the axle to make that
turn, too, which would drive the car. Then Mr. 'Possum showed them how
to make a seat for the front of the box, so he