Jim and Ephraim both sprang to Gerald’s aid. Soon the jack was under the wheel, where it required but a moment to raise the machine until the wheel was clear of the ground.
Then Gerald removed the punctured tire, pulled out the inner tube, and proceeded to put the new one in its place. With the tire back on the rim again, he attached the end of the pump to the air tube with astonishing swiftness, and Jim began at once to force the ozone into the rubber. Tiring after a few moments, he gave way to Ephraim, while Gerald, his hand on the tire, waited until it was sufficiently hard to carry the weight of the machine. Then he gave the signal to stop pumping.
Another moment sufficed to lower the wheel onto the ground, and to put the tools back in the chest. Then Gerald and his helpers crawled into the machine and the big car started off as if nothing had happened. The whole affair had not taken over ten minutes.
“I had no idea punctures were so easily remedied,” said Aunt Betty. “Somehow, I have always dreaded the thought of being in an automobile away from the city when a tire blew up. But, aside from the noise, there seem to be no disagreeable features.”
“Would be if you didn’t happen to have an extra inner tube along,” said Jim.
Gerald nodded.
“You’re right. The idea is always to have one.”
“But what would you do if you hadn’t?” asked Dorothy.
“It would be necessary to find the hole in the punctured tube and stop it up with cement.”
“And then you would have to wait hours for it to dry, I suppose?”