Part 23 (1/2)

”Well, I do hope if you can't get a pan that you'll not load us up with lead pipe and such stuff,” said Cora with a laugh. ”I remember very well that last day at school when you came back from Beverly. My, what a sight you were! What did you ever do with the junk?”

”Indeed, it was not junk,” objected Tillie, ”but a lot of the very handsomest gla.s.s k.n.o.bs and bra.s.s candlesticks, and my samovar.”

”You surely did not carry a samovar!” exclaimed Maud.

”Indeed I did,” replied the little German, ”else I should not have gotten it in the morning. I know those antique men. They are like a thermometer--go up and down with simple possibilities.”

Ray was as pretty as ever, Maude just as sweet and Daisy just as gentle, while Cora and Gertrude had added new summer tints to their coloring. Adele and Tillie were still bubbling over with enthusiasm, the twins were exceptionally happy, the morning mail having brought good news--so that all were ”fine and fit” when they started on the ride to the antique shop.

The day was of that sort that comes in between summer and fall, when one time period borrows from the other with the result of making an absolutely perfect ”blend.”

Ray had changed places with Belle Robinson, so that Belle was in the Whirlwind and Ray in the Flyaway, and when the procession was moving it attracted the usual public attention.

But the motor girls were now accustomed to being stared at; in fact, they would have missed the attention had they been deprived of it, for it was something to have a run with all girls--and such attractive girls.

”What if we should find the table at the antique shop!” suddenly said Belle to Ray. ”Somehow I have a feeling--”

”Let me right out of your machine, Bess Robinson,” joked Ray. ”I have had all I want of 'feelings' since we started on this trip. I rather think the one where the goat or sheep or whatever it was did the actual 'feeling' was about the 'utmost,' as Clip would say. Poor Clip! I wonder what she is about just now.”

”About as frisky as ever, I'll wager,” said Belle. ”I never could understand that girl.”

”Well,” objected Bess, ”it would be hard to understand any one who is only in Chelton two months at summer. If you were at school all year and came home for new clothes, I fancy I would scarcely understand my own twin sister.”

”Strange,” went on Ray, ”that boys always so well understand a girl of that type. Now I do not mean that in sarcasm,” she hurried to add, noting the impression her remark had made, ”but I have always noticed that the girls whom girls think queer boys think just right.”

”Pure contrariness,” declared Bess. ”I don't suppose a boy like Jack Kimball thinks more of a girl just because she keeps her home surroundings so mysteriously secret.”

As usual, Bess had blundered. She never could speak of Jack Kimball and Clip Thayer without ”showing her teeth,” as Belle expressed it.

The machines were running along with remarkable smoothness. The Flyaway seemed to be singing with the Whirlwind, while Daisy's car had ceased to grunt, thanks to the efforts of the workman at her aunt's place.

”What will the antique man think of three autos stopping at his door?”

inquired Adele of Cora.

”Think? Why, it will be the best advertis.e.m.e.nt he ever had. Likely he will pay us to come again,” replied Cora.

The street upon which ”the mahogany shop” was situated was narrow and dingy enough--the sort of place usually chosen to add to the ”old and odd” effect of the things in the dusty window.

The proprietor was outside on a feeble-looking sofa. As Cora predicted, he evidently was honored with the trio of cars that pulled up to the narrow sidewalk. Tillie, with the air of a connoisseur, stepped into the shop before the little man with the ragged whiskers had time to recover from his surprise.

”Have you a warming pan?” she inquired straightaway, whereat, as was expected, the man produced almost every other imaginable sort of old piece save, of course, that asked for.

But Tillie liked to look at all the stuff, and was already running the risk of blood poison, as Cora whispered to Gertrude, with her delving into green bra.s.ses and dirty coppers.

With the same thought uppermost in their minds, Bess, Belle and Cora were soon busy examining the old furniture. There were many curious and really valuable pieces among the collection, for this man's shop was famous for many a mile.

”Tables!” whispered Belle. ”Did you ever think there were so many kinds?”