appetite. The girls exerted themselves to cheer her and assured her
that everything would come out all right as soon as they found Nyoda
and got her advice.

Somebody must have been moving a crockery store in the neighborhood and
dropped it in the middle of the road, for, as they were passing through
the outskirts of the little village where they had stopped they ran
into a regular field of broken china. Gladys stopped short when she saw
it, but it was too late, they were already in the midst of it. Both the
front tires breathed their last. I think it should be made a criminal
offense to leave things like that in the road. But then maybe the man
carrying the china was knocked down by an automobile in the first
place, and left the pieces in order to get revenge on some member of
the auto driving fraternity. Ever since then I have been wondering how
many of our calamities are brought down upon us by our best friends.

Gladys backed out of the mess and set about repairing the damage. The
Striped Beetle carried two extra tires done up in a nice shiny cover
all ready for emergency, but for some reason or other Gladys couldn't
get the old tires off. It seems the demountable rims refused to
demount, or whatever it is they are expected to do when you take a tire
off.

Don't expect me to get the details straight or I shall throw up the job
of reporter right here. I never could see through the workings of a
motor car. I am like the Indian who had the automobile explained to him
until he knew every part like a brother and then, when asked if he
understood it, he replied that he understood all but one thing and that
was what made it go without horses. So if the reader, who knows a car
from A to Z, will kindly forbear to smile when I muddle things up, I