A DELAY AND A SCARE
It was an hour later when the boys came back. They had discovered the
loss of the girls when they had gone so far ahead that it took some
time to return. The race was too much for them. They were obliged to
admit that, in its interest, they had forgotten the girls.
"If Miss Robbins had been along, I fancy Walter would not have become
so engrossed in the race," said Belle maliciously.
"Well, Miss Robbins was not along," replied Walter, with equal meaning.
"And what's more, Miss Robbins will not be along," spoke Cora. "I have
heard of all sorts of things being permissible in the business world,
but this, from a young lady, seems to be----"
"The utmost," admitted Jack. "But, sis, you must make allowances. We
would dump Miss Robbins in the mountains, and likely crawl home by
train, while the hotel reputation will continue to reputate."
"Suppose we quit buzzing and get at the car," suggested Ed. "Seems,
though, as if Cora had about fixed it up."
"I'm not so sure," said Cora eagerly. "I am afraid that there's
something wrong other than the 'busted' tire. I was just about to look
when you gentlemen returned. But will you please finish pumping first?"
Finally it was hard enough, and then Cora jumped into the car, while
Jack cranked up. A noise that might have come from a distant sawmill
rewarded the effort.
"A nut or a pin loose," suggested Walter, who now did what Jack called
the "collar-button crawl" under the big car.
But that was only the beginning, and the end was that night came on and
made faces at a very desolate party of young people, stalled miles from
nowhere, with nothing but remorse of conscience to keep off the damp,
night air.
Jack went around literally kicking himself, demanding to know whether
they hadn't done the same thing before, and dumped those poor girls in
a graveyard at midnight. When would boys learn that girls can't be
trusted out of sight, and so, while the boys are supposed to be the
girls' brothers, these same brothers must forego sport of the racing
brand?
Jack really felt the situation keenly. There was no way out of it, the
girls could not get to a town even in the able-bodied cars, for Cora
would no more leave her _Whirlwind_ there in the darkness than she
would have left Bess or Belle. Then, when it was proposed that one of
the boys stay to guard the machine, and the others of the party go
along to some place, the objection of "no Miss Robbins" robbed the
distracted young men of their last argument.
"We will stay together," announced Cora. "At any rate, that will be
better than some of us going to a hotel, and all that sort of thing.
We can bunk in the cars."
"Oh, in the woods!" almost shrieked Belle.
"Well, no, you might go up a tree," said Cora rather crossly.
"There's many a nest unseen----"
"Wallie, you quit. The unseen nest is not for yours. You are hereby
appointed for guard duty!" and Ed snatched up a stout stick to serve as
"arms" for the guard.
"I have a little something," admitted Jack, flashing a brand new
revolver. "I have heard of the gypsy camps around these mountains, so
I came prepared."
"Oh, those gypsies!" and Belle had another spasm. "I feel that
something will happen tonight! Those dreadful gypsies!"
"We can lock you in the tonneau of Cora's car," suggested Ed, "and when
the gypsies come they can't 'gyp' you. They may take all of us, but no
power on earth, not even palm reading, can move that monster."
The idea that she really could be locked up in the car gave Belle some
comfort, although Bess and Hazel were holding a most secret convention
over under a tree, where the last rays of light lingered as day hurried
along.
"Why did you speak about the gypsies?" Cora asked Jack, by way of
reproof rather than question. "You know the girls go off in kinks when
they think of the burglar."
"Well, I suppose I shouldn't. But the fact is, we might as well be
prepared, for there are bands of our friends tied up around these
hills. Fortune telling is a great business among summer idlers."
"Well, I hope we have seen the last of them. I'm going to stay in the
open, in the _Flyaway_. I'd rather do it than be cooped up with the
girls in the tonneau, and there will be room for Bess, Belle and Hazel
inside the _Whirlwind_. It won't be so bad--a night in the wide open."
"Oh, we fellows don't mind it, but, sis, might not some cocoon drop in
your hair in the night? We had better rig up some sort of hood."
"My own hood will do nicely, and I am almost dead from the exertion of
that tire. I grant you, I will not lie awake listening for gypsies."
"Then we boys will take turns on the picket," said Ed. "You can really
depend upon us this time, girls. One will be awake and watching every
minute."
"Oh, I'm sure it's all right out here," replied Cora. "What would any
one want in these woods at night?"
"Might want fishing tackle," answered Walter. "Yes, I agree with thee,
Edward; it is up to us to stay up to-night."
With this positive assurance, the young ladies proceeded to make
themselves comfortable in their novel quarters. Cora curled up in the
_Flyaway_, and the _Comet_, with Ed and Jack "sitting up in a
lying-down posture," as they expressed it, was placed just where the
young men could hear the girls whisper should any gypsies appear, or
rather be scented. The first man to do picket duty, Walter, was in the
_Get-There_, directly out in the road, so that presently it seemed a
night in the wide open might be a novelty rather than a misfortune.
Some time must have passed. Belle declared she was not asleep. Bess
vowed she was still asleep. Hazel begged both girls to keep quiet, but
the light of the gas lamps from the _Get-There_ was bobbing about, and
the flash of a new revolver was reflected in the night.
"What can be the matter?" sobbed Belle. "Oh, I knew we shouldn't stay
in these dreadful woods."
"As if we could help it," complained her sister. "Belle, if you insist
upon going on motor tours, why don't you try to get some sense?"
"All right, there!" called Jack, who now, with another headlight in
hand, was looking under and about the _Whirlwind_.
"Yes! What's the matter?" answered and asked Bess.
"Nothing that we know of," replied Jack, "but Wallie thought he scented
game, and we need something for breakfast."
"Goodness sakes! Likely a turtle or something," growled Bess, dropping
her plump self down plumper than ever on the cushions.
"I don't believe it," objected Belle. "They wouldn't wake us up for a
turtle--or something."
"Make it a moose then," suggested Hazel. "Moose are plenty in New
England, they say."
"With the horns?" asked Belle.
"With and without," replied Hazel. "But if you don't mind, I'm going
out to join in the hunt. I have always longed for a real, live hunt."
"Oh, please don't," begged Belle. "It might be a man!"
"No such luck. There's Cora with her lamp. They are certainly after
something," and with this she opened the tonneau door and went out with
the others into the wild, dark, lonely night.
"I distinctly saw him," she heard Jack say. "Now, keep your nerve.
Cora, where is the little gun?"
"I've got it," she replied. "I feel better with it. You boys have
two."
"What is it?" asked Hazel, now thoroughly alarmed.
"A man!" whispered Cora. "Walter saw him crawling around, and we are
bound to find him. He is alone, that's sure, and there are seven of
us."
"Oh!" gasped Hazel. "But isn't it dangerous?"
"A little, of course. But it would be worse to let sleeping dogs lie.
It may be a harmless tramp--or a poor laborer--a woodsman."
At the same time she knew perfectly well that any character of either
type she mentioned would not go crawling around under stalled motor
cars in the Berkshire hills.