"Dave, don't be silly," and Jessie blushed deeply. "We are not going around the world yet, we are going to Bear Camp, and that's plenty far enough."
"Yes, I know, Jessie. But you see"—and Dave lowered his voice—"I want to make sure that when I go you'll go with me. It will then be the finest trip that ever anybody——"
Bang! It was a report like that from a small cannon, and came from close beside them. Jessie gave a scream, and so did Laura and Mrs. Basswood, while cries of wonder and alarm came from the boys. The Basswood car had come up alongside of the other automobile, and just at that instant the tire which Ben had said was cut blew out, sending a shower of dirt and stones in all directions. Mr. Basswood, who was at the wheel, brought the car to a quick stop, and Mr. Porter also halted.
"Well, it went, just as I thought it might," remarked Ben, grimly.
"Too bad!" returned Luke. "I reckon it was my fault. I should have let you put on that other shoe before we started."
"It's nobody's fault!" cried Mr. Basswood, quickly. "Now then, boys, we'll see how soon we can get another shoe on."
Many hands made the labor of jacking up the car and changing the tire a light one. Fortunately the automobile was equipped with a pump attached to the engine, so that blowing up the tire by hand was unnecessary.
"This is only a little exercise to get up an appetite for that lunch," remarked Dave, gaily. "We want to do full justice to the stuff in the hamper."
"As if there was ever anything the matter with your appetite!" cried Phil, dryly.
"Why Philip, my son, you know I never eat more than a bird!" retorted Dave, with a twinkle in his eye.