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Retinal and
Choroidal Imaging in
Systemic Diseases

Jay Chhablani
Parthopratim Dutta Majumder
J. Fernando Arevalo
Editors

123
Retinal and Choroidal Imaging
in Systemic Diseases
Jay Chhablani
Parthopratim Dutta Majumder
J. Fernando Arevalo
Editors

Retinal and Choroidal


Imaging in Systemic
Diseases
Editors
Jay Chhablani Parthopratim Dutta Majumder
L.V. Prasad Eye Institute Sankara Nethralaya
Hyderabad Chennai
India India

J. Fernando Arevalo
The Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD
USA

ISBN 978-981-10-5459-4    ISBN 978-981-10-5461-7 (eBook)


https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-5461-7

Library of Congress Control Number: 2017956569

© Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2018


This work is subject to copyright. All rights are reserved by the Publisher, whether the whole or part of
the material is concerned, specifically the rights of translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations, recitation,
broadcasting, reproduction on microfilms or in any other physical way, and transmission or information
storage and retrieval, electronic adaptation, computer software, or by similar or dissimilar methodology
now known or hereafter developed.
The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this publication
does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant
protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use.
The publisher, the authors and the editors are safe to assume that the advice and information in this book
are believed to be true and accurate at the date of publication. Neither the publisher nor the authors or the
editors give a warranty, express or implied, with respect to the material contained herein or for any errors
or omissions that may have been made. The publisher remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims
in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Printed on acid-free paper

This Springer imprint is published by Springer Nature


The registered company is Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.
The registered company address is: 152 Beach Road, #21-01/04 Gateway East, Singapore 189721,
Singapore
Foreword

Who needs another book? More pictures? New technology? Is there anything else
to learn?
The answers to these questions are very simple. Working backwards, one appre-
ciates the fact that learning never stops. It is our objective as physicians to continu-
ally learn so as to better ourselves and therefore improve the care we provide to our
patients. While there are many ways of learning, someone must always be a student
and someone must always be the teacher. Is there new technology? Of course there
is and it is our obligation as students of ophthalmology to learn that technology,
relying on good teachers to help us understand that which is new and different. We
are fortunate in that we are witness to incredible advances in technology in our life-
times, but we must be committed to not letting the technology get away from us.
Therefore we look to proven methods of teaching, provided by good teachers and
educators, to enlighten us and keep us up to date on the newest technologies in our
field. And who is it that said that a picture is worth a thousand words? As we know
that most of us learn from pictures and a well-illustrated document, with concise
and well-organized writing, to explain those illustrations which helps enormously in
the learning process. Pattern recognition is key to our profession and thus imaging
is key to what we do every day. And finally one must ask, do we need another book?
And the answer is unquestionably, yes. And the reason for that is simple. The best
way to keep up with new technology is through a well-illustrated text that serves as
a reference and provides a well-organized, meticulously scripted, heavily refer-
enced document. The textbook does exactly that.
We, the students, are fortunate in that doctors Jay Chhablani, Parthopratim
Majumdar, and J. Fernando Arevalo are superb teachers who have assembled a list
of experts to address a variety of systemic conditions. By using various imaging
modalities they are able to illustrate and better define these conditions. By focusing
these modern imaging technologies on selected systemic conditions, we have an
unusual format for the learning process. Whether we are ophthalmologists who spe-
cialize in retinal diseases, general ophthalmologists, uveitis specialists, ocular
oncologists, internists, or family physicians interested in understanding the lan-
guage of imaging technology in ophthalmology, these teachers instruct us as never
before. Beautifully illustrated and beautifully written, this textbook will undoubt-
edly become a mainstay of the practicing physician as well as medical students and
residents alike. This text will become a first resource for so many individuals trying

v
vi Foreword

to understand the complexity of the many systemic diseases which are demonstrated
through ophthalmic imaging.
We must compliment and acknowledge the editors of this extremely important
text for their efforts and their successful accomplishments in bringing to the reader-
ship this very valuable text.

Alexander J. Brucker
Scheie Eye Institute
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA
USA
Preface

Various systemic diseases involve the eyes, and in few diseases, the eyes could pro-
vide the first clue for the systemic disease. Retinal findings on clinical examination
have been reported previously in systemic diseases. Advancement of posterior seg-
ment imaging has significantly improved the understanding of pathophysiology and
has become an essential part in management strategy of posterior segment diseases.
Advanced imaging techniques such as enhanced depth imaging, oximetry, adaptive
optics, and retinal blood flowmetry are now being explored in subjects with sys-
temic diseases. With improved understanding on such imaging techniques in vari-
ous systemic diseases, the knowledge about pathomechanism, early diagnosis, and
more targeted therapeutic approaches has improved.
In this book, we focus on findings with various imaging modalities in various
systemic conditions. Systemic conditions included, but are not limited to, neuro-
logical diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s dis-
ease, schizophrenia, and migraine; systemic vasculitis such as Behçet’s disease;
systemic lupus erythematosus; ocular toxicity secondary to systemic drugs;
blood dyscrasias such as sickle cell disease and hematologic disorders; renal
diseases; trauma-related conditions such as Purtscher-like retinopathy, whiplash
retinopathy, and shaken-baby syndrome; intracranial hypertension; cancer-asso-
ciated retinopathy; gastrointestinal diseases; immunologic diseases such as auto-
immune retinopathy and sarcoidosis; systemic infectious diseases such as
tuberculosis and choroidal and retinal metastasis; oculoneurocutaneous syn-
dromes; Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease; pregnancy; systemic hypertension; and
Valsalva retinopathy.
This book, entitled Retina and Choroidal Imaging in Systemic Diseases, is the
first attempt to provide information on retinal and choroidal findings using advanced
imaging technologies in systemic diseases. This book is intended for ophthalmolo-
gists, retina specialists, uveitis specialists, ocular oncologists, and internal medicine
specialists.
We wish that this book improves the current understanding about the imaging
findings in systemic diseases which helps for early diagnosis and management of
these conditions.

vii
viii Preface

We would like to thank all the authors who shared their experience and valuable
time and effort for the book. We would like to thank the Springer staff, who guided
us to make this book happen. At the end, we would like to thank our patients, col-
leagues, and families who supported us to bring this book in a timely manner.

Hyderabad, India Jay Chhablani


Chennai, India  Parthopratim Dutta Majumder
Baltimore, MD, USA J. Fernando Arevalo
Contents

1 Neurological Diseases������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 1
Uppal Gandhi, Preeti Patil Chhablani, Akshay G. Nair,
and Jay Chhablani
2 Retinal Vasculitis in Systemic Disease�������������������������������������������������������� 15
Irfan Khan and Ashvini Reddy
3 Multimodal Imaging in Drug-Related Retinal Toxicity �������������������������� 29
Remya Mareen Paulose, Jay Chhablani, and William F. Mieler
4 Retinal Manifestations in Hematological Disorders �������������������������������� 51
Giulio Barteselli, Maura Di Nicola, and Laura Dell’Arti
5 Retinal Manifestations of Renal Diseases�������������������������������������������������� 67
Aniruddha Agarwal and Alessandro Invernizzi
6 Imaging of Retinal and Choroidal Manifestations
of Gastrointestinal Disease�������������������������������������������������������������������������� 79
Francisco J. Rodríguez, Catalina Becerra,
and María Cristina Gabela
7 Ocular Sarcoidosis ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 103
David Ehmann and Sunir Garg
8 Autoimmune Retinopathy ������������������������������������������������������������������������ 113
David Ehmann and Sunir Garg
9 Systemic Infectious Diseases �������������������������������������������������������������������� 125
Aniruddha Agarwal and Vishali Gupta
10 Imaging of Retinal and Choroidal Metastases���������������������������������������� 153
Akshay Gopinathan Nair, David Fell, Sherief Raouf,
and Swathi Kaliki
11 Phakomatosis���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 163
Nishant Radke, Carol L. Shields, J. Fernando Arevalo,
and Jay Chhablani

ix
x Contents

12 Vogt–Koyanagi–Harada Disease�������������������������������������������������������������� 187


Hitesh Sharma, Parthopratim Dutta Majumder,
and Manabu Mochizuki
13 Ocular Manifestations of Pregnancy�������������������������������������������������������� 201
Michael T. Andreoli and William F. Mieler
14 Systemic Hypertension������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 217
Giuseppe Querques, Maria Vittoria Cicinelli, Lea Querques,
Ilaria Zucchiatti, Lucia Benatti, Andrea Mazzaferro,
Fatemeh Darvizeh, and Francesco Bandello
15 Intraocular Lymphoma ���������������������������������������������������������������������������� 231
Mary E. Aronow
16 Ocular Manifestations of Closed-Globe (Blunt) Ocular Trauma���������� 249
Judy J. Chen and William F. Mieler
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About the Editors

Dr. Jay Chhablani completed his clinical vit-


reoretinal fellowship at Sankara Nethralaya,
Chennai. He was an International Council of
Ophthalmology (ICO) fellow at Jules Gonin
Eye Hospital, Switzerland, in 2009 and a clini-
cal instructor at the Jacobs Retina Center at
Shiley Eye Center, University of California,
San Diego, USA (from 2010 to 2012), before
he joined L. V. Prasad Eye Institute, Hyderabad,
India, as faculty. His areas of interest are mac-
ular disorders and recent imaging techniques.
He has published several articles in peer-
reviewed journals with specific emphasis on
the field of choroid. He is on the reviewing and
editorial boards of many high-impact ophthal-
mology journals. He is member of global ONE
network committee of the American Academy
of Ophthalmology. He has won several national
and international awards. He has delivered the inaugural Ian Constable Lecture at
the Asia-Pacific Vitreo-retina Society on his work on intravitreal ziv-­aflibercept
therapy.

Dr. Parthopratim Dutta Majumder completed


his graduation and post-graduation at Silchar
Medical College and Hospital, Assam
University. He completed his fellowship in
medical retina and uvea at Sankara Nethralaya
and joined the Department of Uvea and
Intraocular Inflammation. He was awarded
with the Dr. T. L. K. Row Endowment Award
for the best associate consultant for 2010–
2011. He had received the Dr. Nataraja Pillai
Award and Dr. K. R. Dutta Award for best

xi
xii About the Editors

paper. He has attended and presented papers in various national and international
conferences. His areas of interest include medical management of uveitis and scle-
ritis, uveitis in autoimmune disorders, and phacoemulsification in uveitic cataracts.
He is now working as consultant in the Department of Uvea and Intraocular
Inflammation, Sankara Nethralaya, Chennai. He has published many articles in
various peer-reviewed and non-peer-­reviewed journals. He is the editor of INSIGHT,
the scientific journal of medical and vision research foundation. He is the founder
cum chief editor of the popular ophthalmology portal www.eophtha.com.

J. Fernando Arevalo, MD, FACS has been


recognized as one of the leading ophthalmolo-
gists in South America and worldwide and, in
2001, founded the Arevalo-Coutinho
Foundation for Research in Ophthalmology.
In 2011, Dr. Arevalo was invited by Johns
Hopkins University (JHU) in Baltimore to
work as a professor of ophthalmology and the
chief of the Retina Division of the King Khaled
Eye Specialist Hospital (KKESH) in Riyadh,
Saudi Arabia, for a 4-year tenure (July 2011–
2015), followed by an appointment at the
Wilmer Eye Institute of the Johns Hopkins
University School of Medicine as the Edmund
F. and Virginia B. Ball professor of ophthal-
mology in the Retina Division and an appoint-
ment as chief of ophthalmology at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center in 2015.
As a clinical scientist, Dr. Arevalo has more than 900 scientific publications (more
than 250 on MEDLINE), 12 books, more than 700 scientific paper presentations,
and more than 1100 invited lecture presentations in North America, South America,
Central America, Europe, Africa, and Asia that have led to international recognition
and awards. Dr. Arevalo is the current president-elect of the Pan-American
Association of Ophthalmology (PAAO).
Contributors

Aniruddha Agarwal Department of Ophthalmology, Advanced Eye Center,


Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER),
Chandigarh, India
Ocular Imaging Research and Reading Center (OIRRC), Menlo Park, CA, USA
Stanley M. Truhlsen Eye Institute, University of Nebraska Medical Center,
Omaha, NE, USA
Michael T. Andreoli Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences,
University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
J. Fernando Arevalo Department of Ophthalmology, Johns Hopkins Bayview
Medical Center, Baltimore, MD, USA
Retina Division, Wilmer Eye Institute, The Johns Hopkins University School
of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
Mary E. Aronow Department of Ophthalmology, Retina Division, Wilmer
Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
Francesco Bandello Department of Ophthalmology, University Vita-Salute,
Scientific Institute San Raffaele, Milan, Italy
Giulio Barteselli Genentech Inc., South San Francisco, CA, USA
Department of Ophthalmology, Shiley Eye Institute, University of California San
Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
Catalina Becerra Fundación Oftalmológica Nacional, Bogotá, DC, Colombia
Lucia Benatti Department of Ophthalmology, University Vita-Salute, Scientific
Institute San Raffaele, Milan, Italy
Judy J. Chen Department of Ophthalmology, University of Illinois at Chicago,
Chicago, IL, USA
Preeti Patil Chhablani Jasti V Ramanamma Children’s Eye Care Centre,
L. V. Prasad Eye Institute, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India
Jay Chhablani Smt. Kanuri Santhamma Retina Vitreous Centre, L. V. Prasad
Eye Institute, Hyderabad, India

xiii
xiv Contributors

Maria Vittoria Cicinelli Department of Ophthalmology, University Vita-Salute,


Scientific Institute San Raffaele, Milan, Italy
Fatemeh Darvizeh Department of Ophthalmology, University Vita-Salute,
Scientific Institute San Raffaele, Milan, Italy
Laura Dell’Arti Ophthalmological Unit, Department of Clinical Sciences and
Community Health, Ca’ Granda Foundation-Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico,
University of Milan, Milan, Italy
David Ehmann Wills Eye Hospital, Philadelphia, PA, USA
David Fell Stony Brook School of Medicine, Stony Brook University, New York,
NY, USA
María Cristina Gabela Fundación Oftalmológica Nacional, Escuela de
Medicina y Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá, DC, Colombia
Uppal Gandhi Jasti V Ramanamma Children’s Eye Care Centre, L. V. Prasad
Eye Institute, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India
Sunir Garg Wills Eye Hospital, Philadelphia, PA, USA
Vishali Gupta Department of Ophthalmology, Advanced Eye Center, Post
Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh,
India
Alessandro Invernizzi Eye Clinic, Department of Biomedical and Clinical
Science “Luigi Sacco”, Luigi Sacco Hospital, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
Swathi Kaliki The Operation Eyesight Universal Institute for Eye Cancer,
L V Prasad Eye Institute, Hyderabad, India
Irfan Khan Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore,
MD, USA
Parthopratim Dutta Majumder Department of Uvea and Intraocular
inflammation, Sankara Nethralaya, Chennai, India
Andrea Mazzaferro Department of Ophthalmology, University Vita-Salute,
Scientific Institute San Raffaele, Milan, Italy
William F. Mieler Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences,
University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
Department of Ophthalmology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago,
IL, USA
Manabu Mochizuki Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science,
Tokyo Medical and Dental University Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
Akshay G. Nair Ophthalmic Plastic Surgery and Ocular Oncology Services,
Advanced Eye Hospital and Institute, Navi Mumbai, India
Contributors xv

Akshay Gopinathan Nair Ophthalmic Plastic Surgery and Ocular Oncology


Services, Advanced Eye Hospital and Institute, Navi Mumbai, India
Maura Di Nicola Ophthalmological Unit, Department of Clinical Sciences and
Community Health, Ca’ Granda Foundation-Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico,
University of Milan, Milan, Italy
Remya Mareen Paulose Little Flower Hospital and Research Centre, Angamaly,
Kerala, India
Smt.Kanuri Santhamma Retina Vitreous Centre, L. V. Prasad Eye Institute,
Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India
Lea Querques Department of Ophthalmology, University Vita-Salute, Scientific
Institute San Raffaele, Milan, Italy
Giuseppe Querques Department of Ophthalmology, University Vita-Salute,
Scientific Institute San Raffaele, Milan, Italy
Nishant Radke Shri Ganesh Vinayak Eye Hospital, Raipur, India
Sherief Raouf Stony Brook School of Medicine, Stony Brook University,
New York, NY, USA
Ashvini Reddy Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore,
MD, USA
Francisco J. Rodríguez Fundación Oftalmológica Nacional, Escuela de
Medicina y Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá, DC, Colombia
Fundacion Oftalmologica Nacional, Bogota, DC, Colombia
Hitesh Sharma Department of Uvea and Intraocular inflammation,
Sankara Nethralaya, Chennai, India
Carol L. Shields Ocular Oncology Service, Wills Eye Hospital, Thomas Jefferson
University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
Ilaria Zucchiatti Department of Ophthalmology, University Vita-Salute,
Scientific Institute San Raffaele, Milan, Italy
Authors’ Biography

Aniruddha Agarwal is currently working as


a clinical vitreoretinal fellow in the Department
of Ophthalmology, Postgraduate Institute of
Medical Education and Research (PGIMER),
Chandigarh, India. He has completed his clini-
cal research fellowship (subspecialty of vitreo-
retina and uveitis) in the Ocular Imaging
Research and Reading Center, Stanley
M. Truhlsen Eye Institute, Omaha, Nebraska,
USA. He did his ophthalmology residency at
PGIMER, Chandigarh, India. He has authored
more than 112 publications and 25 book chap-
ters. His areas of interest include surgical dis-
eases of the retina, diabetes, and uveitis.

Dr. Michael Andreoli was born and raised in


Wheaton, Illinois. He completed his ophthal-
mology residency and vitreoretinal surgery fel-
lowship at the University of Illinois at Chicago.
He plans to continue his research and clinical
practice in vitreoretinal surgery and ocular
oncology.

xvii
xviii Authors’ Biography

Mary E. Aronow, MD is an assistant profes-


sor of ophthalmology at the Wilmer Eye
Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of
Medicine. She specializes in the full range of
adult and pediatric eye cancer and the medical
management of vitreoretinal diseases. Dr.
Aronow received her medical degree from the
Yale University School of Medicine. Following
an internship in internal medicine at Brigham
and Women’s Hospital at Harvard, she com-
pleted her ophthalmology residency at the
Cole Eye Institute at the Cleveland Clinic. Her
subspecialty fellowship training in ophthalmic
oncology was at the Cole Eye Institute at the
Cleveland Clinic. She then completed a fellow-
ship in medical retina at the National Eye
Institute, National Institutes of Health.

Francesco Bandello is Full Professor and


Chairman at the Department of Ophthalmology at
University Vita-Salute, Scientific Institute San
Raffaele, Milan, Italy. He is Academic Dean of
“Corso di Laurea Specialistica/Magistrale in
Medicina e Chirurgia” at the same University.
Professor Bandello is Past President of
EURETINA, President of Academia Ophthal­
mologica Europea and Vice-President of EuroLam.
Prof. Bandello is Co-Editor of the European
Journal of Ophthalmology and former board mem-
ber of the Club Jules Gonin and Macula Society.
He is member of Executive Board of ESASO
Foundation (European School for Advanced
Studies in Ophthalmology), member of the Academia Ophthalmologica
Internationalis and the Accademia Nazionale di Medicina.
Prof. Bandello is co-author of 11 books and he serves as a peer reviewer for grant
applications for the NEI. He has authored or co-authored of 447 articles on Pub-
Med Journals and he served as trained Principal Investigator in several clinical trials
performed following ICH/GCP and mainly concerning retinal diseases.
Authors’ Biography xix

Dr. Giulio Barteselli is Associate Medical


Director at the Ophthalmology Department at
Genentech Inc., South San Francisco, CA,
USA. He also serves as Assistant Professor of
Ophthalmology at the University of California
San Diego, La Jolla, CA. He has previously
worked as retina specialist at the Ca’ Granda
Foundation, Milan, Italy. His research interest
is primarily in clinical trials and new molecules
or treatment options for ophthalmology indica-
tions. He has published more than 50 peer-­
reviewed articles, and he’s an active reviewer
for multiple ophthalmology journals.

Catalina Becerra, MD Medical degree from


Universidad Nacional de Colombia,
Ophthalmology Residency Program at
Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogota,
Colombia, Ocular ultrasonography fellowship
at Asociación para Evitar la Ceguera en
México – Universidad Nacional Autonoma de
México, Assistant professor, Department of
Ocular Ultrasound at Asociación para Evitar la
Ceguera en México.

Lucia Benatti, MD is a first-year Resident in


Ophthalmology at Parma University. She earned
her medical degree from Vita-Salute San Raffaele
University in Milan in 2015. She has attended
the department of Opthalmology at University
Vita-Salute, IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele,
Milan. She authored and co-authored several
papers in Medical Retina, concerning Retinal
Vein Occlusion, Diabetic Retinopathy and Central
Serous Chorioretinopathy.
xx Authors’ Biography

Judy J. Chen was born in Taipei, Taiwan and


chose to pursue a career in ophthalmology, and
ultimately vitreoretinal surgery, because of the
field’s innovative advancements in technology
and the profound impact that improving vision
can have on patients’ lives. While contributing
to the textbook, Judy was a senior resident at
the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC).
She is now a surgical vitreoretinal fellow with
the West Coast Retina Medical group in the
San Francisco bay area. In the future, she
hopes to combine her interests in clinical med-
icine, research, and teaching into a fulfilling
career.

Dr. Preeti Patil Chhablani is currently a


consultant ophthalmologist at the Jasti
V. Ramanamma Children’s Eye Care Centre, L
V Prasad Eye Institute, Hyderabad, India. She
completed her undergraduate medical training
from Lokmanya Tilak Municipal Medical
College, Sion Hospital, Mumbai. She com-
pleted her residency in Ophthalmology from
Sankara Nethralaya in Chennai (2006–2009)
and was awarded the “Best Outgoing
Postgraduate Student” award by the Medical
Research Foundation, Sankara Nethralaya. She
also received the prestigious “Dr G
Venkataswamy Gold Medal for
Ophthalmology” (June 2009) for standing first
in Ophthalmology in India in the Diplomate of
National Board (DNB) Examinations. She
then went on to do a fellowship in Pediatric
Ophthalmology and Strabismus from Sankara Nethralaya (2009–2010). She was
also a visiting fellow in Neuro-ophthalmology and Pediatric Ophthalmology and
Strabismus at the University of California, San Diego, California, USA (2011–
2012), before she joined LVPEI. Her areas of interest include pediatric and adult
neuro-ophthalmology, pediatric cataract surgery, and strabismus.
Authors’ Biography xxi

Maria Vittoria Cicinelli, MD is a medical resi-


dent in Opththalmology at University Vita-Salute,
IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele, Milan, Italy. Her
main topics of interest are Medical Retina,
Epidemiology and Oculoplastic Surgery. She is a
fellow of the Global Vision Database (GVD) and
she has completed a short-term fellowship in
Oculoplastic Surgery at L V Prasad Eye Hospital,
Hyderabad (India). Dr Cicinelli has contributed to
more than 50 peer-reviewed articles and book
chapters published mainly in the areas of Medical
Retina (age-related macular degeneration, retinal
vascular diseases, hereditary retinal diseases, vit-
reoretinal surgery) and Epidemiology of Eye
Diseases (as member of the Vision Loss Expert Group of the Global Burden of
Disease Study). She is editorial assistant of “Ophthalmology – Point of Care” (editor
in chief Prof. Giuseppe Querques) and reviewer for major peer-reviewed journals.

Fatemeh Darvizeh, MSc, MD has


obtained her master in Analytical Chemistry
(Chemometrics) from Sharif University of
Technology, Tehran, Iran, 2010.
She has graduated from Medical School
in 2016 with honors from University Vita-
Salute San Raffaele, Milano, Italy. Dr
Darvizeh has given an effective contribu-
tion in medical research projects mainly in
the field of Viteroretinal diseases and
Neuro-ophthalmology. She has worked as a
Research Doctor at IRCCS Ospedale San
Raffaele, Milano, Italy and Doheny Eye
Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
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xxii Authors’ Biography

Dr. Laura Dell’Arti received her medical


degree at the University of Milan (Milan, Italy)
in 2010, where also she completed her ophthal-
mology residency in 2016. She is currently a
fellow in neuro-ophthalmology at the
Moorfields Eye Hospital (London, UK). She
has been a Fellow of the European Board of
Ophthalmologists since 2016.

David Ehmann, BSc, MD, FRCSC is a sec-


ond-year vitreoretinal surgical fellow at Wills
Eye Hospital, Philadelphia, PA, USA.

David Fell is a medical student at the State


University of New York (SUNY) in Stony Brook,
Long Island. After completing his undergraduate
studies in music at New York University, David
went on to work as an ophthalmic technician while
he completed his pre-medical coursework at
Hunter College in Manhattan. He will begin his
residency training in ophthalmology in the sum-
mer of 2019.
Authors’ Biography xxiii

Maria Cristina Gabela-Gabela, MD


Medical degree from Universidad San
Francisco, Quito, Ecuador, Ophthalmology
residency program at Fundación Oftalmologica
Nacional, Bogota, Colombia, Retina fellow at
Fundación Oftalmologica Nacional, Bogota,
Colombia.

Uppal V. Gandhi is currently doing his


f­ellowship in Pediatric ophthalmology,
Strabismus and Neuroophthalmology.
His research interest is primarily in nystag-
mus, imaging in optic disc disorders and few
special types of strabismus like MED and
TED. He has 2 publications so far.

Sunir Garg, MD, FACS is professor of oph-


thalmology on the Retina Service of Wills Eye
Hospital, Thomas Jefferson University,
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He is a member of
the Retina Society, the Macula Society, and the
American Society of Retina Specialists.
His research interest is primarily in macular
degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, uveitis, and
vitreoretinal surgery.
He has published over 200 peer-reviewed
and non-peer-reviewed papers and is editor or
co-editor of three textbooks. He is the editor-in-
chief for Retina Times, the official publication
of the American Society of Retina Specialists.
He has received an Achievement Award from
the American Academy of Ophthalmology and a Senior Honor Award from the
American Society of Retina Specialists.
xxiv Authors’ Biography

Dr. Vishali Gupta is a Professor in


Ophthalmology in the Retina and Uveitis
Services of Advanced Eye Center, Post
Graduate Institute of Medical Education and
Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, India. She
runs a busy uveitis clinic where nearly 300
uveitis patients are examined per week. Her
research interests include addressing the diag-
nostic challenges involving intraocular tuber-
culosis, application of molecular biology
techniques to diagnose intraocular tuberculo-
sis, describing the phenotypic expression of
the disease and the management strategies. Dr.
Gupta has over 194 indexed publications and
authored more than 76 chapters and 3 books.
She is a much sought-after international
speaker and delivered several keynote lectures.
Prof. Gupta is currently the Vice President of the Uveitis Society of India and the
Principal Investigator of the Collaborative Ocular Tuberculosis Study Group
(COTS) with over 25 international centers participating in the study.

Dr. Alessandro Invernizzi graduated in


­medicine in 2007 and completed his specializa-
tion in ophthalmology in 2012 at the University
of Milan. Since his last years of residency, he
developed special interest in imaging, medical
retina, and uveitis. He spent about 1 year in
India, at the PGIMER institute (Chandigarh), in
order to increase his knowledge on infectious
and tropical diseases. Since 2013 he works as a
consultant for the Retina Unit at the Eye Clinic
of Luigi Sacco Hospital in Milan, and he is in
charge of the Uveitis Service. Alessandro is
part of international research groups such as the
Collaborative Ocular Tuberculosis Study
Group, and he has published more than 40
papers on peer-reviewed journals. Since June
2016, Alessandro is assistant professor at the Eye Clinic at the Department of
Biomedical and Clinical Science “Luigi Sacco,” University of Milan.
His research is mainly focused on imaging, medical retina, and uveitis.
Authors’ Biography xxv

Swathi Kaliki, MD is a trained ocular oncol-


ogist and currently heads the Ocular Oncology
Unit at the Operation Eyesight Universal
Institute for Eye Cancer at the reputed L. V.
Prasad Eye Institute, Hyderabad, India. She
has lectured at various prestigious national and
international forums and has published exten-
sively on various ocular and adnexal tumors
including eyelid sebaceous gland carcinoma,
ocular surface squamous neoplasia, retinoblas-
toma, ocular melanoma, and various other eye
tumors.

Andrea Mazzaferro is an ophthalmologist who


is practicing at the Policlinico San Pietro (Ponte
San Pietro, Bergamo, Italy) with particular interest
in general ophthalmology, medical retina, and sur-
gery of the anterior segment.
He graduated at the University of Messina and
specialized with honors at the University of
Palermo. He attended a fellowship in Medical
Retina with Prof. Giuseppe Querques at the San
Raffaele Hospital in Milan, headed by Prof.
Bandello.

Dr. William F. Mieler is the Cless Family


professor of ophthalmology and vice-­chairman
for education in the Department of
Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences at the
University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC),
Chicago, IL. He also serves as the residency
program director and as the director of vitreo-
retinal fellowship training. Dr. Mieler recently
received the UIC 2016 College of Medicine
Faculty of the Year Award. His specialty areas
include diseases and surgery of the retina and
vitreous, along with ocular oncology.
Dr. Mieler received his doctorate of medi-
cine degree at the University of Wisconsin-
Madison School of Medicine (1979). After
xxvi Authors’ Biography

completion of his internship at Mercy Hospital and Medical Center in San Diego,
CA (1980), he completed his 3-year ophthalmology residency at the Bascom Palmer
Eye Institute, University of Miami, Miami, FL (1980–1983). This was followed by
a 1-year vitreoretinal fellowship at the Eye Institute, Medical College of Wisconsin,
Milwaukee, WI (1983–1984). He then returned to the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute
where he served as chief resident and clinical instructor (1984–1985). Dr. Mieler
then completed a second fellowship in ocular oncology at Wills Eye Hospital,
Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA (1985). In 1985, he joined the full-
time faculty at the Medical College of Wisconsin, where he became professor of
ophthalmology (1992) and was awarded the Jack A. and Elaine D. Klieger chair in
ophthalmology (1998). Dr. Mieler then joined the faculty at the Baylor College of
Medicine, in Houston, TX, as professor of ophthalmology (1999–2004). He then
accepted the position of professor and chairman of the Department of Ophthalmology
at the University of Chicago (2004–2008), prior to his current position at the
University of Illinois at Chicago (2008–present).
Dr. Mieler has authored or co-authored 350 scientific papers, 85 book chapters,
and 7 textbooks, including The Retinal Atlas, 2nd edition (2017), along with present-
ing 25 named lectures. He is/has been the principal investigator or co-investigator of
more than 60 scientific grants and collaborative studies. He has served the American
Board of Ophthalmology (ABO) as a board director (1998–2005), as chairman of
the board (2005), as associate executive director (2006), and as emeritus director
(2006–present). He also served on several committees with the American Board of
Medical Specialties (ABMS). Dr. Mieler is also the past president of the Macula
Society (2003–2004), and he received the Gass Medal (2013). He has served on the
executive committees of the Retina Society and the American Society of Retina
Specialists (ASRS). In 2011, he was named recipient of the Founders Award by the
ASRS. He is a past member of the Pan-American Board of Directors (2001–2008),
and he has chaired the PAAO Foundation Grants Committee (2006–2011). Dr.
Mieler has served on the ARVO Board of Trustees (2010–2016), representing the
Retina Section, and was president of ARVO (2014–2015). He received the
Distinguished Service Award from ARVO (2016). He has served on the editorial
board of the Archives of Ophthalmology, RETINA, and Current Eye Research and
currently serves on the editorial board of the Asia-Pacific Journal of Ophthalmology
and the American Journal of Ophthalmology Case Reports. He also serves as a
scientific reviewer for 34 additional scientific journals. From the American Academy
of Ophthalmology (AAO), he has received the Honor Award (1992), the Lifelong
Education for the Ophthalmologist Award (2000), the Senior Honor Award (2001),
and the Life Achievement Honor Award (2011). He also has served as a member of
the AAO Council (2001–2008) and the EyeNet Editorial Advisory Board (2003–
2007) and is the chair of the Schepens Award (2007–2010). He also has served the
AAO as a media spokesman, as a member of the CME Committee, and as associate
secretary for the AAO Subspecialty Day programs (2011–2015). Most recently, he
was elected to serve on the AAO Board of Trustees (2017–2020).
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surrey. Mr. Martin’s big limousine was there, too, and the chauffeur, a
smart young Irishman in a whipcord livery, looked curiously at The
Ark as it trundled by. A couple of private turn-outs completed the
roster. When, having turned the car around, Tom drew up toward
the platform again there seemed no place to stop.
“Take it around there,” suggested Jerry, pointing to a short stretch
of platform at the further end of the building which was unoccupied.
But Tom shook his head.
“That’s where the express wagons back up,” he said. “They’d be
mad and put me out. I guess we’ll have to leave her here, Will.”
“They ought to have more platform,” replied Willard. “This is a
punk old station, anyway. Look here, Tom, we ought to have a sign
or something on the car to let folks know that it’s public. We didn’t
think of that.”
“I guess there are lots of things we haven’t thought of,” sighed
Tom as he stopped the engine. “You fellows will have to get out
when the train comes in. Then, if I don’t catch anyone, you can get
back again.”
“Who get out?” demanded Teddy. “Me? I’m riding back. Here’s
your old quarter now, if you can’t trust me.”
“I don’t want your quarter. If I don’t get any passengers you can
ride back for nothing, but you’ll have to get out now until I see.
Folks won’t want to get in here if it’s filled with kids.”
“Kids!” exclaimed Teddy wrathfully. “Gee, I like that! All right,
Jerry; pile out. Can I leave my box in here?”
“Put it in front,” said Willard, “under my feet. Is that the train?”
It wasn’t, however; it was just a shunting engine down in the
yards. Meanwhile the various drivers about the station were passing
facetious remarks about The Ark. Finally the man who was driving
the hack called across. “Where’d ye get it, byes?” he asked with a
grin and a wink at the Martin chauffeur.
Tom held his peace, but Jerry smiled genially and answered:
“Made it ourselves, Old Snookums. Want a ride?”
“Cut it out,” said Willard. “Don’t get fresh, Jerry.”
“You mean your great-grandmother made it,” retorted the
Irishman on the hack. “Sure, I’ve seen better ones than that in the
junk yards!”
“Oh, we don’t care what you’ve seen at home,” replied Jerry
flippantly.
“Is that so? You’re a pretty smart kid, aren’t you?” the driver
sneered angrily. “Mind, now, if that thing you have there scares
these horses——”
“They look scared already,” offered Teddy. “Do they ever look
around?”
A guffaw from the driver of a smart looking runabout and grins
from others added fresh fuel to the Irishman’s wrath. “For two cents
I’d get down from this box and punch your heads,” he declared, “the
whole bunch o’ ye!”
Further hostilities were interrupted by the screech of the train
down the track. The boys moved across to the platform and Tom
and Willard walked around to the front of the station. The express
came to a stop with a grinding of brakes and the passengers began
to disembark. There were not so very many to-day, perhaps a score
in all. Tom and Willard, the former at the front end of the train and
the latter at the rear, were ready for them, however.
“Automobile to all parts of town!” announced Tom. “Ride up, sir?”
A man with a sample-case in each hand viewed Tom jovially but
pushed by and transferred his luggage to the hack-driver. Several
others viewed the boy good-naturedly but passed him by. An elderly
lady, however, who was probably a trifle hard of hearing, handed a
small brown bag to Tom and followed him around the station. But
when she saw the automobile she shook her head in alarm and
seized her bag again. “Sakes alive, you don’t expect me to trust my
life in one of them things, do you, young man? Aren’t there any
carriages here?”
Tom conducted her to the surrey and helped her in, while the
driver grinned from the front seat. Meanwhile Willard had fared no
better, and the boys, standing on the platform, watched the horse-
drawn vehicles rattle away well filled.
“I guess it’s a sort of—of an innovation,” observed Willard. “I
suppose we’ll have to educate them up to riding in an auto.”
“How long’s it going to take to educate them?” asked Tom
disappointedly. Willard had no answer for that. Teddy and Jerry
looked properly sympathetic but were doubtless relieved to find that
they would not have to walk home.
“What you want, Tom, is a sign, a good big one,” said Jerry. “‘Any
Part of the City for a Quarter,’ or something like that. Folks don’t
know the thing’s public, you see.”
“I told them it was,” responded Tom bitterly. “I can’t very well
knock them down and throw them in, can I?”
Teddy dug his hand in his pocket and sidled up to Tom.
“Eh? What’s this?” asked Tom.
“The quarter,” replied Teddy. “I’m going to ride back, you know.”
Tom pushed the hand away with a smile. “That’s all right, Teddy, I
don’t want your money. Climb in, fellows!”
So The Ark trundled back to the village, completing its first, and
unsuccessful, trip.
CHAPTER X
THE FIRST PASSENGER

D iscouragement didn’t last long, however. After they had dropped


Jerry and Teddy they turned back into Linden Street and
stopped at a sign painter’s. After some bargaining the proprietor
agreed to paint them a small cardboard sign for fifty cents and have
it ready by half-past one. “Any Part of the City, 25 Cents” was the
legend decided on. Then it was dinner time and Willard dropped out
at his house and Tom took The Ark back to Cross Street.
The sign was ready for them when they called for it, but it was
still pretty sticky. The painter looped a cord through it so they could
hang it from the car and they went off in high spirits to meet the
1:57. They were confronted by something of a problem. If they
secured any passengers from that train and took them uptown they
couldn’t possibly get back in time to meet the 2:06.
“What we need,” said Willard with a laugh, “is another
automobile.”
“Maybe,” Tom answered, “but I’m wondering whether we haven’t
got one too many as it is. If we can’t get folks to ride with us——”
“Shucks! We’ll have all the business we can handle as soon as
folks find out about us.”
“Well, we won’t worry about the 2:06 train yet. I dare say we
won’t get anyone from the 1:57. If we don’t we can wait there for
the other.”
As they reached the station early they had their choice of locations
along the platform and were nicely installed when Connors’ hack
drove up. But instead of taking a position in front or behind The Ark
the driver stopped alongside.
“Hey, you can’t stand there,” he announced truculently.
“Why can’t we?” asked Willard.
“Because that’s my place, that’s why.”
“There’s plenty of room ahead there,” answered Willard. “Help
yourself.”
“Is that so? Smart, ain’t you? Get out o’ that now afore I has ye
arrested.”
Willard looked enquiringly at Tom, and the latter shook his head.
The Connors surrey drove up and the driver of it stopped to hear the
discussion. The hack driver appealed to him.
“Johnny, these fellers think they have a right to stand here. What’ll
I do with them?”
“Put ’em out,” was the laconic reply. The other viewed the
automobile doubtfully, evidently at a loss how to proceed. Finally he
drove on, tossed down his reins and entered the station. A moment
later he returned accompanied by the station agent. The latter came
up to Tom and Willard. He was a small man with weak eyes and a
sandy mustache and a nervous, querulous manner. He was evidently
annoyed at being called from his duties.
“You can’t have that thing here,” he announced hurriedly.
“Connors, the livery man, has the privilege for the station.”
“Do you mean that he owns the whole platform?” demanded Tom.
“I mean he’s the only one can stand here. You’re after passengers,
ain’t you?”
“Of course.”
“Well, you’ll have to keep away from the platform then unless
you’ve got permission from the railroad. So move on now!”
“How do we get permission?” asked Willard.
“I don’t know. Put in an application. Write to the Division
Superintendent in Providence. I don’t care what you do. I can’t
stand here all day. Move along, can’t you?”
“Connors doesn’t own the road, too, does he?” demanded Tom.
“He doesn’t own anything,” replied the agent exasperatedly. “But
he has the sole right to use this platform to get business. You can
stand anywhere you like, I guess, as long as you get out of here.”
“He ain’t got no right anywhere around here,” broke in the driver
of the hack. “He’s tryin’ to get our trade away, he is. You wait till I
tell Connors about it!”
“Oh, tell Connors and be blowed!” said Willard inelegantly. “Go on,
Tom, move her across to the other side of the road. I’ll find out if
Connors is the only one who can come near their old station.”
Tom started the car, went down to the freight house, turned
around and then took up a position across the dusty road, the rival
drivers looking on triumphantly. Meanwhile several private teams
had appeared and it was almost time for the train. The driver of the
hack, whose name, as they subsequently learned, was Pat Herron,
still resented their presence and kept up a conversation with the
surrey driver loud enough for the boys to hear.
“Who’d be after ridin’ in a thing like that, I’m askin’! Why, believe
me, Johnny, it’ll fall to pieces if you give it a kick.”
“I would but I’ve got a sore foot,” answered Johnny with a grin. “I
s’pose now that was the first one was ever built, Pat?”
“’Twas an experiment, Johnny. They made that just to see how
they shouldn’t do it, me boy. Look at the fine lines of it, will ye? ’Tis
a racy lookin’ contraption!”
“Oh, dry up!” muttered Tom. “There comes the train, Will. Come
on.” They hung the sign from a bracket as they got out, Connors’
men guffawing at the sight of it, and walked over to the platform. It
was soon evident that Pat and Johnny were not satisfied with their
victory, for whenever the boys tried to secure a passenger for The
Ark one or another of the livery men was at hand to discourage the
hesitating customer.
“Sure, sir, you’ll be killed if you ride in his autymobul! ’Tain’t a real
car, sir. An’ look at what’s goin’ to drive ye, sir! Sure ’tis certin death,
sir!”
But in spite of it all Tom actually secured a passenger, a well-
dressed, middle-aged man who carried no luggage, and who
seemed in a big hurry.
“All right, all right,” he said testily. “Where’s your car? I’m in a
rush. Get me to the paper mills as quick as you can.”
“Right across the road, sir,” directed Tom, searching the platform
with his eyes to see if Willard had been as fortunate. But Willard
returned alone and the three hurried across to the car. Tom slipped
the sign off, opened the tonneau door for the passenger and sprang
to his seat. Willard cranked up and in a moment they were off.
Their passenger, sitting impatiently upright, frowned at his watch.
“Hurry it up now,” he said. “I’m late already. How far is it to the
mills?”
“Not far, sir,” replied Tom. “I’ll have you there in two minutes.”
“See that you do.” The passenger snapped his watch shut and
leaned back. The trip was a bumpy one and dusty, since their way
led them up River Street for a block and then to the right into the
extension of Meadow Street and thence into Railroad Avenue, a
thoroughfare little better than an alley and traversed principally by
trucks.
“What sort of roads do you call these?” asked the passenger
disgustedly as he tossed around on the back seat.
“Pretty bad, sir,” replied Willard. “The best way is up through the
town, but you said you were in a hurry and so——”
“Yes, yes! All right!”
Bumping and jouncing, her springs protesting loudly, The Ark
skirted the end of the railroad yards, turned at a sharp angle where
the way resembled a dump more than a road, and finally pulled up
within a hundred feet of the mills. It was impossible to get any
nearer, but the boys showed the passenger the gate through the
high board fence and, with a grunt of disgust, he leaped out,
fumbling in his pocket.
“What’s the fare?” he demanded.
“Twenty-five cents, sir.”
“Twenty-five cents—twenty-five cents—Here’s a half a dollar;
smallest I’ve got.”
“I’m afraid——” Tom looked at Willard enquiringly—— “I’m afraid,
sir, I haven’t the change.”
“Didn’t ask for it,” replied the man over his shoulder. “Be back here
at three sharp. I want to get the accommodation to Eustis. Don’t
forget!”
Tom viewed the half-dollar radiantly. “I think we ought to keep
this, Will,” he said. “It’s the first money, you know.”
“All right,” laughed Willard. “Put it away. And now let’s go and
make some more. If we hurry we may get there in time for the
2:06.”
Tom jammed his lever in and they jolted recklessly back the way
they had come, Willard clutching the seat desperately to keep from
being tossed out. As Tom had very nearly kept his promise to reach
the mill in two minutes, they were able to return to the station
before the west-bound train, which was fortunately two or three
minutes late, had arrived. They might as well have spared
themselves the trouble and saved the gasoline that they consumed
in making the trip, for, although at least two dozen persons got off
the 2:06, not one patronized the Benton and Morris Transportation
Company’s vehicle. The 2:06 was almost the only train with which
the trolley line made any sort of connection. If the express came in
on time or merely a minute or two late the trolley car was there at
the foot of River Street and, of course, offered a cheap and speedy
way of reaching the center of town. To-day the car caught the bulk
of the arrivals, while a few walked and some eight or ten piled into
Connors’ vehicles. Only The Ark failed to get its share.
“I guess the trouble is,” said Willard when the station had settled
down to quiet again, “that they can’t see the auto.”
“That isn’t it,” replied Tom. “They’re so used to giving their
luggage and their checks to Connors’ drivers that they can’t get it
into their heads that there might be someone else around. If there
was only some way to advertise!”
“Advertising costs money. Besides, how would we do it? Or
where?”
Oddly enough that question was in a manner quickly settled for
them. Willard had scarcely finished when Spider Wells, much out of
breath and very red of face, panted up to the platform where the
partners were seated on a baggage truck.
“Gee, I was afraid I’d miss you fellows!” gasped Spider, mopping
his heated brow as he swung himself to the truck beside Tom.
“It’s nice to be missed,” murmured Willard.
“I want to ride back with you,” continued Spider. “Jerry was telling
me about the dandy ride he had this morning. He’s chopping
kindling now for his mother. She’s going to give him a quarter if he
chops all the afternoon and he’s going to have another ride.”
Spider put his hand in a trousers pocket, pulled it out again and
opened it under Tom’s nose. “I brought my quarter with me, Tom.”
The boys laughed and Willard said: “Sorry, Spider, but I guess you
had your walk for nothing. We’re not going back to town until after
the 3:14 goes through.”
Spider’s face fell. “You’re not? Why?”
Tom explained. Spider’s mild blue eyes blinked. Then,
“Well, what time is it now?” he asked.
“Twenty-five past two,” responded Willard, leaning back so that he
could see the clock in the waiting-room through the nearest window.
Spider sighed with relief.
“That’s all right then,” he said. “I’ll wait. There isn’t anything going
on to-day, anyway.”
“Isn’t the team playing Cold Spring this afternoon?” Tom enquired.
“Yes, but it costs ten cents each way on the trolley and I thought
I’d rather have a ride in your automobile. Besides, Cold Spring hasn’t
any sort of a team. I saw Jimmy Lippit this morning and he said
we’d win easily. Jimmy’s going to play to-day. Jordan’s gone away for
a month; gone to the beach. Wish I was!”
“Don’t be a chump, Spider,” said Tom. “We aren’t going to take
your quarter. You could have gone to Cold Spring and had your ride
with us, too. We didn’t charge Jerry anything——”
“You didn’t!” Spider’s blue eyes opened wide. “Why, he said you
took him and Teddy down to the station and back again and that the
fare was a quarter each way!”
“So it is,” laughed Willard, “but they didn’t pay it. You hang around
until the 3:14 goes, Spider, and we’ll give you a good ride.”
“Honest? That’s awfully good of you. I—I’m willing to pay, though,
Will. I’ve never ridden in one of those, you know. Have you fellows
been making a lot of money?”
Tom shook his head. “We haven’t got rich yet,” he answered dryly.
“Haven’t taken in more than twenty or thirty dollars to-day.”
Spider’s eyes grew round again until Willard laughed. “The fact is,
Spider,” said Willard, “we can’t get folks to ride with us yet. They’re
so used to riding up with Connors’ men that they don’t even see us.”
“That’s too bad.” Spider frowned. “Couldn’t you—couldn’t you
advertise?”
“Just what Tom suggested. But I told him advertising costs money.
Besides, where would we advertise to catch the folks that travel on
the trains? You see, they come from all around.”
“A lot of them come from right here,” said Tom. “Now, if——”
“I tell you!” exclaimed Spider. “I’ll get father to put an article in the
paper about you.” Spider’s father was proprietor and editor of the
News-Patriot, Audelsville’s principal daily newspaper. “He will do it if
I ask him to and it won’t cost you a cent!”
“Why——” began Willard.
“I’ll get him to put it in to-morrow morning’s paper,” continued
Spider enthusiastically. “All about how you two fellows bought the
automobile and fixed it up yourselves and are carrying passengers to
and from the station for a quarter, which is twenty-five cents less
than Connors charges, and—and——” Spider paused, out of breath.
“That would be fine,” said Tom gratefully, “but I don’t know that
we ought to let you do it, Spider. If we could pay for it——”
“But the paper always prints things about any new—er—industry,”
protested Spider. He pulled a small paper-covered memorandum
book from his pocket, found a pencil with a much chewed point and
faced Tom eagerly. “What’s the name of your company?” he
demanded.
Tom told him and Spider wrote laboriously in the book. Finally,
“You look in the News-Patriot to-morrow morning,” he advised
triumphantly, putting his book away. “When you fellows get on your
feet and can afford it you can put an advertisement in; I’ll tell father
you said you would, shall I?”
“Why, yes,” replied Willard doubtfully. “I guess we could do that—
later. And we’re very much obliged, Spider, for what you’re doing.”
“’Tain’t anything,” said Spider carelessly. “After all, you see it’s
really news, Will; and a paper prints the news anyway, don’t it?”
Willard acknowledged that he presumed it did, and then, as it was
a quarter to three, they started the engine, Spider looking on
interestedly, and chugged away to the paper mills. Spider returned
to the baggage truck to await their return. Their passenger appeared
soon after they had pulled up near the gate in the fence, and Mr.
Martin was with him. The latter, a man of about fifty years, rather
tall and very precisely dressed, accompanied his visitor to the
automobile, viewing the latter with frank curiosity and some
amusement, and shook hands as he said good bye.
“Glad you came up, Mr. Latham,” he said cordially. “Very glad to
have seen you. I don’t think there will be any further trouble about
shipments, now that we understand each other. Sometime when
you’re up this way I wish you’d let me know. I’d like to have you
meet Mrs. Martin and take dinner with us.”
On the way back Mr. Latham seemed to have got over his
impatience. He sat back easily in the tonneau—as easily as the
jounces would allow—and smoked a cigar. At the station, which they
reached ten minutes before the local train was due, Tom stopped the
car across the road from the platform.
“Is this as near as you can take me?” asked the passenger in
surprise.
“Yes, sir. We’re not allowed to go up to the platform. Connors,
who has the livery stable here, has the privilege and we have to
stand over here. I’m sorry.”
“Humph!” Mr. Latham stepped down into the dust of the road and
pulled out his pocketbook. “Another of those combinations in
restraint of trade, eh? I think if I were you I’d see if I couldn’t get
the road to give me a stand. Let me see, fifty cents, wasn’t it?”
“Twenty-five, sir,” replied Tom.
“Oh.” Mr. Latham handed over a dollar bill.
“I’ll see if I can get change in the station, sir,” said Tom, getting
out.
“Have you spent that half-dollar already?” asked their passenger
with a smile.
“No, sir, but that’s all I have with me. It won’t take a minute——”
“Tut, tut! Give me the half and let it go at that. I dare say you’ve
done that much damage to your springs running over that dump.”
“Thank you, sir,” murmured Tom, diving into his pocket for the
coin in question. When he found it he glanced at it regretfully and
seemed so loath to part with it that Mr. Latham noticed it.
“Why, you’re a regular miser, boy,” he laughed. “You just hate to
give up money, don’t you?”
Tom blushed, but Willard thought they owed their benefactor an
explanation. “It isn’t that, sir,” he said. “Tom wanted to keep that
half because it’s the first money we’ve made with the car.”
“Really? You mean that I was your first passenger? That’s quite
interesting, boys. I should feel honored, I’m sure. Then you haven’t
been driving this—this vehicle long?”
“We just started to-day,” said Tom. “We haven’t had much luck
yet, sir.”
“Well, it takes time to build up trade. Keep trying; that’s the way
to win, boys. Sorry to deprive you of your half-dollar, but I guess
that bill will do just as well to keep, won’t it?”
“Better,” laughed Tom. “Thank you very much, sir.”
Mr. Latham nodded, smiled, and crossed to the station. Spider,
who had been impatiently walking about the platform, hurried across
and climbed in. “Know who that was, fellows?” he demanded
excitedly as Tom swung The Ark around toward town.
“No, who?” asked Willard.
“That’s H. R. Latham, the First Vice-President of the road.”
“Honest?”
“Sure thing! I’ve seen him two or three times. Funny Mr. Martin
didn’t send his carriage for him, wasn’t it?”
“I sort of think he did,” said Tom softly. “I saw the Martin rig drive
up just as we started away from the train.”
“You did?” exclaimed Willard. “You didn’t say anything about it.
Why, it’s dollars to doughnuts it came for Mr. Latham!”
“That’s what I thought,” answered Tom dryly. “And that’s why I
didn’t say anything. Think I wanted to lose a passenger?”
Willard and Spider laughed delightedly. Presently, though, as they
turned up River Street, Willard sighed and then frowned.
“I wish,” he said, “we’d known who he was, Tom. We might have
asked him to let us have a stand at the station.”
“Gee!” said Tom. “That’s so! We might go back, Will?”
But at that instant the train made the crossing, and so Tom, who
had slowed down the car, advanced the throttle lever again and
continued on his way with a sigh for the neglected opportunity.
CHAPTER XI
THE NEWS-PATRIOT AIDS

T hat evening Tom, who made the trip to the 6:05 train alone,
picked up two passengers and so swelled the day’s receipts to
one dollar and a half. Connors seldom sent more than one carriage
to the 6:05 and on this occasion Pat Herron was late and Tom
reaped what small harvest there was before the livery hack reached
the platform. Pat’s look of chagrin more than made up for the insults
to his beloved Ark that Tom had been forced to bear.
The next morning Tom and Willard went around to the hotel and
saw the proprietor, Mr. Timothy Meechin. Tim, as he was called, was
a stout, good-natured man with florid face and a loud laugh who
had inherited the hotel property from his father, “Meechin’s” having
been a road tavern in the old days when Audelsville was only a
wayside settlement. Almost everyone liked Tim Meechin, and his
hotel was well conducted and popular, which was a fortunate thing
since it was the only hostelry deserving the name in town. But,
although Mr. Meechin was kindness itself and seemed genuinely
interested in the boys’ venture, he had to refuse their request.
“It’s like this,” he said, a thumb in each arm-hole of his vest—he
was seldom seen with a coat——“it’s like this, boys. Bill Connors has
a sort of—of a franchise, d’ye see, to carry folks from the hotel to
the depot, and t’other way, too, d’ye see. It’s a sort of a contract we
made years ago and I wouldn’t scarcely like to go back on it, d’ye
see. O’ course I can’t interfere with you if you bring somebody from
the depot up here; you got a right to do that; but I wouldn’t like you
should stand outside the hotel and take custom away from Bill. You
see yourselves, boys, that that wouldn’t do.”
“It seems as if Mr. Connors was operating a sort of transportation
trust,” said Willard with a sigh.
“Then there’s another thing,” continued Tim Meechin. “You fellows
carry folks for a quarter and Bill he gets fifty cents. So if I let you
stand outside the hotel, you’d get all of Bill’s trade away from him
sooner or later, d’ye see, and that wouldn’t be hardly fair to Bill; now
would it?”
“I don’t see that,” Tom objected. “If we can afford to carry folks
for a quarter it seems to me that’s our look-out. All Mr. Connors
would have to do would be to—to meet competition, to put his price
down, too.”
“Ah, there it is, d’ye see! You fellows have an automobile which
don’t cost much to run, but Bill he has a lot of horses to feed and
look after and a lot of help to pay wages to. Follows, don’t it, that he
can’t carry passengers as cheap as you can?”
“I suppose so,” Tom granted, “but—but if you stick to that idea,
why, there wouldn’t be any competition at all!”
Mr. Meechin nodded untroubledly. “Right you are. It’s competition
that’s ruinin’ the country, boys. What would I do, now, if a fellow
came along, d’ye see, and opened a hotel across the street there?
Say he bought the Perkins block and put up a new hotel. Where’d I
be?”
“Why—why, if you gave just as good as he did and charged no
more——”
“But he’d have a new building, d’ye see, with, say, a bathroom to
every suite and—and a roof-garden on top, and one of those
restaurants in the cellar and—” Mr. Meechin was getting quite
excited and wrought up at the bare thought of the contingency. He
shook his head decidedly. “First come, first served, boys; that’s my
motto. Here I am and here I’ve been for thirty years, and my father
before me, d’ye see, and what right has a fellow who, maybe, never
saw Audelsville before to come and try to ruin my business and put
me in the poor house? ’Tain’t fair dealing!”
“Well, if you look at it that way,” murmured Willard.
“There’s no other way to look at it, right,” said Mr. Meechin
decisively. “And it’s the same way with Bill Connors. Bill has his living
to make and his family to look after. He needs the money, boys. And
—and I guess you don’t—much, eh? It’s a sort of a lark with you,
d’ye see?”
“It isn’t a lark at all,” replied Tom warmly. “It’s business. We’re in it
to make money, and we’ve just as much right to make money as Mr.
Connors has. Of course if you say we can’t stop outside your hotel
and bid for passengers, that’s all right, but it doesn’t seem quite fair
to me, sir.”
“It’s fair enough, Tom,” said Willard soothingly, “if Mr. Meechin has
an agreement with Connors. I suppose if we stood on the other side
of the street and any of your guests chose to walk over there you
couldn’t object, sir?”
Mr. Meechin hesitated. Finally: “No, I suppose I couldn’t,” he
acknowledged. “But I warn you fair, boys, that I’d have to advise my
folks to take Connors’ hack. I’ve got to live up to my agreement with
Bill, d’ye see.”
“That’s all right, sir. And thank you very much. Good morning.”
Tom remained indignant for some time. “If we can’t stand at the
station and can’t stand at the hotel,” he said bitterly, “I guess we’d
better sell The Ark and go out of business right now.”
“Maybe, though, we can get permission from the railroad if we
write to the superintendent or whoever he said we should write to.
It’s worth trying, anyway. And then if Simms will let us stand in front
of his shop we might soon get business from the hotel. Men don’t
mind walking across the street to save a quarter and get there
quicker, I guess. Let’s go and see Simms now.”
Simms’ was one of those drug stores that fill their windows with
signs and placards of patent medicines, headache cures, and
temperance drinks, and very little else. It was a rather dirty, run-
down little shop, but as it was directly opposite the entrance of
Meechin’s Hotel it did a fair business.
Mr. Simms, the proprietor, was a little, light-haired, thin-voiced
man of fifty-odd, who looked as though he might be his own best
customer for patent remedies. When Willard proffered his request
the druggist blinked his eyes for a moment and then smiled craftily.
“Why, I guess there isn’t any objection, boys,” he said. “Of course
it’ll be worth something to you, I guess.”
“How do you mean?” asked Willard.
“Well, it ought to be worth a few dollars a month, hadn’t it? Say—
shall we say ten?”
“Sure,” laughed Tom, mirthlessly, “let’s say fifty. It isn’t much
harder.”
Mr. Simms frowned at him, and so did Willard.
“We can’t pay for the privilege just now, sir,” Willard said frankly,
“but if after we give it a fair trial we find that we’re getting custom
we might consider it, sir.”
The druggist, however, was obdurate and the boys went off. It
was then nearly time to go to the station to meet the first train and
they hurried up Pine Street to get the car. It was on the way that
Willard recollected that they had not thought to look in the morning
paper for the article Spider Wells had promised would be there.
Unfortunately Mr. Benton had taken his copy of the News-Patriot to
the post-office with him and so when, after some difficulty, I must
acknowledge, The Ark had been persuaded to start and was on its
way toward the station, Willard insisted on stopping at a news stand
and buying a copy. It was well worth the two cents he invested,
however. The article was quite lengthy, and was headed in bold,
black type, “Build Their Own Car and Operate It—Two Audelsville
Boys, Sons of Well-Known Citizens, Show Mechanical Genius and
Business Acumen.” Willard read it while Tom guided The Ark
stationward.
“There’s a new transportation line in town,” said the News-Patriot.
“If you don’t believe it watch for the gray automobile that is to be
seen any day flying between the railroad station and the hotel.
Audelsville has a new business enterprise and its name is the Benton
and Morris Transportation Company, Thomas Benton, President,
Willard Morris, General Manager. The lads, one the son of our
popular postmaster, and the other the son of Mr. Garford Morris, the
well-known cabinet maker of Logan Street, are each under eighteen
years of age, and yet, we understand, have practically built the
automobile unaided. It is a fine looking machine, as all who have
seen it in its trips through town will testify. Audelsville should be
proud of two such clever young citizens.
“The auto makes trips between Meechin’s Hotel and the station,
meeting all trains, and handling passengers and baggage
comfortably and expeditiously. The reasonable charge of twenty-five
cents for the trip each way is made and there is no doubt but that
the traveling public will warmly welcome this means of
transportation, especially when, as is almost always the case, the
trolley line fails to make connection with the trains. Young Benton is
the driver of the car, while his friend and business associate, Willard
Morris, attends to securing trade. Both boys are well known and
popular. Morris graduated from high school last month and Benton is
in the senior class. The News-Patriot wishes them all good fortune in
their plucky venture.”
“There’s a lot there that isn’t so,” said Tom, trying to disguise his
pleasure with a critical frown. “That about our making the car
ourselves, for instance.”
“Yes, but who cares? It makes a better story, Tom. Why, this
ought to be worth a lot to us as advertising. It was dandy of Spider,
wasn’t it?”
“Yes; Mr. Wells, too. We ought to find Spider and ride him around
all day, Will! Just—just read it again, will you?”
It was well they had the newspaper story to keep their spirits up
that morning, for it wasn’t until the 1:57 train pulled in that they
succeeded in securing their first passenger, an elderly gentleman
who confided to them that he had never ridden in one of “these here
contraptions afore” and whose destination was so far the other side
of town that the boys doubted whether they had made or lost on the
trip! Business looked up a little toward evening, however, and from
the 6:05 they gathered three commercial travelers, who filled the car
with bags and made good-natured fun of it all the way to the hotel.
What added vastly to the boys’ pleasure at that time was the fact
that Pat Herron returned from the station with an empty hack!
That evening Willard came to Tom’s house and the boys confided
their problems to Mr. Benton and asked his advice. After talking
matters over it was decided that they should write an application for
a stand at the station and get as many signatures of Audelsville
citizens as they could. Then either Tom or Willard would make the
trip to Providence and see the superintendent personally.
“There’s a heap of red tape in railroad offices,” said Mr. Benton,
“and maybe if you sent your application through the mail you
wouldn’t hear anything from it for weeks and weeks. It’ll cost a
couple of dollars to make the trip, but you’ll hurry things up a whole
lot, I’d say.”
Mr. Benton did not, however, favor the scheme of paying Mr.
Simms, or anyone else, for the privilege of standing in front of his
store. “I don’t believe,” he said, “that it’s necessary for you to pay
anything. I guess you’ve got a right to stand anywhere along the
street you want to, just so you keep off the crossings. Of course, I
wouldn’t advise you to stop in front of Simms’, now that he’s looking
for money, but there’s plenty of other places along there.”
So the next morning, about twenty minutes before it was time for
the 9:01 to go through, Tom stopped The Ark in front of a small fruit
store, next door to Simms’, and hung out his sign where it could be
plainly seen from the hotel. A good many folks paused and looked
the car over and asked questions, having evidently read the article in
the paper of the day before. Even the occupants of the big trolley
car that stopped on the siding nearby showed unusual interest. Tom
was alone to-day, for it had been decided that Willard was to secure
names to the petition and was already at work. Connors’ hack drove
up in front of the hotel and Pat Herron scowled when he saw the
automobile across the street. But he made no remarks. Pat had
decided to treat the rival concern with silent contempt. Presently
three travelers emerged from the hotel and climbed into the hack,
although Tom squawked his horn enticingly. Then the hack rolled
away and Tom started his engine and followed. In front of the
common someone called and he slowed down and looked around. It
was Willard, just coming out of the Court House.
“How are you getting on?” asked Tom, casting a glance toward the
clock in the tower overhead.
“Fine and dandy. I’ve got fourteen names already. It won’t take
me any time to get fifty signatures. Everyone seems willing to sign.
One man, though, refused; Hall, of Hall and Duggett. It seems
Connors hauls their freight for them, and he said he didn’t want to
do anything to hurt Connors. But we’ll get plenty of signatures
without his. How are you getting on?”
Tom shrugged. “Nothing doing yet. There were three from the
hotel, but the hack got them. Well, I must be getting down; it’s most
nine.”
“Wait a minute. Did you see this morning’s Herald? It’s got
something about us. I guess they cribbed it from the News-Patriot.
I’ve got the paper at home and I’ll show it to you later. We’re getting
a heap of advertising, Tom.”
“Yes, but we aren’t getting much business,” replied Tom
pessimistically. “See you later, Will.”
CHAPTER XII
WILLARD ENCOUNTERS A FRIEND

T wo days later, Willard, armed with his petition, made the trip to
Providence. He had secured fifty-five signatures without difficulty,
and as they stood for the prominent and influential citizens of
Audelsville both he and Tom felt comfortably certain of success.
Willard had offered to let Tom make the journey, but Tom had
pointed out that if he did they would lose a day with the car. “Maybe
it wouldn’t make much difference,” he added gloomily, “but I guess
I’d better stay here and attend to business. We need all the money
we can get.”
So it was Willard who boarded the 9:01 that Monday morning and
settled himself back in a red plush seat with a feeling of vast
importance. The agent at Audelsville had told him where to find the
railroad offices when he reached his destination and had even taken
enough interest in the project to suggest that Willard see the
Division Superintendent in the forenoon. He would be in better
humor then, thought the local agent.
Possibly neither you nor I would have considered the trip to
Providence anything more than a bore, but to Willard, who seldom
traveled by train, it was quite exciting and very far from being a
bore. He arrived at Providence almost a whole hour before noon and
made his way at once to the offices of the railroad, which occupied
all of a big, old-fashioned brick building across the street from the
station. An elevator took him past one floor and deposited him on
the next, and he wandered down a long, dim corridor lined with
doors whose upper halves held ground glass variously inscribed with
figures and letters. Room 18 was found at last and, uncertain
whether to knock or walk boldly in, Willard finally turned the knob
and entered. Inside he found himself confronted by a counter which
ran the width of the room and behind which were three desks
occupied by as many busy men. As no one paid any attention to
him, at the end of a minute Willard summoned his courage.
“I’d like to see the Division Superintendent,” he announced to the
room at large. A young man with a worried expression looked up
and fixed Willard with a stern gaze.
“Business?” he demanded.
“Yes, sir,” replied Willard.
“Business?” demanded the man in a louder tone.
“Oh—why—if you please, I’d like to see him about getting a stand
at Audelsville,” stammered Willard.
“Stand?” The man frowned. A second occupant of the room
bobbed his head inquiringly around the corner of his desk, scowled
and disappeared again. Willard wondered if he was the
Superintendent. “What sort of a stand?” demanded the first man
crossly.
“Why, a stand for an automobile.” Willard pulled his petition from
his pocket and the man arose and came to the counter, stretching a
hand forth for the document. Willard gave it to him and the man
skimmed it quickly. Then:
“I see,” he said rather contemptuously, deftly dipping a pen in an
ink-well and proffering it. “All right. Put your name and address in
the corner here and leave it.”
“Leave it?” Willard, with pen in hand, hesitated.
“Yes. We’ll let you hear in a few days. Hurry up, please.”
“But—but I’d rather see Mr. Cummings himself, sir!”
“I dare say. But Mr. Cummings is busy. He can’t see everyone, you
know, kid.”
“But I came all the way from Audelsville, sir!” pleaded Willard. “I—
I might just as well have mailed this if—if I can’t see him.”
“Just as well,” replied the other, yawning frankly and glancing at
the electric clock on the wall. “Well?”
“Don’t you think he’d see me for just a minute? Would you mind
asking him, please?”
“Yes, I’d mind very much,” was the impatient reply. “If you want to
leave this application put your name on it. If you don’t, move along.
We’re busy here, my young friend.”
“But——” Willard sighed disappointedly—“if I could just wait here
until he was at leisure——”
The door behind him opened and closed briskly, and a familiar
voice asked: “Cummings in, Jones?”
“Yes, Mr. Latham. Step right in, sir.” The man, now smiling and
eager to please, hurried toward the end of the counter, lifted a
hinged section of it and stood aside while the newcomer hurried
through and tapped at a door which Willard had not noticed. In an
instant the door had opened and closed and Mr. Latham had
disappeared into the inner office. The clerk, for Willard decided that
he was no more than that, sauntered back.
“That was Mr. Latham, wasn’t it?” asked Willard.
The clerk nodded.
“Well, I guess I’d like to speak to him when he comes out. May I
wait here?”
“Do you know Mr. Latham?”
Willard nodded as carelessly as the clerk. There was nothing to be
gained by modesty, he felt. “Yes, I know him,” he said.
Evidently impressed, the clerk moved back to his desk. “All right.
Take a seat there.”
Willard returned his petition to his pocket and retired to one of the
two chairs along the wall. Ten minutes passed, and then ten minutes
more, and finally the door opened again and Mr. Latham came
through. Willard waited until the first vice-president was outside the
counter. Then:
“Mr. Latham, may I speak to you a minute, please?” he asked,
intercepting the gentleman in front of the door.
“Eh?” The official paused. “Certainly, my boy. Hello, I’ve seen you
before, haven’t I?”
“Yes, sir, I—we—took you to the paper mills the other day, you
know; at Audelsville, sir.”
“Of course! How are you?” Mr. Latham shook hands heartily. “Let
me see, did you tell me your name?”
“No, sir. My name’s Willard Morris.”
“Well, Morris, what can I do for you? Here, let’s sit down a minute.
Now then!”
“We want to be allowed to stand our automobile at the station, sir.
You see, as it is now, they won’t let us because Connors, the livery
stable man, has the—the exclusive privilege. It’s hard to get
passengers, Mr. Latham, unless you’re at the platform. Folks don’t
see you, sir.”
“I suppose not. What’s this?”
“It’s a petition. It’s got fifty-five signatures on it, sir. I thought
maybe——”
“Very business-like, Morris.” Mr. Latham smiled as he ran his eyes
over the petition. “Well, you’d better see Cummings about this. He’s
the one to go to.”
“That’s what I came here for, sir, but they said he was too busy
and wanted me to leave this.”
“Oh, I guess he’s got time to see you. You come with me.” Mr.
Latham led the way past the counter and knocked again at the inner
door. “Charlie, here’s a young gentleman who wants to see you,”
announced the First Vice-President as, followed by Willard, he
entered and closed the door again. “He’s got a petition signed by
about half the citizens of Audelsville. See what you can do for him,
will you? Morris, this is Mr. Cummings. Charlie, shake hands with Mr.
Willard Morris, one of Audelsville’s hustling citizens.”
The big man at the big desk smiled and shook hands. “Glad to do
anything I can for you, Mr. Morris,” he said. “What’s wanted?”
“Show him that document, Morris,” directed Mr. Latham.
Mr. Cummings read it and then looked dubiously at Mr. Latham.
“Seems to me we’ve let somebody have the station privilege at
Audelsville, Henry,” he said.
“We have, but competition’s the life of trade, they say, Charlie,
and these young gentlemen are particular friends of mine. I guess
we can let them in, can’t we?”
“I suppose so.” Mr. Cummings pressed one of a row of buttons at
the edge of his desk and almost at once a clerk entered. “Dictation,
Graham.” The clerk seated himself, pulled a book from his pocket
and poised a pencil. Mr. Cummings fixed his eyes on the ceiling. “To
——” He glanced at the petition in his hand—“To Benton and Morris
Transportation Company, Audelsville, R. I. ‘Gentlemen: Your
application for platform privilege at Audelsville station received and
same is hereby granted, terminable at our discretion. We have
notified our agent to afford you space for one’—eh?”
“Could you make it two, please?” asked Willard.
The Passenger Agent shot a glance of inquiry at the First Vice-
President, and the latter, with a smile, nodded.
“All right. ‘Space for two vehicles. Respectfully, and so forth.’
Typewrite that immediately, please, and I’ll sign it. Here’s another.
‘Agent, Audelsville, R. I. Benton and Morris Transportation Company
granted platform privilege until further notice. You will provide them
space for two vehicles. Respectfully and so forth.’ That all I can do
for you?”
“Yes, sir, thank you very much,” replied Willard. “Good morning.”
CHAPTER XIII
PAT HERRON LOSES HIS TEMPER

“W ell, that wasn’t so difficult, was it?” inquired Mr. Latham as


they left the office a few minutes later.
Willard smiled. “I guess it might have been if you hadn’t helped,”
he answered.
“Perhaps. Division Superintendents are pretty busy persons. Well,
good luck to you, my boy, and I hope the transportation company
will get lots of business and soon begin to declare dividends.”
Mr. Latham shook hands in front of the building and Willard,
reassuring himself by a look at the station clock, made his way to a
small lunch room and dined regally on a bowl of hulled corn afloat in
milk and frosted with sugar, two doughnuts, a piece of blueberry pie
and a cup of coffee. After that he strolled around the city for a half-
hour and finally boarded the express that took him uneventfully back
to Audelsville and deposited him on the platform at six minutes after
two.
“Auto to any part of the city! Twenty-five cents to any part of the
city! Ride up, sir? Auto to—— Hello, Will! I didn’t think you’d make
this train. Did you—Meechin’s Hotel? Yes, sir. I’ll take your bag. Right
across the road, sir.”
And Tom, casting speculative glances up and down the platform in
quest of other customers, led the way to the car, followed by Willard
and the owner of the bag, the latter viewing irresolutely Connors’
hack, into which Pat Herron was conducting three other arrivals. But
Tom gave him no time to change his mind.
“Here you are, sir! Have you there in three minutes!” he declared,
depositing the gentleman’s bag in front and jumping into his seat.
“Turn her over, Will! All right!”
Honk! Honk! The Ark was off with a noisy fusillade from the
exhaust and a shuddering grinding of gears and Tom turned
anxiously to Willard.
“What luck?” he asked.
For answer Willard drew forth the letter that Mr. Cummings had
dictated and held it for Tom to read.
“Fine!” In his enthusiasm Tom pumped the horn loudly and
triumphantly. “Won’t Pat Herron be mad! Say, I’m glad you went,
and not I; I’d have made a fizzle of it, I guess.”
“So would I if Mr. Latham hadn’t happened along at just the right
moment,” replied Willard. And then, for the rest of the distance
uptown, he narrated the story of the trip. Tom became so interested
that he narrowly escaped bumping into the fender of a car as it
swung around the corner of Walnut Street, eliciting a remarkable
flow of eloquence from the motorman.
“Gee, Will, things are coming our way, aren’t they?” he asked.
“Even trolley cars,” Willard agreed, with a laugh, as The Ark drew
up in front of the hotel with an imperative squawking of the horn
that brought the porter hurrying outside.
“Well, that beats the hack,” said the passenger as he paid his
quarter, “even if I did have heart disease once or twice. Say, do you
always run as close to the trolley cars as that?”
“Not always,” laughed Tom. “That was something special, a sort of
extra thrill, sir.”
“Hm; well, I got it,” replied the man grimly as he turned to follow
his bag.
“I see you’re doing business, boys.” Mr. Meechin had strolled out
from the lobby and, with thumbs in the arm-holes of his waistcoat,
was interestedly observing the car.
“Getting more every day, sir,” responded Willard. “Thinking of
putting on another car.”
Tim Meechin grinned. “Really now! You’ll be rich before you know
it. Was there any others on the train?”
“For you? I believe Pat Herron is bringing two or three up,”
answered Tom. “They’ll be along in time for supper, sir.” And Tom,
throwing in his clutch, chugged away, leaving Mr. Meechin grinning
after them. “I got two from the hotel for the 1:57,” confided Tom
proudly as they turned into Pine Street. “They were just getting into
the hack when they saw The Ark. ‘Hey,’ said one of them, ‘what’s the
matter with taking the auto?’ Then Pat Herron tried to hustle them
into his old barouche, talking a blue streak all the time. But they
wouldn’t have it. ‘Does that car run, kid?’ one of them called over.
‘Like a breeze,’ said I. ‘Get you to the station in three minutes, sir!’
So they grabbed their bags from Pat, although they very nearly had
to fight him to get them, and came across and got in. They made a
lot of fun of the car on the way, but I didn’t mind that; they can josh
all they want to if they give me their quarters! And, besides, when I
landed them at the station in something less than four minutes they
didn’t think The Ark was so poor, after all! I’ve made three dollars
and a quarter so far to-day. What do you think of that? And now that
we can stand at the platform we’d ought to do a heap better. After
dinner we’ll go down and get the agent to give us our stand.”
“One of them, anyway,” agreed Willard.
“One of what?”
“One of our stands. Didn’t you notice that I’d got permission for
two autos?”
“No! What for? We haven’t got two.”
“We may have some day,” responded Willard, “and I thought it
might save trouble to fix for the other one now. Look here, why
shouldn’t we have two if we make this thing go? Why shouldn’t we
carry trunks as well as people, Tom? As it is now, even if we get a
passenger he has to have Connors bring his trunk up for him. We

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