"That's the idea, and we'll come to one soon if we keep on going."
"Well, there doesn't seem to be anything to stop you," was his chum's opinion. "Hop right to it!"
They were bowling along at an increased speed when Tom suddenly leaned over and bent forward as if listening, which is exactly what he was doing.
"What's the matter?" asked his companion.
"Sounds like a knock."
They both listened intently, for though Ned did not have Tom's skill in inventiveness he was a good driver.
"There's something wrong," decided Tom, pulling over to the side of the road to be out of the way of passing traffic. "I'm thinking one of the oil feeds is clogged. Yes, she's heating up," he added, as he pointed to the motor temperature indicator which was one of many dials and gages on the instrument board.
The House on Wheels was brought to a halt and then Ned and Tom raised the hood for a look at the motor. There was an unusual wave of heat as soon as the sides were raised, and Tom's quick eye at once found the seat of trouble. A small valve that supplied oil to one of the many working parts was partly closed so that not enough of the lubricating fluid reached the shaft.
They resumed the journey, and Tom ventured to open the throttle a little, though he had no intention of getting up to maximum speed, which should not be done with any new motor until after it has been limbered up for at least five hundred miles.
The House on Wheels responded well and stepped along rather fast.