The moon doesn't give
much light in the woods, and those fellows may have hidden my
machine."
Mr. Mason and his companions readily agreed to accompany Tom on
a search for his wheel. It was found just where he had dismounted
from it in the road. Andy and his cronies had evidently had
enough of their encounter with our hero, and did not dare to
annoy him further.
"Do you think you can ride home?" asked one of the farmers of
the lad, when he had ascertained that his machine was in running
order.
"Well, it's risky without my lantern," answered Tom. "They
smashed that for me. But I guess I can manage."
"No, you can't!" insisted Mr. Mason. "You're stiff from being
tied up; and you can't ride. Now you just wheel that contraption
over to my place, and I'll hitch up and take you home. It isn't
far."
"Oh, I couldn't think of troubling you," declared Tom. At the
same time he felt that he was in no condition to ride.
"It's no trouble at all," insisted Mr. Mason. "I guess your
father and I are good enough friends to allow me to have my way.
You can come over and get your choo-choo bicycle in the morning."
A little later Tom was being rapidly driven toward his home,
where he found his father and Mrs.
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