They passed through several towns and villages. Then they reached a crossroads, and here some men and a steam roller were at work, and the road was closed. One of the workmen motioned for them to take the road on the left.
“Must be a road around,” said Dunston Porter. “It doesn’t look very good, but you can try it. Shall I take the wheel?”
“Oh, I can run the car easily enough,” answered Phil.
For half a mile they went on without trouble, through a rolling country where the scenery was 33 very fine. Then they reached a point where the road was full of loose stones.
“Be careful!” cried Mr. Porter.
They rolled on, past a pretty farmhouse and some barns. They were just on the point of making another turn when there came a sudden bang! from under the car, and the turnout swayed to one side of the road. Phil threw out the clutch and put on the brakes, and they came to a standstill. Then the driver shut off the engine.
“What is the matter?” queried Jessie.
“A blow-out, I guess,” answered Dave. “We’ll soon see.”
Dunston Porter and the boys got down to the ground and made an examination. The shoe of the rear left wheel had been badly cut by the sharp stones and the inner tube had been blown out through the cut.
“We’ll have to put on one of the other shoes,” said Mr. Porter. They carried two with them, besides half a dozen inner tubes.