Part 16 (1/2)
”And what's ,” spoke Cora ”I have heard of all sorts of things being per lady, seems to be----”
”The utmost,” admitted Jack ”But, sis, you must make allowances We would dump Miss Robbins in the mountains, and likely crawl home by train, while the hotel reputation will continue to reputate”
”Suppose we quit buzzing and get at the car,” suggested Ed ”Seeh, as if Cora had about fixed it up”
”I'erly ”I a other than the 'busted' tire I was just about to look when you gentle first?”
Finally it was hard enough, and then Cora juht have come from a distant sawested Walter, who now did what Jack called the ”collar-button crawl” under the big car
But that was only the beginning, and the end was that night ca people, stalledbut reht air
Jack went around literally kicking hi to knohether they hadn't done the saraveyard at irls can't be trusted out of sight, and so, while the boys are supposed to be the girls' brothers, these sa brand?
Jack really felt the situation keenly There was no way out of it, the girls could not get to a town even in the able-bodied cars, for Cora would no more leave her _Whirlwind_ there in the darkness than she would have left Bess or Belle Then, when it was proposed that one of the boys stay to guard theto some place, the objection of ”no Miss Robbins” robbed the distracted young ether,” announced Cora ”At any rate, that will be better than so
We can bunk in the cars”
”Oh, in the woods!” alo up a tree,” said Cora rather crossly
”There's many a nest unseen----”
”Wallie, you quit The unseen nest is not for yours You are hereby appointed for guard duty!” and Ed snatched up a stout stick to serve as ”ar,” ad a brand new revolver ”I have heard of the gypsy camps around these ypsies!” and Belle had another spasht! Those dreadful gypsies!”
”We can lock you in the tonneau of Cora's car,” suggested Ed, ”and when the gypsies coyp' you They may take all of us, but no power on earth, not even pal, can move that monster”
The idea that she really could be locked up in the car gave Belle so a most secret convention over under a tree, where the last rays of light lingered as day hurried along
”Why did you speak about the gypsies?” Cora asked Jack, by way of reproof rather than question ”You know the girls go off in kinks when they think of the burglar”
”Well, I suppose I shouldn't But the fact is, we ht as well be prepared, for there are bands of our friends tied up around these hills Fortune telling is a great business a summer idlers”
”Well, I hope we have seen the last of the to stay in the open, in the _Flyaway_ I'd rather do it than be cooped up with the girls in the tonneau, and there will be room for Bess, Belle and Hazel inside the _Whirlwind_ It won't be so bad--a night in the wide open”
”Oh, we fellows don't ht not so up some sort of hood”
”My own hood will do nicely, and I arant you, I will not lie awake listening for gypsies”
”Then we boys will take turns on the picket,” said Ed ”You can really depend upon us this ti every ht out here,” replied Cora ”What would any one want in these woods at night?”