The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-07-06
The Daily Short Story

by the roadside. while they clamb-
cred up the side of towering
mountain. OF ropped through some
inviting piece of woods at its base,
Peter, in his boyishness, even re-
moving his shoes.
Beside a rollicking little brook
they ate their generous lunch, and
the afternoon was spent exploring
new roads, thing in which Peter
especially took great delight. Six
o'clock found them many miles
from home, and on a road quite
unfamiliar to them. But what do
we carer sang Peter. Half the
fun of a trip like this is the adven-
ture in it-and besides, this road
comes out somewhere, of course"
They entered long strip of deep
woods, by narrow road, the gen
eral trend OF which was up hill.
The clouds which had begun to
gather the latter part of the after
noon were threatening. But the lit
tie old engine spun merrily along!
Suddenly there was sharp snap!
Peter, with the six senses of a care
full driver, OWNED that something
serious was wrong. Bringing the
car to a stop, he got out, and with
the aid Of his fash light, began an
examination.
Spindle bolt broken he said
briefly. Clean off, right down close
to the axle, Lucky for us that
heard it snap, otherwise We both
might have been dumped into the
ditch" He looked at it, one hand
thrust deep into his pocket, and
shook his head. bad business" he
said. Looks as if we might have
to spend night in the woods"
'Oh, Peter" said Ida anxiously,
cant you fix it?''
Its beyond fixing" he said. 81
could put in a new one il l had it
but l haven't. And We are some
less than thousand miles, prob
ably, in these woods-and l haven't
much idea where We'll find a garage
when we get out. Well, We might
! as well make the best of it. We've
! had dandy time up till now, any
! way, and l don't propose to let it
be spoiled. But I do wish we had
brought along more lunch, and
some blankets"
A drizzling rain had begun to
fall. "Oh, if 1 only had something
which / could use temporarily as a
bolt" said Peter. "a piece of rod,
spike, anything"
Ida caught her breath. She went
to the back of the car and rummag-
ed around. Then she took out some
! thing which she held falteringly
toward Peter. "Er, could you use
| that?" she asked.
| Peter stared, then gasped. The
thing which she was holding out to-
ward him was the bent, rusty spike.
!"A-h! Just the thing!" said
Peter. With hammer and chiseI he
went to work. And he worked
diligently, Ida holding the fash
light. Finally. alter what seemed
hours. the spike was Strengthened,
inserted into the bolt hole, and
wired firmly into place. Then
Peter Strengthened up and wiped
his hands on bit of burlap.
There" he said. That's solid
enough to hold an ocean liner. to
say nothing about little fiivver. l
guess We can make it now, all
right, at least until we find a ga
rage"
It was some miles farther ON that
a garage hove in sight, only to be
closed. So was the next one, and
the next. But the makeshift bust
held. and close onto midnight,
Peter and Ida arrived home.
A little while later they were eat.
ing a lunch of pie, doughnuts, and
coffee, and talking over the events
Of the day.
! We'll, my spike came in handy
after all, didn't it," said Ida.
You bet it did," agreed Peter. 81
don't know what We should have
done without it-probably have had
to stay there all night, and as much
longer as 1t would have taken to get
assistance from a garage. I'm sure
glad you took it along this morn
ing"
YAa ernay.S NM -..4. -