Next morning, Mr. Damon, after a view of the House on Wheels, to which he gave enthusiastic praise, arranged with a garage worker to come and get him and take him to where his stalled car had been left. Tom busied himself over the motor block test and, to his delight, found that the new engine was even better than rated.
"Of course it needs to be broken in," he told Ned. "But that is only a matter of time. I'm going to rush things through now."
Orders were given for an extra shift of workmen to assemble the House on Wheels and put the motor in place. Aside from some refinements and equipment, the big, new car was almost ready for the road. To such good end did the men work that day, urged on and aided by Tom, that by night the motor was in place, connected to the drive shaft and the machine looked almost finished.
"You could almost run it out as it is now," said Ned.
"Not for a couple of days," replied Tom, with a shake of his head. "But at least it looks the part, so I think I'll telephone Mary and see if she can't come over and take a look."
He hurried to the telephone in his workroom and was soon in connection with the Nestor home, as Ned could tell by the talk. Mary was on the wire, and the financial manager heard Tom say:
"What's that, Mary? You're going away? Why—why——"
Then came a pause. Ned knew Mary was speaking, and what she said seemed to be surprising news for Tom Swift, judging by the look on his face.
CHAPTER V
WORK AND WORRY