Part 4 (1/2)
”Me either,” added Cora fervently ”Has Belle fainted?”
”I'm afraid so”
Cora leaned over, scooped some water up in her hand, and dashed it into the white face of the girl Isabel opened her eyes
”Are we--are we--” she gasped
”We're all right, you little goose,” said Cora with a laugh, though her voice treerous as it looked”
”It was bad enough,” spoke Elizabeth
”Anyhow, the auto stopped,” went on Cora ”Don't you see where we are? In the middle of Campbell's Pond And on't have to swim out, either It's not very deep But, Bess, you look like a sheet, and Belle, you seem like--”
”A pillow-case, with the pillow out,” added Isabel with a wan s in all ot a ducking,” said Cora as she shook some drops from her hair
”Why?” inquired Bess
”Look!” and Cora pointed across the pond A veryup Thethe water froirls in the auto
”Oh, dear!” exclai!”
”I'm awfully sorry, but--but we couldn't help it,” said Cora, standing up and looking at the youngout into the pond toward the auto The water was not very deep, hardly up to his knees Cora found herself wondering how he had , each of the girls was thinking to herself
”Can't I help you?” he asked, s broadly, in spite of the mud and water splashed all over hilobule of mud on the end of his nose He seemed as much amused over his own predicairls ”Do you need any help?” he went on
”I'm sure I--er--that is, I hardly know,” staether certain about the state of the auto ”I'm afraid we've been very--very impolite--to splash water, and--er--mud all over you,” she added
”Not at all--not at all,” he assured her ”I never saw a better--a better turn, so to speak You are very plucky, if I may be permitted to say so I--er--I al doard the train Then I saw you turn in here But what happened that you couldn't stop before?”
”The brake,” replied Cora ”It refused to work This is a new car--our first trip, in fact”
”Oh, I see,” replied the young man ”Well, I know a little about cars Perhaps I can run her out for you Just let me try”
Cora shi+fted over to the other side, leaving the wheel free The young fisher in the !”
The auto was all right, after all
The young man climbed in The spot of mud was still on his nose, and Cora felt an insane desire to laugh But she nobly restrained it He took the wheel and threw in the low speed gear There was a grinding sound, the Whirlwind seean to h the pond, it ran up the soft bank, and, under the skilful touch of the stranger, carassy uess you're all right now
But let me look at that brake Perhaps I can fix it”