"What do you mean?" asked Tom, for there seemed to be something his chum was holding back. But as, just then, a peculiar buzzing sounded from beneath the motor hood, Tom decided to investigate that before asking any questions.
The brakes were holding the House on Wheels midway up the rather steep hill, but on getting out of the driver's seat, which the two young men did very soon after the accident, their first care was to block the rear wheels with a log of wood which they dragged from a near-by thicket. After seeing that this would keep the car from rolling back downhill, even if the brakes should let go, Tom fastened a rope to the log and the other end of the cable to the rear of the House on Wheels.
"What's the idea?" asked Ned. "Going to use that as a drag going downhill on the other side?"
"No. But haven't you often noticed that where motorists have to stop on a hill, and use rocks or logs to block them, they go away after getting a new start and leave the obstructions in the road?"
"I've seen that many a time," agreed Ned, "and I've bawled 'em out for it more than once. The trouble is that they aren't there to hear what I think about 'em."
"That's just it. Well, I may want to start up without having to release my brakes suddenly, hence the log of wood. And as I don't want to leave you behind to roll the log out of the way, I fastened on this rope. We'll pull the log behind us up to the top of the hill, where it is level, and then we can stop and take it off."
"Good idea!" commented Ned. "Now let's see what's wrong. I do hope it isn't anything serious."
"No, it can't be," decided Tom. "The motor was too severely tested for that. It's just some little dingus that's out of order—maybe a broken oil pipe or a loose wire."
It was the latter that proved to be the seat of the trouble when a careful check-up had been made. In the haste with which the House on Wheels had been assembled, this little item was overlooked. It required but a short time to put the ignition cable back in place, and then, having run the motor for some time, listening to the smooth purr of it, Tom announced that he was satisfied there would be no further trouble.
It was when they were ready to start on again that Tom's wisdom in blocking the wheels was demonstrated. For there was no need of a sudden letting in of the clutch, after racing the engine in gear to get momentum and speed enough to make a flying start uphill. The brakes were already released. The log prevented the House on Wheels from rolling backward, and the machine started slowly up the grade as if taking off from a level. The log was pulled along by means of the rope, and did not remain in the road a menace to following travelers.