Tom took that. He soon had it in place, and then tried the motor. To
his delight the number of revolutions of the rear wheel were
increased about fifteen per cent.

"I guess I'll make some speed," he announced to his father.

"But it will take more gasolene to run the motor; don't forget that.
You know the great principle of mechanics--that you can't get out of
a machine any more than you put into it, nor quite as much, as a
matter of fact, for considerable is lost through friction."

"Well, then, I'll enlarge the gasolene tank," declared Tom. "I want
to go fast when I'm going."

He reassembled the machine, and after several hours of work had it
in shape to run, except that a front wheel was lacking.

"I think I'll go to town and get one," he remarked. "The rain isn't
quite so hard now."

In spite of his father's mild objections Tom went, using his
bicycle, the chain of which he had quickly repaired. He found just
the front wheel needed, and that night his motor-cycle was ready to
run. But it was too dark to try it then, especially as he had no
good lantern, the one on the cycle having been smashed, and his own
bicycle light not being powerful enough. So he had to postpone his
trial trip until the next day.

He was up early the following morning, and went out for a spin
before breakfast. He came back, with flushed cheeks and bright eyes,