CHAPTER V
PAUL AT THE WHEEL
The girls looked back at the old peddler as they swept on. He wasstanding beside his horse, evidently mending some part of the harness.
"It was rather a dilapidated outfit," remarked Betty. "I don't see howhe can cover much ground in a day."
"Probably he doesn't," answered Mollie. "He may sleep in his wagon, eatthere--dining on bread and cheese or herring--and so reduce the highcost of living. Then he may make a big profit on his hair restorer. Ugh!The stuff! I could not bear to use it."
"Nor I; and yet he had nice hair."
"Perhaps he'd have that anyhow. He meant it well enough--offering us thebottle."
"Yes," agreed Betty. "But it was just as well not to take it. My! what aday of adventures this has been!"
"It has started in almost the way some days did when we were on ourtramp," spoke Grace, from the tonneau.
"Or when we were at the lake, trying not to be afraid of the 'ghost',"added Amy. "Do you intend to do any more cruising this fall, Betty?"
"We may. Would you like it?"
"Would we?" cried Grace, "just ask us!"
"Now please wait," broke in Mollie. "I may have a little plan of my ownto propose soon."
"What is it?" begged Amy.
"I haven't it all worked out yet. I'll tell you as soon as I have. Itmay offer us a chance for some fun----"
"And adventures?" asked Betty, quickly.
"And adventures," assented Mollie. "But one thing I do want, and that isto have each of you girls run the car. I don't want to be selfish anddrive all the while."
"I would like to learn," said Betty, eagerly. "It's good of you to wantus to, Mollie."
"No, I have rather a selfish motive back of it. Sometimes I want to sitin the tonneau and not have to worry about running over a dog----"
"Look out!" suddenly cried Betty, impulsively grasping Mollie's arm."That child!"
A little toddler had run from the yard of a house near the road, and wasscampering across the highway, his mother in close pursuit.
Quickly Mollie put on both brakes, and threw out the clutch, but therewas no need; for the child, with the perverseness of youth, had turnedand was running back toward the gate, evidently frightened by thefrantic tooting of the horn, the bulb of which Mollie pressedspasmodically.
"Oh my! What a scare!" panted Mollie, as she slipped in low gear, andstarted up again, without coming to a full stop.
"Well, I don't want to seem mean, but he is getting just what hedeserves," said Grace, looking back, "and that is--a spanking. Toddlersmust be made to learn the danger of rushing blindly across auto roads."
"I suppose so," agreed Mollie. "I could just see little Paul then," shewent on. "If I had hit that child----"
She did not finish, but they all knew what she meant.
Deepdale was reached without further incident, and the girls agreed thatMollie had piloted her car wonderfully well for a beginner.
"Of course I've got lots to learn," she said to her chums, "but thatwill come gradually, the demonstrator said. One learns, after a while,to steer instinctively, and to do everything almost automatically--likeslowing down, applying the brakes and so on. Now you girls must comeover to-night, and we'll----"
"Talk!" interrupted Amy. "We've got lots to talk about."
"We always have," said Grace, looking in vain for a chocolate. The carhad stopped in front of her house, and Mollie had said she would leavethe other girls at their residences.
"Oh, don't bother," Betty had protested. "You must be tired, and it'sonly a step."
"No, we must do this in style!" decided Mollie. "What is the use of amotor car if one can't bring one's friends home in the proper mode?" Andshe had her way.
The auto was to be kept in a public garage until Mrs. Billette couldhave one built on her own premises, and, leaving her machine with theman in charge, Mollie walked home.
That night her three chums called, and the talk was almost entirelydevoted to the strange girl and her queer disappearance.
In the days that followed the four inseparables took many rides out intothe beautiful country around Deepdale. True to her determination, Mollieinsisted on Betty, Amy and Grace taking at least a few lessons. Bettywas quick to learn, but Grace was not quite strong enough to handle thewheel properly, and Amy was too timid. Still, either of the latter couldmanage the car on a straight, level road, but Betty was the only onewho persisted enough to be able to get a license, which she one day tookout on Mollie's suggestion.
"And what is the something you were going to tell us?" asked Betty ofMollie one day, as they were returning from a short run, Betty at thewheel.
"Oh, it isn't quite ready yet," she said. "I'll tell you in plenty oftime to prepare for it, though. Mind your wheel, Bet, there are two carscoming back of us, and I think they're going to pass us close."
"Well, let them look out, I'm on the right side of the road."
Two cars, scorching, did pass them, throwing up a cloud of dust thatcaused the girls to gasp choke.
"Horrid creatures!" cried Grace. "My new cloak will be spoiled!" and shedusted off the auto garment she had recently purchased.
"It is such as they who give all autoists a bad name," remarked Mollie."One rule of our club must be never to scorch."
"Our club?" asked Grace, wonderingly.
"There--I've told part of my secret!" exclaimed Mollie, in someconfusion. "I was going to suggest that, as we have a sort of informalCamping and Tramping Club, and as there is a kind of motor boat clubfeeling existing among us, we form an auto club."
"Let's!" proposed Amy. "Bet has the boat, you have the car, Mollie, butpoor Grace and I----"
"That doesn't make a bit of difference!" broke in Mollie. "You don'thave to have an auto to belong to this club. Just as when you get yourairship, Grace, we'll join your aero club; though you'll be the only onewith a flying machine."
"No flies for me!" said Grace, determinedly.
They reached Mollie's house rather early that afternoon, not having gonefar.
"Do come in for a cup of tea," urged Mollie. "It will refresh you all.No, no, Paul!" she called to her brother, "you must not get in sister'sauto when she is not in it," for the little fellow had started to climbup in the front seat as the girls strolled toward the house.
"Oo dot any tandy?" he asked, coming toward them.
"Oh dear, I wonder if I will always have to bribe you, Paul?" sighedMollie. "Grace, will you kindly oblige again? I guess I shall have toappoint you official candy distributor."
"That would suit me," laughed Grace. "Here, Paul, and don't get that onyour suit--the chocolate is so sticky and messy in warm weather," andGrace daintily removed, with the tip of her tongue, some brown spotsfrom the ends of her rosy fingers that had passed the candy to thelittle boy.
The girls were sipping tea in the library, and talking, when there camefrom out in front the sudden throbbing of an auto motor. Mollie leapedup and rushed to the window. Then she screamed:
"Oh girls! Paul is in my car and it's running away with him! Oh, stophim, some one!"
They all saw little Paul--a mite in the seat--holding bravely to thesteering wheel, and the car moving down the hill in front of theBillette home.