Part 25 (1/2)

To this novelty the party betook themselves. Outside the entrance were people deliberating upon going in, but hesitating because the billboards announced that ”each person would be put through the most novel and most complete process of was.h.i.+ng to be obtained anywhere, at the low cost of ten cents the person.”

But the Chelton folks were not afraid--they might have halted at the ironing possibility, but nothing in the way of was.h.i.+ng had any terrors for the motor girls and their friends.

”Oh, my!” exclaimed Belle. ”I could never go in that!”

”Why?” demanded Walter. ”It looks perfectly tempting. Smell that soap suds!” A whiff came out of the building to them.

”And look at the blueing,” cried Cora, pointing to a ma.s.s of blue water flowing from a pipe outside the structure. ”If we never had the 'blues' we will have them now--all ready-made.”

”If never you've been blue, prepare to be blue now,” quoted Ed, with semi-tragic effect.

”Come along! Come right along!” shouted the ”barker,” or man who was booming the attraction. ”This way for the greatest sensation outside of flying! Step this way--everybody! You pays your money and you gets a good was.h.!.+ Satisfaction guaranteed. The servant problem solved. Here you are, young ladies and gentlemen--right this way!” and he looked at our friends in a humorous manner.

”Hear that?” called Jack. ”He has us spotted, all right. He knows we need it, maybe. I'm going in first.”

”That's the way to talk,” commented the barker. ”You'll never regret it, my friend. Step this way to the ticket office. Remember, ladies and gentlemen,” he went on, in louder tones, ”this is the only human was.h.i.+ng machine on the beach. There are was.h.i.+ng machines run by human beings but this is absolutely and without doubt the only self-regulated, double acting, six cylinder, four speeds forward and reverse machine, that washes human beings in the short s.p.a.ce of ten minutes--one sixth of an hour--six hundred seconds, and I say that without fear of successful contradiction. This way--everybody!”

”Here goes,” went on Jack, as he purchased a number of tickets from a roll unwound by a woman in a little cage of an office. ”I'll try it first, and if I survive the bleaching process the rest of you can come in.”

”Oh!” cried Bess. ”I'll never, never do it!”

”Me, either,” added Belle.

”Wait until we see what it is,” suggested Cora. ”It may be great fun, and, as long as it's not vulgar I'm going in, if Jack says it's all right.”

”Come one, come all!” the barker could be heard droning. The party of boys and girls went into the place, and found themselves in the midst of an excited and jolly crowd. Some had been washed, others needed was.h.i.+ng, some wanted was.h.i.+ng, and others desired it, but feared to undertake the ordeal.

”Good-bye!” called Jack, gaily, as he walked along a narrow pa.s.sage, protected by a railing on either side, for an attendant directed there all who wanted to indulge in the new sensation.

”Hold on!” cried Ed and Walter. ”We're coming, too!”

”Get a hustle on,” ordered Jack. ”The water is just right now.”

The girls stood where they could watch the process. Suddenly Jack and his chums could be seen bobbing up and down, as if they were in a boat on a choppy sea, and then the girls noticed that the lads were on a sort of endless, moving sidewalk, that did all sorts of queer ”stunts”

while, underneath, water rushed and bubbled along, seemingly all about the boys, but never touching them.

”You are now in the tub of soapy water,” announced a man who was evidently there for that purpose. ”You are getting the first layer of contamination off.”

Faster and faster went the moving, endless sidewalk. It surged up and down, and from side to side. The boys were laughing and joking, and they had to cling to the railing to maintain their footing.

”This is great!” cried Jack.

”All to the la-la!” added Ed.

”It most----” began Walter, but, at that minute all three came to the end of the first scrubbing process, and were precipitated upon a highly polished slide--somewhat like the bamboo ones that are so popular at summer resorts. It was like gla.s.s, and, as there were only a few lights at this point, whereas the ”tub” was brilliantly illuminated, the boys went down in a heap, and slid along.

”Part of the game,” commented Jack, grimly.

”You are now on the was.h.i.+ng board,” came from the announcer. ”Keep perfectly still--there is no danger.”

In front of, and behind, the boys came other persons--slipping, sliding, shouting, yelling, laughing, gasping and struggling.