Page:Dave Porter at Oak Hall.djvu/254

232 "Right you are," came from Buster. "I don't want any more tumbles." The bushes had scratched his hands and face not a little.

"You keep off the roof, Buster," said Phil. "I don't want anybody to be killed on this trip."

The controller was placed on the other end of the car and the trolley pole switched around, and then the journey back to the starting point was begun. The car seemed to work all right, and they turned on a moderate degree of power.

"We'll have to get back soon," cried Roger, consulting his watch. "Do you know what time it is?"

"Quarter to twelve," said another student.

"Exactly, and do you know that the power is shut off from this line at twelve o'clock?"

"Is that true?" demanded Dave.

"Yes, I heard somebody speaking of it last week. The last car out returns to the car barn at twelve o'clock, and then the power is cut off until six in the morning."

"Then we want to make the most of our time," said Ben. "Give her a little more power on the straight stretches, but mind the brake, and look out for the switches and other cars," and this was done.

Nevertheless, twelve o'clock found them still three miles from the starting point. The power held, however, for a few minutes longer and in that time they covered all but a mile and a quarter of