CHAPTER XIII
A STORMY RIDE
The time passed quickly and soon the drive was over, and after callingfor their well-filled luncheon-basket, the quartet returned to the repairshop to find Mr. Farrington all ready to start.
So into the car they all bundled, and Patty learned that each fresh startduring a motor journey revives the same feeling of delight that is feltat the beginning of the trip.
She settled herself in her place with a little sigh of contentment, andremarked that she had already begun to feel at home in The Fact, and sheonly wished it was early morning, and they were starting for the day,instead of but for a few hours.
"Don't you worry, my lady," said Roger, as he laid his hands lightly onthe steering-wheel, "you've a good many solid hours of travel ahead ofyou right now. It's four o'clock, and if we reach Pine Branches by ten, Iwill pat this old car fondly on the head, before I put her to bed."
The next few hours were perhaps the pleasantest they had yet spent. InJune, from four to seven is a delightful time, and as the roads wereperfect, and the car went along without the slightest jar or jolt, andwithout even a hint of an accident of any sort, there was really not aflaw to mar their pleasure.
As the sun set, and the twilight began to close around them, Pattythought she had never seen anything more beautiful than the landscapespread out before them. A broad white road stretched ahead like a ribbon.On either side were sometimes green fields, darkening in the fadinglight, and sometimes small groves of trees, which stood black against thesky.
Then the sunset's colours faded, the trees grew blacker and denser, andtheir shadows ceased to fall across the darkening road.
Roger lighted the lamps, and drew out extra fur robes, for the eveningair was growing chill.
"Isn't it wonderful!" said Patty, almost in a whisper. "Motoring bydaylight is gay and festive, but now, to glide along so swiftly andsilently through the darkness, is so strange that it's almost solemn. Asit grows darker and blacker, it seems as if we were gliding away,--awayinto eternity."
"For gracious' sake, child," said Mrs. Farrington, "don't talk like that!You give me the shivers; say something more lively, quick!"
Patty laughed merrily.
"That was only a passing mood," she said. "Really, I think it's awfullyjolly for us to be scooting along like this, with our lamps shining.We're just like a great big fire-fly or a dancing will-o'-the-wisp."
"You have a well-trained imagination, Patty," said Mrs. Farrington,laughing at the girl's quick change from grave to gay. "You can make itobey your will, can't you?"
"Yes, ma'am," said Patty demurely, "what's the use of having animagination, if you can't make it work for you?"
The car was comfortably lighted inside as well as out, with electriclamps, and the occupants were, as Mr. Farrington said, as cozy andhomelike as if they were in a gipsy waggon.
Patty laughed at the comparison and said she thought that very few gipsywaggons had the luxuries and modern appliances of The Fact.
"That may be," said Mr. Farrington, "but you must admit the gipsy waggonis the more picturesque vehicle. The way they shirr that calicoarrangement around their back door, has long been my admiration."
"It is beautiful," said Patty, "and the way the stove-pipe comes out ofthe roof,----"
"And the children's heads out 'most anywhere," added Elise; "yes, it'scertainly picturesque."
"Speaking of gipsy waggons makes me hungry," said Mrs. Farrington. "Whattime is it, and how soon shall we reach the Warners'?"
"It's after eight o'clock, my dear," said her husband, "and I'm sure wecan't get there before ten, and then, of course, we won't have dinner atonce, so do let us partake of a little light refreshment."
"Seems to me we are always eating," said Patty, "but I'm free to confessthat I'm about as hungry as a full grown anaconda."
Without reducing their speed, and they were going fairly fast, thetourists indulged in a picnic luncheon. There was no tea making, butsandwiches and little cakes and glasses of milk were gratefully accepted.
"This is all very well," said Mrs. Farrington, after supper was over,"and I wouldn't for a moment have you think that I'm tired or frightened,or the least mite timid. But if I may have my way, hereafter we'll makeno definite promises to be at any particular place at any particulartime. I wish when you had telephoned, John, you had told the Warners thatwe wouldn't arrive until to-morrow. Then we could have stopped somewhere,and spent the night like civilised beings, instead of doing this gipsyact."
"It would have been a good idea," said Mr. Farrington thoughtfully, "butit's a bit too late now, so there's no use worrying about it. But cheerup, my friend, I think we'll arrive shortly."
"I think we won't," said Roger. "I don't want to be discouraging, but wehaven't passed the old stone quarry yet, and that's a mighty long waythis side of Pine Branches."
"You're sure you know the way, aren't you, Roger?" asked his mother, hertone betraying the first trace of anxiety she had yet shown.
"Oh, yes," said Roger, and Patty wasn't sure whether she imagined it, orwhether the boy's answer was not quite as positive as it was meant tosound.
"Well, I'm glad you do," said Mr. Farrington, "for I confess I don't.We're doubtless on the right road, but I haven't as yet seen any familiarlandmarks."
"We're on the right road, all right," said Roger. "You know there's along stretch this side of Pine Branches, without any villages at all."
"I know it," said Mrs. Farrington, "but it is dotted with large countryplaces, and farms. Are you passing those, Roger? I can't seem to seeany?"
"I haven't noticed very many, Mother, but I think we haven't come to themyet. Chirk up, it's quite some distance yet, but we'll keep going till weget there."
"Oh," said Mrs. Farrington, "what if the belt should break, or somethinggive way!"
"Don't think of such things, Mother; nothing is going to give way. But ifit should, why, we'll just sit here till morning, and then we can see tofix it."
Mrs. Farrington couldn't help laughing at Roger's good nature, but shesaid, "Of course, I know everything's all right, and truly, I'm not a bitfrightened. But somehow, John, I'd feel more comfortable if you'd comeback here with me, and let one of the girls sit in front in your place."
"Certainly," said her husband, "hop over here, Elise."
"Let me go," cried Patty, who somehow felt, intuitively, that Elise wouldprefer to stay behind with her parents. As for Patty herself, she had nofear, and really wanted the exciting experience of sitting up in frontduring this wild night ride.
Roger stopped the car, and the change was soon effected. As Pattyinsisted upon it, she was allowed to go instead of Elise, and in a momentthey were off again.
"Do you know," said Patty to Roger, after they had started, "when I gotout then, I felt two or three drops of rain!"
"I do know it," said Roger, in a low tone, "and I may as well tell you,Patty, that there's going to be a hard storm before long. Certainlybefore we reach Pine Branches."
"How dreadful," said Patty, who was awed more by the anxious note inRoger's voice, than by the thought of the rain storm. "Don't you think itwould be better," she went on, hoping to make a helpful suggestion, "ifwe should put in to some house until the storm is over? Surely anybodywould give us shelter."
"I don't see any houses," said Roger, "and, Patty, I may as well own up,we're off the road somehow. I think I must have taken the wrong turningat that fork a few miles back. And though I'm not quite sure, yet I feela growing conviction that we're lost."
Although the situation was appalling, for some unexplainable reason Pattycouldn't help giggling.
"Lost!" she exclaimed in a tragic whisper, "in the middle of the night!in a desolate country region! and a storm coming on!"
Patty's dramatic summary of the situation made Roger laugh too. And theirpeals of gaiety reassured the three who sat behind.
"What are you laughing at?" said Elise; "I wish you'd tell me, for I'm'most scared to de
ath, and Roger, it's beginning to rain."
"You don't say so!" said Roger, in a tone of polite surprise, "why thenwe must put on the curtains." He stopped the car, and jumping down fromhis place, began to arrange the curtains which were always carried incase of rain.
Mr. Farrington helped him, and as he did so, remarked, "Looks likesomething of a storm, my boy."
"Father," said Roger, in a low voice, "it's going to rain cats and dogs,and there may be a few thunders and lightnings. I hope mother won't havehysterics, and I don't believe she will, if you sit by her and hold herhand. I don't think we'd better stop. I think we'd better drive straightahead, but, Dad, I believe we're on the wrong road. We're not lost; Iknow the way all right, but to go around the way we are going, is aboutforty miles farther than the way I meant to go; and yet I don't dare turnback and try to get on the other road again, for fear I'll really getlost."
"Roger," said Mr. Farrington, "you're a first-class chauffeur, and I'llgive you a reference whenever you want one, but I must admit thatto-night you have succeeded in getting us into a pretty mess."
Roger was grateful enough for the light way in which his father treatedthe rather serious situation, but the boy keenly felt his responsibility.
"Good old Dad," he said, "you're a brick! Get in back now, and look aftermother and Elise. Don't let them shoot me or anything, when I'm notlooking. Patty is a little trump; she is plucky clear through, and I amglad to have her up in front with me. Now I'll do the best I can, anddrive straight through the storm. If I see any sort of a place where wecan turn in for shelter, I think we'd better do it, don't you?"
"I do, indeed," said his father. "Meantime, my boy, go ahead. I trust thewhole matter to you, for you're a more expert driver than I am."
It was already raining fast as the two men again climbed into the car.But the curtains all around kept the travellers dry, and with its cheerylights the interior of the car was cozy and pleasant.
In front was a curtain with a large window of mica which gave ample viewof the road ahead.
With his strong and well-arranged lights, Roger had no fear of collision,and as they were well protected from the rain, his chief worriment wasbecause they were on the wrong road.
"It's miles and miles longer to go around this way," he confided toPatty. "I don't know what time we'll ever get there."
"Never mind," said Patty, who wanted to cheer him up. "I think this is agreat experience. I suppose there's danger, but somehow I can't helpenjoying the wild excitement of it."
"I'm glad you like it," said Roger a little grimly. "I'm always pleasedto entertain my guests."
The storm was increasing, and now amounted to a gale. The rain dashedagainst the curtains in great wet sheets, and finally forced its way inat a few of the crevices.
Mrs. Farrington, sitting between her husband and daughter, was thoroughlyfrightened and extremely uncomfortable, but she pluckily refrained fromgiving way to her nervousness, and succeeded in behaving herself withreal bravery and courage.
Still the tempest grew. So wildly did it dash against the front curtainthat Patty and Roger could see scarcely a foot before the machine.
"There's one comfort," said Roger, through his clenched teeth, "we're notin danger of running into anything, for no other fools would be abroadsuch a night as this. Patty, I'm going to speed her! I'm going to racethe storm!"
"Do!" said Patty, who was wrought up to a tense pitch of excitement bythe war of the elements without, and the novelty of the situation within.
Roger increased the speed, and they flew through the black night anddashed into the pouring rain, while Patty held her breath, and wonderedwhat would happen next.
On they went and on. Patty's imagination kept pace with her experiencesand through her mind flitted visions of Tam O'Shanter's ride, JohnGilpin's ride and the ride of Collins Graves. But all of these seemedtame affairs beside their own break-neck speed through the wild night!
"Roger," said his mother, "Roger, won't you please----"
"Ask her not to speak to me just now, Patty, please," said the boy, insuch a tense, strained voice that Patty was frightened at last, but sheknew that if Roger were frightened, that was a special reason for her owncalmness and bravery. Turning slightly, she said, "Please don't speak tohim just now, Mrs. Farrington; he wants to put all his attention on hissteering."
"Very well," said Mrs. Farrington, who had not the slightest idea thatthere was any cause for alarm, aside from the discomfort of the storm. "Ionly wanted to tell him to watch out for railroad trains."
And then Patty realised that that was just what Roger was looking outfor! She could not see ahead into the blinding rain, but she knew theywere going down hill. She heard what seemed like the distant whistle of alocomotive, and suddenly realising that Roger could not stop the car andmust cross the track before the train came, she thought at the samemoment that if Mrs. Farrington should impulsively reach over and graspthe boy's arm, or anything like that, it might mean terrible disaster.
Acting upon a quick impulse to prevent this, she turned round herself,and with a voice whose calmness surprised her, she said, "Please, Mrs.Farrington, could you get me a sandwich out of the basket?"
"Bless you, no, child!" said that lady, her attention instantly divertedby Patty's ruse. "That is, I don't believe I can, but I'll try."
Patty was far from wanting a sandwich, but she felt that she had at leastaverted the possible danger of Mrs. Farrington's suddenly clutchingRoger, and as she turned back to face the front, the great car whizzedacross the slippery railroad track, just as Patty saw the headlight of alocomotive not two hundred feet away from them.
"Oh, Roger," she breathed, clasping her hands tightly, lest she herselfshould touch the boy, and so interfere with his steering.
"It's all right, Patty," said Roger in a breathless voice, and as shelooked at his white face, she realised the danger they had so narrowlyescaped.
Those in the back seat could not see the train, and the roar of the stormdrowned its noise.
"Patty," said Roger, very softly, "you saved us! I understood just whatyou did. I felt _sure_ Mother was going to grab at me, when she heardthat whistle. It's a way she has, when she's nervous or frightened, and Ican't seem to make her stop it. But you saved the day with your sandwichtrick, and if ever we get in out of the rain, I'll tell you what I thinkof you!"