The automobile did not
start. Glen waited and watched. Evidently he saw no signs of an
immediate start, for finally he jumped out of the seat and went back
to his breakfast. He ate with indecent haste, like a man anxious to
catch a train. Again the horn tooted, again he deserted his
breakfast, and again he sat in the seat and waited vainly for the
machine to go.
They came close to spoiling Glen's breakfast for him, for he was kept
on the jump between porch and barn. Then he grew wise. They tooted
the horn loudly and insistently, but he stayed by his breakfast and
finished it. Thus once more did he display power of choice,
incidentally of control, for when that horn tooted it was all he
could do to refrain from running for the barn.
The nature-faker would analyze what went on in Glen's brain somewhat
in the following fashion. He had had, in his short life, experiences
that not one of all his ancestors had ever had. He had learned that
automobiles went fast, that once in motion it was impossible for him
to get on board, that the toot of the horn was a noise that was
peculiar to automobiles.
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