The Meadow-Brook Girls by the Sea; Or, The Loss of The Lonesome Bar

p that she had been studying and placed it in a pocket of her long dus

drive?" question

e guardian of the party of young girls who were embarking on

t knowing what the place was, or where I was going," d

uth where we are going

ook her head,

er know where we are g

u know, and I know, and so shall you after you reach y

ompson, Hazel Holland and Margery Brown, the party being otherwise known as "The Meadow-Brook Girls." "Get in, girls. We'll shake the dust of Meadow-Brook from our tires before you can count twenty,"

ink of at the

ye to our folks," sug

-bye," answered Gr

honk of the horn, drove down that street and into the next, keeping the horn going almost continu

rah,

rah

ook, Mead

boom,

. Hands were waved from windows, hats were swung in the air by boy friends, while the older peopl

out it now. Suppose we make a

d the pothtmathter ye

tick maker," answered Harriet Burrell laughi

it in much less time, if she drives at her usual rate of s

t a word had the girls been able to obtain from her as to where they were to go: whether to tour the country in Crazy Jane's automobile, or to go into camp. T

by lowering skies and threatening clouds. In the meantime Jane McCarthy was bowling along to the southward, throwing up a cloud of dust, having many narrow escapes from collisions with farmers

nderstand," thought H

manded Tommy, pricking up her ears. "Y

guess," replied Harr

, tell uth,"

shook

Miss Elting wishes it t

a thurprithe now ath it will be tho

ny more about our destination than do the rest of our party," said the

ng the same on the opposite side. The storm curtain, with its square of transparent isinglass, was next set

kled Jane, after having taken

ed Miss Elting. "I almost believe I should

Tommy. "I'd be thure to

ngly, starting the car and a moment la

d on the way again when the raindrops beg

McCarthy. "Sounds like rain

er car in the road. It was now nearly evening, and an early darkness had already settled over the landscape. There was little hope of more light, for night woul

of the driver, Crazy Jane McCarthy went on driving ahead at the same rate of speed until Miss Elting begge

ident to befall them. All at once, however, Jane slowed down with a jolt. She then sent the car cautiously ahead, this time drivin

she said

is the matter?" c

without wind. As it happens, we have no win

t under

s are down," explai

ere leaking, but he declared they w

ch them?" que

egan to hum a tune. Her companions settled back comfortably. It was dry and cosy in the car and the travellers felt drowsy. Jane was the only really wide-awake one. Margery finally uttered a sing

Tommy. "Then thhe denieth it. I'm glad I don't

if you will be good enough to engineer the taking-down of the side curtains and the lowering of the top I shall be obliged. We shan't need the top. We are

ut I have th

ish girl. "I followed one

for Crathy Jane to

valves. We shan't be able to do much with them, but I think we can make them hold until we get in. I'll have some new inner tube

was Miss Elting'

you found out?"

ed nearly an hour before the tires were back in place and the car ready to star

again took their places in the car, which starte

es

going. I'm sure I don't," re

which displeased her very much. The lights on the front of the car

ne. "Isn't that provoking? With us it

o do?" questioned Ma

ish girl. "I've driven without lights before this. I gue

e was not quite so confident of her ability to keep to the road as she would have

ey might reach the Lonesome Cove. The girls were very deeply interested in this question as well as in the answer to it. They had never heard of Lonesome C

ead you right down into the Cove," he said.

ou may drive ahead now, Jane." Jane smiled and started on. "I keep watch of the turns of the road. You p

e?" questioned Tommy. "I don't

aid I would not tell you anything about it. Time enough when we reach

is clear and level. I'm going only twenty miles an hour, as

was busy watching the road, her companions keeping a sharp lookout for the turns. They had already passed two roads that

was shaded with second-growth trees, as was the intersecting road. The latter was narrow; but, from Jane's investigation

ad and drive carefully, for I

whether it is a

of speed. Their way wound in and out among the small trees and bushes that bordered the road, the latter narrowing little by little until there was barely room for

ng trees, outlined against the sky, that the driver of the car was able to keep wel

tly, never removing her gaze

be far now," answered the guardian. "I thou

needn't be afraid of running into the trees or the fences, if there are

, as if they were going over a bridge. The fringe of trees had fallen away, while all about them was what appeared to be a darkened plain or field. Yet strain their eyes as

water," s

d Tommy. "But I d

s rolling along slowly. For some unaccountable reason the driver put on a l

Jump, girls! Jump

to, but not a girl of them obeyed Jane's command. Mar

ommanded Miss Elting.

med to be dropping away from them; for a few seconds they experienced the sensation of riding on thin air; then the car lurc

f!" cried Harriet Bu

so, however, they were struggling to free themselves fr