Part 11 (1/2)
”The boys!” called the girls in one breath.
Sure enough, there were Jack, Walter, Ed and some others of their chums, piled up on a veritable hay rack, and they wore all sorts of farmer clothes. The hay rack evidently set upon the body of are automobile.
And Jack on the ”monkey seat,” blowing that bugle!
”Start!” called Cora.
”They're off!” shouted the chorus from the hay wagon, and then Chelton folks were treated to a sight the like of which they had never before witnessed.
It was the first official tour of the original motor girls.
CHAPTER XI
THOSE DREADFUL BOYS
”No BOYS, eh?” shouted Ed from his ”perch” in the hay.
”Aren't they dreadful?” exclaimed Daisy with doubtful sincerity.
”Hope mother doesn't hear of it,” replied Maud. ”She would be sure to worry.”
Cora laughed, and Bess fairly panted. Belle tossed something into the hay wagon as it pa.s.sed--it made a practice of pa.s.sing each machine in turn, and then doing it all over again.
Every one in Chelton and the near-by places rushed out as the procession went along. It was like a circus--many folks really did believe that a ”railroad show” had come to town unannounced.
The girls had planned to have dinner at a pretty little tea-house on the outskirts of Hollyville. But the boys had no intention of turning back, it seemed, and imagine those boys in the tea-house, kept by a couple of enterprising college girls!
”Hey there!” called Jack. ”When do we eat? There's the noon whistles.”
”Yon don't eat,” replied Cora.
”Don't, eh? Well, look out for your commissary department,” answered Jack. ”We came prepared to fight.”
”Oh,” sighed Daisy, ”do you suppose they will spoil all our boxes?”
”I'm sure I don't know,” replied the noncommital Maud.
But Hazel said: ”What do you suppose they are up to?”
”Trust them for fun,” answered Cora. ”I will simply trounce Jack if he attempts to overhaul our stores.”
Hazel laughed merrily. ”If only Paul were along,” she ventured. ”And, Cora, do you know that mailbag business is not by any means settled?”
she asked.
”I know that, girlie,” said Cora with polite seriousness, ”but all troubles are tabooed on this ride, you know. Gertrude,” to the girl who had been looking and listening, ”I appoint you monitor of this car.
The first girl to bring in troubles is to be fined.”