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TOM SWIFT AND HIS ELECTRIC RUNABOUT or The Speediest Car on the Road
〃But not much faster than a wheelbarrow；〃 said his father； who
sometimes teased his son。
〃Wait！〃 cried the youth。
Tom turned more current into the motor。 The purring and humming
increased； and the car seemed to leap forward。 It was in the road now； and；
once assured that the steering apparatus was working well； Tom suddenly
turned on much more speed。
So quickly did the electric auto shoot forward that Mr。 Damon and Mr。
Sharp were jerked back against the cushions of the rear seats。
〃Here！ What are you doing？〃 inquired Mr。 Sharp。
〃I'm going to show you a little speed；〃 answered Tom。
The car was now moving rapidly； and there was a smoothness and
lightness to its progress that was absent from a gasolene auto。 There was
no vibration from the motor。 Faster and faster it ran； until it was moving at
a speed scarcely less than that of Mr。 Damon's car； when it was doing its
best。 Of course that was not saying much； for the car owned by the odd
gentleman was not a very powerful one； but it could make fast time
occasionally。
〃Is this the best you can do？〃 asked Mr。 Damon。 〃Not that it isn't fast；〃
he hastened to add； 〃and I was wondering if it was your limit。〃
〃Not half！〃 cried Tom； as he turned on a little more power。 〃I'm not
trying for a record to…day。 I just want to see how the battery and motor
behaves。〃
〃Pretty well； I should say；〃 commented Mr。 Sharp。
〃I'm satisfiedso far；〃 agreed the lad。
They were now moving along the highway at a good speedmoving
almost silently； too； for the motor； save for a low hum； made no noise。 So
quiet was the car； in fact； that it was nearly the cause of a disaster。 Tom
was so interested in the performance of his latest invention； that； before he
knew it； he had come up behind a farmer； driving a team of skittish horses。
As the big machine went past them； giving no warning of its approach； the
steeds reared up； and would have bolted； but for the prompt action of the
driver。
〃Hey！〃 he cried； angrily； as Tom speeded past； 〃don't you know you
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS ELECTRIC RUNABOUT or The Speediest Car on the Road
got to give warnin' when you're comin' with one of them ther gol…swizzled
things！ By Jehossephat I'll have th' law on ye ef ye do thet ag'in！〃
〃I forgot to ring the bell；〃 apologized Tom； as he sent out a peal from
the gong； and then； he let out a few more amperes； and the speed
increased。
〃Hold on！ I guess this is fast enough！〃 cried Mr。 Damon； as his hat
blew off。
〃Fast？〃 answered Tom。 〃This is nothing to what I'll do when I use the
full power。 Then I'll〃
He was interrupted by a sharp report； and a vivid flash of fire on a
switch board near the steering wheel。 The motor gave a sort of groan； and
stopped； the car rolling on a little way； and then becoming stationary。
〃Bless my collar button！〃 ejaculated Mr。 Damon。
〃What's the matter？〃 inquired Mr。 Sharp。
〃Some sort of a blow…out；〃 answered Tom ruefully； as he shoved the
starting handle over； trying to move the car。 But it would not budge。 The
new auto had 〃gone dead〃 on her first tryout。 The young inventor was
grievously disappointed。
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS ELECTRIC RUNABOUT or The Speediest Car on the Road
CHAPTER XIII
TOWED BY A MULE
〃Bless my gizzard！ Is it anything serious？〃 asked Mr。 Damon。 〃Will it
blow up； or anything like that？〃
〃No；〃 replied the lad； as he leaped out of the car； and began to make an
examination。 Mr。 Sharp assisted him。
〃The motor seems to be all right；〃 remarked the balloonist； as he
inspected it。
〃Yes；〃 agreed our hero； 〃and the batteries have plenty of power left in
them yet。 The gauge shows that。 I can't understand what the trouble can be；
unless〃 He paused in his remark and uttered an exclamation。 〃I've found
it！〃 he cried。
〃What？〃 demanded the aeronaut。
〃Some of the fuses blew out。 I turned on too much current； and the
fuses wouldn't carry it。 I put them in to save the motor from being burned
out； but I didn't use heavy enough ones。 I see where my mistake was。〃
〃But what does it mean？〃 inquired Mr。 Damon。
〃It means that we've got to walk back home；〃 was Tom's sorrowful
answer。 〃The car is stalled； for I haven't any extra fuses with me。〃
〃Can't you connect up the battery by using some extra wire？〃 asked
Mr。 Sharp。 〃I have some；〃 and he drew a coil of it from his pocket。
〃I wouldn't dare to。 It might be so heavy that it would carry more
current than the motor could stand。 I don't want to burn that out。 No； I
guess we'll have to walk home； or rather I will。 You two can stay here until
I come back with heavier fuses。 I'm sorry。〃
Tom had hardly ceased speaking； when； from around the turn in the
road proceeded a voice； and； at the sound of it all three started； for the
voice was saying：
〃Now it ain't no use fer yo' to act dat…a…way； Boomerang。 Yo' all ain't
got no call t' git contrary now； jest when I wants t' git home t' mah dinner。 I
should t'ink you'd want t' git t' de stable； too。 But ef yo' all ain't mighty
keerful I'll cut down yo' rations； dat's what I'se goin' to do。 G'lang； now；
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS ELECTRIC RUNABOUT or The Speediest Car on the Road
dat's a good feller。 Ho！ Ho！ I knowed dat'd fetch yo' all。 When yo' all
wiggles yo' ears dat…a…way； dat's a suah sign yo' all is gwine t' move。〃
Then followed the sound of a rattletrap of a wagon approaching。
〃Eradicate！ It's Eradicate！〃 exclaimed Tom。
〃And his mule； Boomerang！〃 added Mr。 Sharp。 〃He's just in time！〃
commented Mr。 Damon with a sigh of relief； as the ancient outfit； in
charge of the aged colored man； came along。 Eradicate had been sent to
Shopton to get a load of wood for Mr。 Swift； and was now returning。 At
the sight of the stalled auto the mule pricked up his long ears； and threw
them forward。
〃Whoa dar； now； Boomerang！〃 cried Eradicate。 〃Doan't yo' all
commence