He seemed terribly depressed and at the same time determined to make the best of things.

Bud could almost pity him--almost.
"Do you know how far it is back to that town we passed ?" he asked Bud spiritlessly after a while.

Bud looked at the speedometer, made a mental calculation and told him it was fifteen miles.

Towns, it seemed, were rather far apart in this section of the country.
"Well, let's see the road map.

How far is it to the next one ?" "Search me.