ople were nearly dead with scare. Mr. 'Possum
whispered that he knew that his heart was beating so loud that Mr. Man
could hear it and would think his motor was going, and Mr. 'Coon said if
Mr. Man should ever move that back cushion he knew he should die. Mr.
Crow said he felt sure this was just some awful nightmare, and that he
would wake up pretty soon, and he said of all the dreams he ever had,
this was the worst.

But just then Mr. Man got hold of the crank in front of the car and gave
it a turn, and then gave it another turn, and then said something, and
gave it another turn, and suddenly the Hollow Tree people heard a great
number of loud explosions which made them perfectly cold, and then there
was just a heavy roar and rumble, and they heard Mr. Man say to Mr.
Dog, "Come, get in!" and they felt the automobile begin to move.

That was an awful sensation at first. They could feel that they were
going, but the soft rubber wheels did not rattle on the road, and about
the only sound was the motor, which they could tell was getting faster
and faster as they got out into the smooth road across the Wide Grass
Lands, and now and then Mr. Dog barking to them in Hollow Tree language
that everything was all right and to rest easy and enjoy
themselves--that they were just then passing the Four Oaks, and that
presently they would be in the Sugar Hollow Road, and that he wished
they could see out and notice how things went spinning by. Then they
heard Mr. Man tell Mr. Dog not to make so much noise, and after that
things were quieter, and they just heard the steady buzz of the engine,
until by and by Mr. Dog barked out that they were at Great Corners and
were stopping in front of the store.

The Hollow Tree people whispered to one another that they had certainly
enjoyed it, but what a terrible thing it would be if something should
happen now, so far away from home, and among so many confusing things.
It seemed an age before Mr. Man came back to the car and got ready to
start again, and when he did they heard him talking to some other Mr.
Man, who asked if he should put the things under the back seat. Then the
Hollow Tree people nearly died, until they heard Mr. Man say, "No,
never mind, I'm in too much of a hurry to get home; just drop them in
behind there, any place," which made them feel a little better, and
pretty soon Mr. Man started the motor again, and they felt the car
moving faster and faster, the same as before.

T