The car Dan had mentioned came to a halt right beside the Speedwell boys, and its owner hailed Dan. Therefore the latter had to speak. Chance Avery, who was driving it, had shut off the power, and now he got down and took out the gasoline can. They were all in front of Appleyard’s store.
“I hear you got Maxey’s car out of the tree, all hunky-dory,” said Burton, heartily, “and I’m glad of it.”
“You don’t suppose your partner will offer us his congratulations; do you?” asked Billy, significantly, as Chance went off, scowling, to buy gasoline.
“Oh, well, he has a grouch,” laughed Burton Poole. “But, he’s making this old car hum! I never could get such speed out of her.”
“You don’t give her enough attention,” laughed Dan, as Burton got out lazily, and opened the gasoline tank.
“Never mind; I add weight to her when we’re racing,” chuckled Poole.
He turned carelessly away from the open tank as he spoke and suddenly spied a youngster standing on the curb—a little fellow of not more than ten years with a lighted cigarette stuck in his mouth! Poole suddenly grew angry.
“Ted Berry! What are you smoking that thing for?” he demanded, sharply.
Little Berry was Burton’s nephew, and in spite of Burton’s haughtiness and laziness, he was rather a decent fellow, and took an elder-brotherly interest in his sister’s boy.
“G’wan!” returned Teddy Berry, who had begun to run with a pretty rough set of youngsters, and resented his young uncle’s interference. “You didn’t pay for this smoke.”