doan't know how he know, Mistah Damon," replied Eradicate, "but he
do know, jest de same. I know hit would be laik pullin' teeth an' wuss
too, t' git Boomerang t' start back wid dem foosd t'ings until after
he's had his dinner. Wouldn't it, Boomerang?"

The mule waved his long ears as if in answer.

"Bless my soul, I believe he does understand!" cried Mr. Damon.

"Of course he do," put in the colored man. "I'se awful sorry. Now if
it were afternoon I could bring back dem what-d'ye-call-'ems in a
jiffy, 'cause Boomerang allers feels good arter he has his dinnah, but
befo' dat--" and Eradicate shook his head, as if there was no more to
be said on the subject.

"Well," remarked Tom, sadly, "I guess there's no help for it. We'll
have to walk home, unless you two want to wait until I can ride back
with Eradicate, and come back on my motor cycle. Then I'll have to
leave the cycle here, for I can't get it in the car."

"Bless my collar button!" cried Mr. Damon. "It's like the puzzle of the
fox, the goose and the bag of corn on the banks of a stream. I guess
we'd better all walk."

"Hold on!" exclaimed Mr. Sharp. "Is your mule good and strong,
Eradicate?"

"Strong? Why dish yeah mule could pull a house ober--dat is when he's
got a mind to. An' he'd do most anyt'ing now, 'ca'se he's anxious t'
git home t' his dinnah; ain't yo' all, Boomerang?"

Once more the mule waved his ears, like signal flags.

"Then I have a proposition to make," went on the balloonist. "Unhitch
the mule from the load of wood, and hitch him to the auto. We've got
some rope along, I noticed. Then the mule can pull us and the runabout
home."

"Good idea!" cried Mr. Damon.

"Dat's de racket!" ejaculated Eradicate. "I'll jest sequesterate dish
year load ob wood side ob de road, an' hitch Boomerang to de auto."

Tom said nothing for a few seconds. He gazed sadly at his auto, which
he hoped would win the touring club's prize. It was a bitter pill for
him to swallow.

"Towed by a mule!" he exclaimed, shaking his head, and smiling
ruefully. "The fastest car in this country towed by a mule! It's tough
luck!"

"'Tain't half so bad as goin' widout yo' dinnah, Mistah Swift!"
remarked Eradicate, as he began to harness the mule to the electric
runabout.

Boomerang made no objection to the transfer. He looked around once or
twice as he was being made fast to the auto and, when the word was
given he stepped out as if pulling home stalled cars was h