THE MOTOR TRIP
"Mercy, goodness! Five minutes to eleven, and I can't find my hat," and
poor Jerry darted from one closet to another in her search. "Where do
you suppose it is?"
"It's just where you left it," answered Mary, who had arrived ten
minutes before and had been helping Jerry hunt for the missing hat.
"Now stop running around and try to think a minute."
Jerry stood still and thought very hard.
"Why, I believe it's--it's in my hat box, you dear thing! Why didn't
you tell me to do that before?" and Jerry darted up the stairs to her
room, and in another minute called out:
"Yes, here it is, safe and sound," at which Mary burst into laughter.
"Honk, honk!" sounded from without.
"Here they are,--here they come," and both girls flew to meet Beth, who
had just stepped out of the car as it stopped before the house.
Mrs. White followed the girls down the path and Uncle Billy smilingly
promised her to have the girls home before dark.
"Jerry, you sit in front for a while with Uncle Billy," suggested
Beth. "I think it will be nice if we take turns riding beside him."
"Fine idea," laughed Uncle Billy, "then I can get acquainted with all
of you."
Jerry climbed in the front seat while Mary and Beth sat in the wide
seat behind, with a large wicker lunch basket on the floor before them.
"Good-bye," they called as the car started, and Mrs. White waved her
handkerchief until they were out of sight.
It was the beautiful month of September and the leaves were turning to
red and gold. The air was soft and cool against their faces and the sky
was dotted here and there with tiny white clouds that looked like
little ships sailing on an ocean of blue.
Uncle Billy had headed the car toward the west and it sped down the
country road, leaving the town of Merryvale far behind. Past fields and
farms they flew, through woodlands and over little bridges under which
ran tiny, bubbling brooks.
"It's like being in fairyland," whispered Mary. "Look, the leaves have
made a gold and crimson carpet."
"Yes, and at night the fairies dance in the moonlight," answered Beth,
"and drink honey from the blue bells. Wouldn't that soft mossy bank
make a lovely throne for the queen?"
[Illustration: "Don't you just love to fly through the air this way?"
cried Jerry.]
"What are you two talking about?" demanded Jerry, turning around in
her seat and facing them. "I don't believe you know that Beth's Uncle
Billy let me drive this car for a long way and he hardly helped at
all."
"Well, I should say we didn't, or we'd have been scared to death,"
laughed Beth.
"Well, it's not half as dangerous as driving an airship, and I'm going
to do that some day. I'd love to go away up above the clouds."
"And talk to the man in the moon, I suppose," teased Mary.
"That would be fun, if you didn't have any engine trouble," chuckled
Uncle Billy, joining in the fun.
"What's engine trouble?" demanded Jerry. "Do you mean something
happening to the works of it?"
"That's it," declared Uncle Billy, "and when it happens down you come
faster than even you would like."
"Just down right side up or head over heels," insisted Jerry.
"Well, it needn't make any difference to you, because you are not going
to do it, Geraldine White," interrupted Beth, looking at Mary, who
hastened to agree with her.
"Lots of times I've wished I were a boy," sighed Jerry. "Nobody ever
seems to mind what they do."
"What's the surprise, Uncle Billy?" asked Beth. "Why are you stopping?"
"I don't know myself," said Uncle Billy with a frown on his forehead,
as the car gradually came to a stop, "but I'll have to find out."
"Whatever's the matter?" cried Jerry. "Do you think we're having engine
trouble?" and she hopped out and stood by the roadside gazing at the
car.
"Nothing so easy as that," answered Uncle Billy, in great disgust;
"it's gas. We have run out of it. Looks as though they didn't fill up
the tank in the garage before we started, as I told them to do."
"Gasoline!" gasped Beth, "and that's what makes it go."