Steve and the Steam Engine | Page 3

back to his father's garage before the
family returned from New York on the afternoon train. Now that his
excitement had cooled into sober second thought, he marveled that he
had been led into committing such a monstrous offense. He must have
been mad. Often he had begged to do the very thing he had done and
his father had always refused to let him, insisting that an expensive
touring car was no toy for a boy of his age. Perhaps there had been
some truth in the assertion, too, he now admitted. Yet were he to hang
for it, he could not see why he had not run the car exactly as his elders
were wont to do. Of course he had had a pretty big crowd aboard and
the heavy load might have strained the machinery; and possibly--just
possibly--he had speeded a bit. He certainly had made phenomenally
good time for he did not want the fellows to think he was afraid to let

out the engine.
Well, whatever the matter was, the harm was done now and he was in a
most unenviable plight. No doubt it would cost a small fortune to get
the automobile into shape again, more money than he had in the world;
certainly far more than he had in his pocket at the present moment.
What was he to do? Even suppose the boys did remember to send back
help (they probably wouldn't--but suppose they did) how was he to pay
a machinist? As he pictured himself being towed to a garage and the car
being left there, he felt an uncomfortable sensation in his throat. He
certainly was in for it now.
It would be ignominious to charge the repairs to his father but that
would be the only course left him. Fortunately Mr. Tolman, who was a
railroad official, was well known in the locality and therefore there
would be no trouble about obtaining credit; but to ask his father to pay
the bills for this escapade was anything but a manly and honorable way
out and Steve wished with all his heart he had never been persuaded
into the wretched affair. If there were only some escape possible, some
alternative from being obliged to confess his wrong-doing! But to hope
to conceal or make good the disaster was futile. And even if he could
cover up what had happened, how contemptible it would be! He
detested doing anything underhanded. Only sneaks and cowards
resorted to subterfuge and although he had been called many names in
his life these two had not been among them.
No, he should make a clean breast of what he had done and bear the
consequences, and once out of his miserable plight he would take care
never again to be a party to such an adventure. He had learned his
lesson.
So absorbed was he in framing these worthy resolutions that he did not
notice a tiny moving speck that appeared above the crest of the hill and
now came whirling toward him. In fact the dusty truck and its yet more
dusty driver were beside him before he heeded either one. Then the
newcomer came to a stop and he heard a pleasant voice:
"What's the matter, sonny?"

Stephen glanced up, trying bravely to return his questioner's smile.
The man who addressed him was white-haired, ruddy, and muscular,
and he wore brown denim overalls stained with oil and grease; but
although he was middle-aged there was a boyish friendliness in his face
and in the frank blue eyes that peered out from under his shaggy brows.
"What's the trouble with your machine?" he repeated.
"I don't know," returned Stephen. "If I did, you bet I wouldn't be sitting
here."
The workman laughed.
"Suppose you let me have a look at it," said he, climbing off the seat on
which he was perched.
"I wish you would."
"It is a pretty fine car, isn't it?" observed the man, as he approached it.
"Is it yours?"
"My father's."
"He lets you use it, eh?"
Stephen did not answer.
"Some fathers ain't that generous," went on the man as he began to
examine the silent monster. "If I had an outfit like this, I ain't so sure I'd
trust it to a chap of your size. Still, if you have your license, I suppose
you must know how to run it."
[Illustration: "You've got your engine nicely warmed up, youngster," he
observed casually. Page 9.]
A shiver passed through Stephen's body. A license! What if the stranger
should ask to see it?

There was a heavy fine, he now remembered, for driving a car unless
one were in possession of this precious paper, although what the
penalty was he could not at the instant recall; he had entirely forgotten