“Dear me!” said the old gentleman. “That is the most extraordinary thing I ever heard! To own an automobile, and not to know the traffic laws!”
By this time Charlie’s Mother and his Auntie had come up and it was very surprising—the old gentleman seemed to know them both very well. He shook hands with them both and said, “This young man has just been telling me that he does not know the traffic laws, though I have often watched him out of my window driving his automobile, and the way he zigzags up and down the pavement would be enough for him to have his license taken away if a policeman were to see him!”
Charlie felt very sad when he heard this. He had a beautiful license number on the back of his automobile and he thought it would be a dreadful thing if a policeman were to take it away because he did not know the traffic laws.
Then the old gentleman said, “I have an automobile of my own, and it is a big one that runs with gasoline. I would be very glad to take you for a drive this afternoon and teach you every traffic law there is, if your Mother will let you come with me. I live quite near here, so we could start right away.”
Of course Charlie’s Mother said at once that she would be delighted if the old gentleman, whose name was Mr. Armstrong, would take Charlie for a drive in his automobile.
Suddenly Bingo, who had been jumping around as usual, went straight up to Mr. Armstrong and stood up on his hind legs as if begging to go too.
Then Mr. Armstrong said, “Is that your puppy?” And Charlie said, “NO, that is my dog. His name is Bingo! He does not like to be called a puppy. May he come with us too?”
Mr. Armstrong looked doubtful. He said, “Bingo looks very much like a puppy to me, and puppies are apt to get into mischief; but if you are careful to keep him on his leash and hold on tightly to him, you may take him with us.”
You may be sure that Charlie felt very much excited at the thought of driving in a real automobile and learning the traffic laws just like a grown-up person.
He and his Mother and his Auntie went home and put Charlie’s automobile in the back hall while Mr. Armstrong went round to his garage to get his automobile. Soon he drove up in it and Charlie climbed in, holding Bingo firmly by the leash so that he should not get into mischief.