noon
Breakfast over at last , the party lost no time in re-embarking , and soon the big Ajax , given a new lease on life by reason of a sharp turn of the crank in front , was again speeding on its way . The car proved itself an excellent traveler . The roads were rough in many places , yet not once during the day did any trouble arise either from mechanism or tires . The machine proceeded at a steady gait until shortly after noon , when , in another village some forty odd miles from Baltimore , the party stopped for lunch . Here the supply of gasoline was replenished , Gerald having already been forced to draw upon his reserve . This was necessitated by his having forgotten to fill his tank before leaving home . `` I do n't know how I came to neglect such an important matter , '' he said to Jim .