the cash register could never agree on the day's receipts. I seen
an ad for a mechanic at the Gaflooey service station and I got took on
there as a helper. A feller has got to do something don't he? Gimme a
cigarette."

Alex makes a dash for him, but I hold him back.

"Fade!" I warns him. "You're gettin' away with murder as it is, and if
I let this bird go they's no tellin' what'll happen to you!"

"What do I get for my mornin's work, heh?" he hollers.

"You're gettin' immunity!" I says. "Beat it!"

"All right!" he snarls. "I oughta knowed I'd only get the worst of it
goin' out on a job with a coupla boobs like you guys. This feller
claims he's a salesman, hey? Well, I'll lay the world eight to five he
couldn't sell ice cream sodas in Hades! Gimme a ciga--"

Alex throws the tool box at him, and he blows.

While we're standin' there tryin' to figure out some way to get this
chummy roadster to make good, a guy steps out from behind a hedge and
joins our little party. He had just about passed the votin' age and he
wore a raincoat with one of them cute little belts around it, a
dare-devil soft hat and carried a suitcase. His feet dragged like they
wasn't used to such heavy exercise as walkin' and he steps in front of
us with a cigarette droopin' outa the corner of his mouth.

"Pardon me," he yawns. "Are you having some difficulty with the car?"

"Oh, fluently!" I says. "You must be a fortune teller. Some
difficulty is right! We been attemptin' to get away from here all
mornin' and it's the same as makin' the Russians think the Czar was a
good feller--there's nothin' doin'. I don't think the motor is tryin'
and--"

He sets down the suitcase and yawns some more.

"I know something about autos," he says. "Have a couple of my own and
occasionally I have to fuss around 'em a bit. Do you mind if I look at
the motor?"

"We'd just love it!" I says. "Go to it."

He opens the hood, yawns a coupla times and monkeys around for a minute.

"Try her now," he says.

Alex gets in and pushes a button with his foot.

I don't know what this handsome stranger did, but whatever else it was,
it was a success, because the motor immediately begins to tear holes in
the peace and quiet of the surroundin' country.

"She'll be all right as soon as she warms up now," says our savior.
"The gas was disconnected--coupling jolted off evidently--and one of
the cylinders was missing. Must have given you trouble on hill