find--the side of a house would do as well if it could
stand the strain. I'm going to stand the tank right up on her nose, so
to speak, and tip her over so she'll come right again."

Slowly the tank started off, while Tom and his friends in the
observation tower anxiously awaited the result of the novel progress.
Ned and Mr. Damon clung to the safety rings. Tom put his arm through
one and hung on grimly, while he used both hands on the steering
apparatus and the controls.

Of course the trailer wheels were useless in a case of this kind, and
the tank had to be guided by the two belts run at varying speeds.

"Here we go!" cried Tom, and the tank started. It was a queer sensation
to be moving upside down, but it did not last very long. Tom steered
the tank straight at the opposite wail of the ravine, where it rose
steeply. One of the broad belts ran up on that side. The other was
revolved in the opposite direction. Up and up, at a sickening angle,
went Tank A.

Slowly the tank careened, turning completely over on her longer axis,
until, as Tom shut off the power, he and his friends once more found
themselves standing where they belonged--on the floor of the
observation tower.

"Right side up with care!" quoted Ned, with a laugh. "Well, that was
some stunt--believe me!"

"Bless my corn plaster, I should say so!" cried Mr. Damon.

"Well, I'm glad it happened," commented Tom. "It showed what she can do
when she's put to it. Now we'll get out of this ditch."

Slowly the tank lumbered along, proper side up now, the men in the
motor room reporting that everything was all right, and that with the
exception of a slight unimportant break, no damage had been done.

Straight for the opposite steep side of the gully Tom directed his
strange craft, and at a point where the wall of the gulch gave a good
footing for the steel belts, Tank A pulled herself out and up to level
ground.

"Well, I'm glad that's over," remarked Ned, with a sigh of relief, as
the tank waddled along a straight stretch. "And to think of having to
do that same thing under heavy fire!"

"That's part of the game," remarked Tom. "And don't forget that we can
fire, too--or we'll be able to when I get the guns in place. They'll
help to balance the machine better, too, and render her less likely to
overturn."

Tom considered the test a satisfactory one and, a little later, guided
his tank back to the shop, where men were set to work repairing the
littl