s--father and son."

Tom turned on the power, and the machine rolled out on the main street.
As it turned the corner, leaving the impatient crowd of depositors, now
larger than ever, behind, Mr. Damon glanced over at the new bank, and,
as he did so, he called to Tom:

"There are the Fogers now."

The young inventor looked, and saw Andy and his father on the steps of
the new institution.

At the sight of the electric car, speeding along, Andy turned and spoke
to his parent. What he said seemed to impress Mr. Foger, for he
started, and looked more intently at Tom and Mr. Damon. Then, as Tom
watched, he saw the two excitedly conversing, and a moment later Andy
ran off in the direction in which Sam Snedecker and Pete Bailey lived.

"I wonder if he's up to any tricks?" thought Tom, as he turned on more
power. "Well, if he is, I'll soon be where he can't reach me."

The young inventor did not dare send his car at full speed through the
streets of the town, and it was not until several minutes had passed
that they could go at more than the ordinary rate. But once the open
country was reached Tom "opened her up full," and the song the motor
sung was one of power. The vehicle quickly gathered headway and was
soon fairly whizzing along.

"If we keep this up we'll be there and back in good time," remarked Mr.
Damon.

"Yes, but we can't do it," replied his companion. "The road to Clayton
is a poor one, and we'll soon be on it. Then we'll have to go slow. But
I'll make all the time I can until then."

So, for several miles more they crept along, at times having to reduce
to almost a walking pace, because of bad roads. Mr. Damon looked at his
watch almost every other minute.

"Eleven o'clock," he remarked, as they passed a milestone, "and we're
not half way there. Bless my gizzard, but I'm afraid we won't make it,
Tom. We left about ten, and we ought to be back by two o'clock to do
any good. That's four hours, and it will take some time to transfer the
securities, and get the cash. Every minute counts."

"I know it," answered Tom, "and I'm going to count every minute."

With eager eyes he watched every inch of the road, to steer to the best
advantage. His hands gripped the wheel until his knuckles showed white
with the strain, and, every now and then his right hand adjusted the
speed lever or the controller handle, while his foot was on the
emergency brake, ready to stop the car at the first sign of danger.

And there