CHAPTER I
OUT OF A HAYRICK
"Oh, my!" exclaimed one girl.
"Oh, mine!" amended another.
"Oh, ours!" called out a third.
Then there was one awful bump, and the chorus was understood.
The old-style hay wagon, which was like a big crib, wobbled from sideto side. The young ladies followed its questionable example, and someof them "sort of" lapped-over on the others.
"Dorothy Dale!" gasped one particularly sensitive member of the party,"we thought when you vouched for this affair that it would turn outall right!"
"But it hasn't turned out anything yet," replied Dorothy, "although weall came pretty near it--that time."
She clasped her hand around one of the braces of the hayrick,evidently determined that should she be "turned out" her arm would beresponsible.
"That's just like you, Nita Brant," declared Tavia Travers, the latterreally being manager of the occasion. "When I go to work, and hire acar like this, and especially stipulate that the ride shallbe--rural--you kick on the bumps."
But scarcely had she uttered these words, when a "bump" came, withneither time nor opportunity for Nita's "kick." In fact, it wasremarkable that the old hay wagon did not actually carry out itsthreat, to roll over in the direction toward which it wobbled.
"If you young ladies care to ride any farther," called out a man fromthe front of the wagon, "you better be still. I ain't put no corks inthe holes in the bottom of this autymobile."
He chuckled at his own joke. The holes were only too apparent to thefair occupants of the hay wagon.
"Oh, it's all right, Sam," called back Tavia, "the only thin member ofthe party, who might by any chance fall through a hole, is dying frombumps, and we have a good hold on her. If you could see through thehay you would behold the human chain in action," and she gave Nitasuch a jerk that the latter declared the bumps were lovely, andbegged to be allowed to do her own experimenting with them.
"He laughs best who laughs least," misquoted Dorothy, as the wagoncontinued to jog along. "I don't exactly like the--er--contour of thehill we are approaching."
"Why, that's the real thing in hills," declared Tavia. "I planned thisroad purposely to 'tobog' down that hill."
"I hope the old horses are hooked up securely," remarked Rose-Mary,whom the girls called Cologne. "I don't mind making a hill, but I hateto have the wagon make it in solo. I have had a try of that sort."
"Now say your prayers, Nita," ordered Tavia, "and don't forget torepent for snibbying my chocolates."
"Oh!" screamed Edna Black, _alias_ Ned Ebony, "I do believe somethingis going to happen!"
"Sure thing," continued Tavia, in her joking way. "Do you suppose thegirls from Glenwood ever go out without having 'something happen'?"
The old man was pulling at the reins, but his horses were starting toslide.
"Watch that fellow waltz," remarked Tavia. "Now, wouldn't he be greatin a circus?"
The "waltzing horse" tried to sit down, but the farmer tugged at thelines, and otherwise objected to such conduct, and the unfortunateanimal did its best to comply with the orders, which were now beingflung at him, not only from the driver but from the girls in thewagon.
"Oh, hold them!" pleaded Nita.
"Let them run," suggested Tavia. "It will be over sooner!"
"Mercy!" exclaimed Dorothy, "there's a river!"
This remark was followed by a most significant pause. Evidently evenTavia saw the danger now.
And the old horses were frightened as well, for they backed, sidestepped, and made every possible effort to avoid having the wagon, andits precious load, overturned into the deep river at the very side ofthe roadway.
"Don't yell so!" called Dorothy to the driver. "That won't help anyand it hurts our ears."
"Is there no brake?" wailed Nita.
"There is likely to be one soon," Tavia assured her.
The girls were becoming more and more alarmed, and only Tavia kept upthe jesting. The hill was very steep, the river fairly curled aroundit, and the horses grew more nervous each moment, under the strainthat was being put upon them.
Deep in the bed of hay the girls from Glenwood School had ensconsedthemselves. The horses were now going at such a pace that it would berash to attempt to jump from the rick. Nita Brant actually made herway forward, and had now fairly grasped the old driver about the neck.She felt that he must know how to save himself, at least, and shedetermined to "take chances" with him.
Tavia did deign to sit up and notice the rate of speed the old horseshad acquired. Her dark eyes shot glances of daring admiration, and shereminded her companions that Roman chariot races were "not in it,"just then.
Dorothy stood up bravely and agreed to call out, when they should betoo near the river.
Suddenly there was a crash, and then the horses bolted!
"Something snapped!" called Dorothy. "Something is broken!"
No need to announce this, for, with the ominous sound, one of thehorses broke from its traces, and the other was now dragging the oldwagon along by the straps that had withstood the jerks and plunges.
"Oh, we will be killed!" screamed Nita, "There's the river!"
The girls made ready to jump.
"Don't!" begged Dorothy. "You will be dragged along in this stuff. Youcannot jump through these braces."
Truly they were imprisoned by the uprights of the old-fashionedhayrick! But if they could not jump what could they do? Each faceshowed its panic of fear. If only the one remaining horse would breakloose, it might not be so dangerous to fall over in all that hay!
A shriek from Nita turned all eyes to her. "The man!" she screamed."He has fallen--under the wheels!"
By a single impulse Dorothy and Tavia grasped one of the rungs of therick, and they threw their full weight on it until it snapped--thenbroke!
"Quick!" cried Dorothy. "Jump after me!"
Tavia needed no second invitation. In an instant she had followedDorothy Dale, and, as they landed in the dusty roadway, shaken up, butnot otherwise hurt, the runaway horse, freed from the interference ofits mate that had broken loose, continued to drag the hayrick towardthe dangerous river, which bubbled over the black and sharp rocks,scarcely concealed by the foam that broke upon them.
"Oh, the girls! The girls in the wagon!" gasped Dorothy, and shepressed bravely on, followed by Tavia.