“Not on your life!” snapped Bob. “I’m through.”
“We didn’t mean anything,” went on Ned, starting after his friend. “But it was so funny to see——”
“Ha! Ha! Joke!” sneered Bob. “If it’s so funny write it out and send it to the humorous column. You won’t get another chance to laugh at me, though.”
“He’s mad, all right,” murmured Ned.
“Looks so,” agreed Jerry. “Oh, I say Bob!” the tall lad went on, “come on back. Honest, I didn’t know the switch was off. Come on back. It’s a good ways to Cresville, and we’ve only just started the run. Come on back, and you can steer, and I’ll crank up. And if we get a puncture Ned and I’ll put on a new tire, and you won’t even have to get out of the car. I mean it!”
The figure, stalking down the road in anger, was seen to hesitate the merest trifle. But Bob did not turn around.
“That almost fetched him,” said Jerry. “Say something, Ned.”
“We’ll stop at the first place we come to, and get a bite to eat, even if it isn’t noon,” shouted the lad who had discovered the disconnected switch. “That ought to do the business,” he added, in lower tones.
It seemed to be, for Bob halted, appeared to be considering the matter at length, and then turned around.