Part 6 (2/2)
”Why, yes.”
”I don't know,” murmured Bess, thoughtfully.
”Come! Where has all the bravery of the Motor Girls vanished to?”
demanded Cora with a silvery laugh. ”We didn't act thus timidly when we solved the secret of the red oar on Crystal Bay. And perhaps--”
”Cora's right!” interrupted Belle.
”She generally is,” contributed Bess.
”There's a secret here, and we will solve it!” her sister went on. ”I didn't look at it that way before, but I see it now. We mustn't be driven away, or kept from going just because of these rumors. We'll go to Camp Surprise and surprise those who are making such a fuss there. I wonder some one hasn't done it long ago.”
”Just what I was about to remark,” came from Cora. ”I'm glad to see that your natural courage has come back. I thought it would. We haven't been together on various quests for nothing. Now we'll prove ourselves true Motor Girls, and get at the bottom of these surprising happenings. You won't back out?”
”Never!” affirmed Bess.
”Cross my heart!” laughed her sister, with the old, familiar, childish gesture of emphasizing a statement.
”Then it's all settled. Now let's go home. Jack and Walter said they were going over to Meadport to-day to see if any word had been received there of my missing auto. They may have returned with some news.”
”Why was Meadport regarded so favorably?” asked Bess.
”Well, a constable there sent word to our police that there had been a number of petty robberies committed in the neighborhood. A number of thefts would take place in one night, and so far apart that the only probable theory was that the thieves used an auto. Jack thought my dear car might be used for such base purposes, so he and Wally went over there to-day.”
”Let us hope they have good news,” said Belle, as with her sister and Cora she entered the Robinson automobile and headed back for Cheerful Chelton.
”Nothing doing,” announced Jack, as his sister and her chums came in sight of the Kimball home, and saw him with Walter, sitting on the broad, shady piazza. ”Absolutely nothing transpiring, as the poet saith.”
”College hasn't improved your slang any,” observed Bess.
”No, I guess I'll have to take a P. G. course to accomplish that. I am a bit rusty. Wally, suppose you give them a sample.”
”Spare us,” murmured Cora. ”Was there really no news, Jack?”
”Not an atom, or even a molecule. Which is smaller, Wally? I forget.”
”Same here. Anyhow they hadn't caught those Meadport thieves, so whether they have your auto or not, Cora, my dear, remains yet to be proved.”
The young people talked on, the conversation reverting naturally to Camp Surprise.
”What do you think it all means, Jack?” asked Bess.
”Kids playing tricks,” declared Jack tersely. ”So it didn't scare you girls out from going?”
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