CHAPTER X
A MOTOR TRIP
Preparations began at once. It was now the first of June and they were tostart on the sixth.
There were delightful shopping excursions for the replenishing of Patty'swardrobe, and Nan gladly assisted Patty to get everything in order forher trip.
At last the day of starting came, and a more beautiful day could not beimagined. It was typical June weather, and the sun shone pleasantly, butnot too warmly, from a clear blue sky.
Patty's only experience in motoring had been her trip to Atlantic City,but that was only a short ride compared to the contemplated tour of theFarringtons.
Mr. Farrington's huge car seemed to be furnished with everythingnecessary for a long journey. Although they would usually take theirmeals at hotels in the towns through which they passed, Mrs. Farringtonexplained they might occasionally wish to have tea or even luncheon onthe road, so the car was provided with both tea-basket and luncheon-kit.The novelty of this paraphernalia was fascinating to Patty, and shepeeped into the well-appointed baskets with chuckles of delight at theanticipated pleasure of making use of them.
Patty's trunk was put up on top among the others, her hand-luggage wasstowed away in its place, and with affectionate good-byes to Nan and herfather, she took her seat in the tonneau between Mrs. Farrington andElise, and away they started.
Mr. Farrington and Roger, who sat in front, were in the gayest of spiritsand everything was promising for a happy journey.
As they threaded their way through the crowded city streets, Pattyrejoiced to think that they would soon be out in the open country wherethey would have wide roads with comparatively few travellers.
"What is the name of your machine, Mr. Farrington?" she asked, as theywhizzed along.
"I may as well own up," that gentleman answered, laughing. "I have namedit 'The Fact.'"
"'The Fact,'" repeated Patty, "what a funny name. Why do you call itthat? You must have some reason."
"I have," said Mr. Farrington, in a tone of mock despair. "I call it TheFact because it is a stubborn thing."
Patty laughed merrily at this. "I'm afraid it's a libel," she said, "I'msure I don't see anything stubborn about the way it acts. It's goingbeautifully."
"Yes, it is," said Mr. Farrington, "and I hope it will continue to do so,but I may as well warn you that it has a most reprehensible habit ofstopping now and then, and utterly refusing to proceed. And this, withoutany apparent reason, except sheer stubbornness."
"How do you finally induce it to move?" asked Patty, interested by thistrait.
"We don't induce it," said Elise, "we just sit and wait, and when the oldthing gets ready to move, it just draws a long breath and humps itself upand down a few times, and turns a couple of somersaults, and moves on."
"What an exciting experience," said Patty. "When do you think it willbegin any such performance as that?"
"You can't tell," said Mr. Farrington. "It's as uncertain as theweather."
"More so," said Roger. "The weather sometimes gives you warning of itsintentions, but The Fact just selects a moment when you're the farthestpossible distance from civilisation or help of any kind, and then it justsits down and refuses to get up."
"Well, we won't cross that bridge until we come to it," said Mr.Farrington. "Sometimes we run a week without any such mishap."
And truly there seemed no danger at present, for the big car drove aheadas smoothly and easily as a railroad train, and Patty lay back in theluxurious tonneau, feeling that at last she could get rested and have agood time both at once.
The wonderful exhilaration of the swift motion through the soft June air,the delightful sensation of the breeze which was caused by the motion ofthe car, and the ever-changing natural panorama on either side of her,gave Patty the sensation of having suddenly been transported to someother country than that in which she had been living the past few weeks.
And so pleasantly friendly were her relations with Mrs. Farrington andElise that it did not seem necessary to make remarks for the sake ofkeeping up the conversation. There was much pleasant chat and discussionas they passed points of interest or diverting scenes, but then againthere were occasional pauses when they all gave themselves up to theenjoyment of the delightful motion of the car.
Patty began to realise what was meant by the phrase, "automobileelation." She seemed to feel an uplifting of her spirit, and a strangethrill of exquisite happiness, while all trace of nervousness or pettyworry was brushed away like a cobweb.
Her lungs seemed filled with pure air, and further, she had a whimsicalsense that she was breathing the very blue of the sky.
She said this to Mrs. Farrington, and that lady smiled as she answered,"That's right, Patty; if you feel that way, you are a true motorist. Noteveryone does. There are some who only look upon a motor-car as a machineto transport them from one place to another, but to me it is the veryfairyland of motion."
Patty's eyes shone in sympathy with this idea, but Roger turned aroundlaughingly, and said, "You'd better be careful how you breathe the bluesky, Patty, for there's a little cloud over there that may stick in yourthroat."
Patty looked at the tiny white cloud, and responded, "If you go muchfaster, Roger, I'm afraid we'll fly right up there, and run over thatpoor little cloud."
"Let's do it," said Roger. "There's no fine for running over a cloud, isthere, Dad?"
As he spoke, Roger put on a higher speed, and then they flew so fast thatPatty began to be almost frightened. But her fear did not last long, forin a moment the great car gave a kind of a groan, and then a snort, andthen a wheeze, and stopped; not suddenly, but with a provokinglydetermined slowness, that seemed to imply no intention of moving onagain. After a moment the great wheels ceased to revolve, and the carstood stubbornly still, while Mr. Farrington and Roger looked at eachother, with faces of comical dismay.
"We're in for it!" said Mr. Farrington, in a resigned tone.
"Then we must get out for it!" said Roger, as he jumped down from hisseat, and opened the tool-chest.
Mrs. Farrington groaned. "Now, you see, Patty," she said, "how the carlives up to its name. I hoped this wouldn't happen so soon."
"What is the matter?" asked Patty. "Why doesn't it go?"
"Patty," said Elise, looking at her solemnly, "I see you have yet tolearn the first lesson of automobile etiquette. Never, my child, whateverhappens, _never_ inquire why a car doesn't go! That is something thatnobody ever knows, and they wouldn't tell if they did know, and, besides,if they did know, they'd know wrong."
Mrs. Farrington laughed at Elise's coherent explanation, but she admittedthat it was pretty nearly right, after all. Meanwhile, Mr. Farrington andRoger, with various queer-looking tools, were tinkering at the car hereand there, and though they did not seem to be doing any good, yet theywere evidently not discouraged, for they were whistling gaily, and nowand then made jesting remarks about the hopelessness of ever moving onagain.
"I think there's water in the tubes," said Roger, "but Dad thinks it's achoked carburetter. So we're going to doctor for both."
"Very well," said Mrs. Farrington, calmly; "as there's no special sceneryto look at about here, I think I shall take a little nap. You girls canget out and stroll around, if you like."
Mrs. Farrington settled herself comfortably in her corner, and closed hereyes. Elise and Patty did get out, and walked up and down the road alittle, and then sat down on the bank by the roadside to chat. For thetwentieth time or more they talked over all the details of commencementday, and congratulated themselves anew on the success of theirentertainment.
At last, after they had waited nearly two hours, Roger declared thatthere was no earthly reason why they shouldn't start if they cared to.
It was part of Roger's fun, always to pretend that he could go on at anymoment if he desired to, and when kept waiting by the misconduct of thecar, he always made believe that he delayed the trip solely for his ownpleasure.
Likewise, if under such trying
circumstances as they had just passedthrough, he heard other automobiles or wagons coming, he would drop histools, lean idly against the car, with his hands in his pockets,whistling, and apparently waiting there at his own pleasure.
All this amused Patty very much, and she began, as Elise said, to learnthe rules of automobile etiquette. It was not difficult with theFarringtons, for they all had a good sense of humour, and were alwaysmore inclined to laugh than cry over spilled milk.
When Roger made this announcement, Elise jumped up, and crying, "Come on,Patty," ran back to the car and jumped in, purposely waking her mother asshe did so.
Mrs. Farrington placidly took in the situation, and remarked that she wasin no hurry, but if they cared to go on she was quite ready.
And so with laughter and gay chatter they started on again, and the carran as smoothly as it had before the halt.
But it was nearly sundown, and there were many miles yet to travel beforethey reached the hotel where they had expected to dine and stay overnight.
"Shall we go on, Mother?" said Mr. Farrington. "Can you wait until nineo'clock or thereabouts for your dinner? Or shall we stop at somefarmhouse, and so keep ourselves from starvation?"
"I would rather go on," said Mrs. Farrington, "if the girls don't mind."
The girls didn't mind, and so they plunged ahead while the sun set andthe darkness fell. There was no moon, and a slight cloudiness hid thestars. Roger lighted the lamps, but they cast such weird shadows thatthey seemed to make the darkness blacker than ever.
Patty was not exactly afraid, but the experience was so new to her thatshe felt she would be glad when they reached the hotel. Perhaps Mr.Farrington discerned this, for he took especial pains to entertain hisyoung guest, and divert her mind from thoughts of possible danger. So hebeguiled the way with jokes and funny stories, until Patty forgot heranxiety, and the first thing she knew they were rolling up the drivewayto the hotel.
Floods of light streamed from the windows and the great doors, andstrains of music could be heard from within.
"Thank goodness we're here!" said Mrs. Farrington. "Jump out, girlies,and let us seek shelter at once."
Roger remained in the car to take it away to the garage, and Mr.Farrington accompanied the ladies into the hotel.
Much as she had enjoyed the ride, Patty felt glad to get into the warm,lighted house, and very soon the party were shown to their rooms.
Patty and Elise shared a large room whose twin beds were covered withspreads of gaily-flowered chintz. Curtains of the same material hung atthe windows, and draped the dressing-table.
"What a pleasant, homelike room," said Patty, as she looked about.
"Yes," said Elise, "this is a nice old country hotel. We've been herebefore. Hurry, Patty, let's dress for dinner quickly."
But Patty was surveying herself in the long pierglass that hung betweentwo windows.
Nan had selected her motoring outfit, and she had donned it that morningso hastily that she hadn't really had an opportunity to observe herself.But now, as she looked at the rather shapeless figure in the long pongeecoat, and the queer shirred hood of the same material, and as she notedthe voluminous chiffon veil with its funny little front window of mica,she concluded that she looked more like a goblin in a fairy play than ahuman being.
"Do stop admiring your new clothes, Patty, and get dressed," said Elise,who was on her knees before an open suitcase, shaking out Patty's skirtand bodice. "Get off those togs, and get ready to put these on. This is asweet little Dresden silk; I didn't know you had it. Is it new?"
"Yes," said Patty, "Nan bought it for me. She said it wouldn't take muchroom in the suitcase, and would be useful for a dinner dress."
"It's lovely," said Elise. "Now get into it, and I'll hook you up."
So Patty got out of what she called her goblin clothes, but was stillgiggling at them as she hung them away in the wardrobe.
Less than half an hour later the two girls, spick and span in theirdainty dresses, and with fresh white bows on their hair, went togetherdown the staircase. They found Mr. and Mrs. Farrington awaiting them, andsoon Roger appeared, and they went to the dining-room for a late dinner.
Then Patty discovered what automobile hunger was.
"I'm simply ravenous," she declared, "but I didn't know it until thisminute."
"That's part of the experience," said Mrs. Farrington, "the appetitecaused by motoring is the largest known variety, and that's why I wantedto push on here, where we could get a good dinner, instead of taking ourchances at some farmhouse."
They were the only guests in the dining-room at that late hour, and sothey made a merry meal of it, and after dinner went back to the largeparlours, to sit for a while listening to the music. But they did nottarry long, for as Patty discovered, another consequence of a motor ridewas a strong inclination to go to bed early.