"I prefer to leave it here," said Sid shortly. "Stop, please, and
I'll loosen the rope."
"Oh!" exclaimed Cora shortly. She could not understand Sid. Walter stopped her car, and before it had come to a full halt Sid was detaching the tow rope. Mary took this chance to alight from the Whirlwind, as they were not far from the post-office, and Ida followed her. Sid cranked up for the short run into the blacksmith shop. Ida and Mary were walking down the street together.
"Go ahead!" Sid called to Walter.
"Oh, you're welcome," replied Walter sarcastically. "Not the least trouble, thank you. Glad at any time—"
Sid shot at him an angry glance over his shoulder.
"I'd like to know who had a better right to haul me out of the ditch?" he said sneeringly.
Jack, with the twins, had run on. As Walter started Cora's machine off again, they saw a man coming out of the smithy. He helped Sid push the car in, and then stood talking with him in a friendly sort of fashion. The man's clothing was unkempt, and his general appearance anything but prepossessing.
"Who's that?" asked Cora.
"Him, you mean?" inquired Walter. "Oh, that's Lem Gildy. Or just plain Lem, if you like that better."
"What does he do?"