rating. Then he heard fast turning wheels
coming "Kathump, kathump." And what do you think that poor frightened
horse saw coming along the road? A self-moving car with a trolley
overhead touching the singing wire! His eyes stuck out of his head and
his mane stood on end he was so scared. What made it go, he wondered.

"Hello, clodhopper," shrieked the electric car. "I didn't know there
were any of you four-footed curiosities left. Surely the world has no
more use for you. Where you go in half a day, I go in an hour; where you
carry one man, I carry ten. If you want speed I'm just what you need.
Just watch me!" He was gone leaving only the humming wire overhead. The
poor horse thought of what he had heard.

"He called me a clodhopper! He said he could go in an hour where I take
half a day! Surely this swift car is more wonderful than I!"

Now the trolley went swinging on his way thinking, "I am pleased with
myself. My power is the same as the lightning that rips the sky. I am
swift,--swifter than the ox--swifter than the horse. What would the
world do without me?"

Just then he heard a terrifying noise. It sounded like a mightly monster
coughing his life away. "Chug, a chug a chug a chug, chug." Then to his
horror he saw coming across the green field a gigantic iron creature
with black smoke and fiery sparks streaming from a nose on top of his
head.

"Well, slowpoke," screamed the engine as he came near the car. "Out o'
breath? No wonder. You're not made to go fast like me, for I move by the
great power of steam. Look at my monstrous boilers; see my hot fire.
Where you go in half a day, I go in an hour; where you carry one man I
carry twenty. If you want speed I'm just what you need! Goodbye. Take
your time, slow coach." And chug, chug, he was off leaving only a trail
of dirty smoke behind him. The poor trolley car thought of what he had
heard.

"He called me a slowpoke! He said he could go in an hour where I take a
half day! Surely this ugly engine is greater than I!"

[Illustration]

Now the engine raced down to the freight depot which was near the great
shipping docks. As he waited to be loaded he thought:

"I am pleased with myself. I am swift--swifter than the ox, swifter than
the horse, swifter than the electric car. What would the world do
without me? I serve everyone, I go everywhere----"

Just here he was interrupted by the deep booming voice of a freight
steamer lying alongside the wharf. "Tooooot"