"There she goes!" cried Mr. Swift, who was almost as eager as his son over the success of the venture.
"Rolling like an egg!" exclaimed Mr. Jackson, who had had no small share in building the machine after Tom had planned it.
"By golly! She suah am a reg'lar ark!" was Eradicate's comment. "Mistah Noah he'd suah be livin' pretty if he'd had one ark like dat when de flood come! Ha! Ha!"
There was a subdued cheer from the assembled workmen as Tom Swift proved that at least his machine would run smoothly, and with Koku loudly warning idlers away from the gate, the House on Wheels approached the open highway for the first time.
As might have been expected, any activity at the Swift plant was sure to attract attention from the residents of Shopton. Though they were accustomed to seeing many strange machines issue from the big gates, or perhaps fly over the high fence, the matter never lost its interest. So, on this morning, there was a crowd of sightseers.
Nor were they disappointed with the first view of Tom's new wonder. Bright in its gay colors and varnish, the House on Wheels was a sight for those who appreciate fine cars and machinery. Majestically it rolled out on the big rubber-tired wheels and, driving slowly until he was sure of the feel of the control wheel, Tom eased his machine through the gates and straightened it out on the broad road.
"Hurray!" yelled a boy in the crowd. "It's a regular circus wagon!"
"I wish I had one like it!" echoed a companion.
For a little way, so slowly did Tom nurse the motor along, the crowd could keep pace with the machine. Then, when he had the feel that everything was going smoothly, the young inventor pressed the accelerator down a little.
The result was at once apparent. As smoothly as a big locomotive, and with the same hint of power in reserve, the big House on Wheels went ahead so rapidly that the running crowd of boys and girls and men was soon left behind and Tom and Ned had the road to themselves save for an occasional motorist. But as this section was not ordinarily much traveled, they were not bothered by many other machines.