n Mr. Man was ready to
start, next time, Mr. Dog jumped in himself, and the faster they went
the better he liked it, and now when they went he often sat up in the
front seat by the side of Mr. Man, and if the car was all full of Mr.
Man's folks he sometimes sat behind on the top when it was folded back
for fine weather. Mr. Dog said there was nothing in the world that he
loved so much as to ride in an automobile and to go fast. He said they
often went so fast that they passed some of the birds, and that then he
would bark loudly to show his enjoyment.

Well, when the Hollow Tree people heard about Mr. Man's automobile they
at first could hardly say anything at all. Then Mr. 'Possum said he
supposed what made it go was some kind of clockwork that Mr. Man wound
up when he turned that crank; and Mr. Crow thought he must build a fire
in it to make the smoke come out behind. Mr. Dog didn't know, himself,
just how the machinery went in, but that Mr. Man called it a motor and
had ever so many names for different parts of it, and sometimes said
strong words when he took one of the parts out and couldn't get it back
again without trouble. The wheels ran on rubber, he said, rubber filled
with air, which Mr. Man pumped into them, and when anything happened to
let the air out they had to stop, and then Mr. Man would change the
rubber wheel and pump a good deal, and say strong words again,
especially when it was warm. Mr. Dog said it was a great comfort to sit
back in the shade at such times, and watch Mr. Man pump, and hear him
say all the things that he used to say to Mr. Dog himself when he had
made some little mistake or had come home later than usual. He said he
had never prized anything in his life so much as he had that car, which
was what Mr. Man generally called it.

Well, the Hollow Tree people were certainly excited. They said they
surely must see that new carriage of Mr. Man's, and if Mr. Dog would
send them word some day when he was going out they would hide in the
bushes by the road and watch him go by. Mr. Dog said he would do that,
and that he and Mr. Man generally took an early ride together, before
the rest of the family were stirring, to get some things at the store
down at Great Corners--mostly, of late, things for the automobile, which
seemed to consume a great deal of smelly liquid, and oils, and all kinds
of hardware.

Then Mr. 'Coon said he would give anything in the world to see that
automobile going by w