midst of the obscuring cloud a voice, exclaiming:
"G'lang there now, Boomerang! Keep yo' feet a-movin' an' we sho' will make a record. 'Tain't laik we was a autermobiler, er a electricity car, but we sho' hab been goin' sence we started. Yo' sho' done yo'se'f proud t'day, Boomerang, an' I'se gwine t' keep mah promise an' gib yo' de bestest oats I kin find. Ah reckon Massa Tom Swift will done say we brought dis yeah message t' him as quick as anybody could."
Then there followed the sound of hoofbeats on the dusty road, and the rattle of some many-jointed vehicle, with loose springs and looser wheels.
"Eradicate Sampson!" exclaimed Tom. "But who would ever think that the colored man's mule could get up such speed as that cloud of dust indicates. His mule's feet must be working overtime, but he goes backward about as often as he moves forward. That accounts for it. There's lots of dust, but not much motion."
Once more, from the midst of the ball-like cloud of dirt came the voice of the colored man:
"Now behave yo'se'f, Boomerang. We'm almost dere, an' den yo' kin sit down an' rest if yo' laik. Jest keep it up a little longer, an' we'll gib
