forward to now."

The time had passed so quickly that the boys could hardly believe it when
Bob looked at his watch and told them it was nearly six o'clock.

"Good-night!" exclaimed Joe. "We'll all be late for supper now. Guess
we'll have to say good-bye and beat it, Larry."

"I suppose so," said Larry, regretfully. "I want to thank you all again
for what you've done for me, and believe me, I appreciate it."

They all shook hands with him, and then started for home at a brisk pace.

"Seems to me we're always in a hurry," complained Jimmy. "You pretty near
run my legs off getting here, and now I've got to repeat the performance
going home, or else get a cold supper when I get there. I wonder why I'm
always out of luck that way."

"You'd better save your breath, instead of wasting it in kicking," Joe
admonished him. "You'll need it all before you get home, I'll tell you.
Let's hit it up a little faster, fellows. Jimmy wants to get home before
his supper gets cold, so we'll have to see that he gets there."

"Come on, Doughnuts, step on the throttle," cried Herb. "Show us what you
really can do."

"Nothing doing," panted Jimmy. "My throttle's wide open now. You fellows
go ahead if you're in such a hurry."

"I guess there's no such rush as that," said Bob, slowing down to a pace
more suited to Jimmy's limited speed. "Take it easy, old man. We're not
going to a fire, after all."

CHAPTER XIV

AN IMPROMPTU FEAST

"Anybody would think we were, to look at us," puffed Jimmy. "Whew, I'm all
in!" and he slowed down to a walk.

"Well, we're almost home, anyway," said Bob. "Take your time, Jimmy. We'd
hate to have you die of apoplexy."

"You wouldn't hate it nearly as much as I would," said Jimmy, beginning to
get his breath again. "Just think of what the world would lose if anything
were to happen to me."

"It's too terrible to think about," said Bob, with mock gravity. "I
suppose the old world would stop spinning if you should kick the bucket,
Jimmy."

"Maybe not as bad as that," interposed Herb. "But a lot of doughnut
manufacturers would have to go out of business, I know that."

"Aw, you know too much!" exclaimed Jimmy, scornfully. "At least, you think
you do, which is worse. I don't see what you have to go to high school
for, anyway. You know all there is to know, already."

"I don't know but what you're right," agreed Herb, complacently. "But the
trouble is, I can't seem to get the teachers to bel