Turning the big car in rather a restricted roadway was no easy matter, but Dick accomplished it, and soon he had it backed up toward the rear of the house, to which the men were attaching the ropes, rove through heavy blocks.
The house was elevated on piles of short crossed beams and jack screws, and was being slid along big timbers, common yellow soap and tallow making the ways slippery enough so that friction would, in a measure, be overcome.
Dick took a long rope, and put it around the rear of his car so as to strain it as little as possible. Then this rope was bent on to the one connecting with the system of pulleys.
"Are you all ready?" called the young man to the foreman, who had had his men rearrange the beams.
"All ready!" came the answer.
Dick's motor was running. With himself at the wheel, while three of the heaviest workmen had been added to Paul and Innis in the tonneau to give weight and trackage to the machine, Dick threw in the speed gears and released the clutch.
There was a whining, groaning noise. The roped tautened, the pulley blocks shrilled out a protest and then the house was seen to quiver.
"She's moving!" cried the lantern-man.
"By Jupiter! So she is!" agreed the foreman, in surprise.
"Watch out!" warned Dick, "and let me know when I have her far enough!"