and threw his hands up in a gesture of despair. "All the trouble in
the world!" he exclaimed. "The tire is punctured, and I cannot mend
it. I am not a chauffeur, but I can drive this ear a little, and my
master told me to bring it to him. I don't know what to do. Of
course, as soon as it comes light the soldiers will seize it."

"I can fix the tire," said Warren. "I know all about it, but we are
going to Lodz and we ought not to wait. It is a long way."

"Good!" said the man. "We are going to Lodz, too. There are only two
seats, but we will carry you somehow. Only be quick and mend the
fire. Our lives may depend on it."

Warren turned the light on the wheel and went to work. He had always
prided himself on his swiftness in working out tire troubles, and when
he saw the bad tear in the tube, he took it off and replaced it with
one of the new tires strapped to the rear of the machine. He worked in
desperate haste, and Ivan, at his side, worked with equal
desperation. I

The men watched or restlessly walked up and down the road talking in
undertones to each other. It was evident that their knowledge of cars
was but slight, and they were forced to trust to the young stranger if
they were to proceed at all on their perilous journey.

When the tire was in place and pumped up, Warren hastily collected the
tools and started to replace them in the tool box but Ivan stopped him
with a word. He spoke sharply to the men.

"Take these things," he said. "We are ready!"