Part 6 (1/2)

”Ain't that a shame!” said Skip. ”We will strike fer them girls next.”

CHAPTER V

TOO CONFIDENT

”Mother will be so disappointed not to get her berries,” remarked Bess, as she and Belle, in their little _Flyaway_, got out on the road, following Cora.

”But Cora did wonderfully well, I think,” replied the sister, ”to get the better of that horrid woman. She was going to sell two crates, and she only actually sold the crate which she insisted Andy should pay for. It takes Cora--she is a born leader.”

”It certainly was diplomatic,” agreed Bess, ”and I suppose we can come out to-morrow for the others. Mother was not particular about having them done up at once. But weren't those girls queer? And how stage-like little Nellie looked with those fierce dogs at her side, and the boys standing around her? I declare I think that would make a play.”

”Better try your hand at it,” suggested Belle. ”I always thought you had some hidden talent. It may now be discovered.”

”And do you think the girls are going to do something desperate?”

asked Bess, throwing in more speed, and brus.h.i.+ng along at a lively rate over the broad country road.

”I am sure they are going to do something very unusual, but whether it may be desperate, or simply foolish, would be impossible to surmise with any degree of certainty,” replied the judicious Belle. ”I fancy they intend to--leave the strawberry patch, at least.”

Cora turned, and called to Bess to look out for the ”Thank-you-ma'ams”

that were so plentifully scattered over the hill they had just come upon. Some were deep and long, she said, and with the ever-increasing grade might stall an overworked engine. Following the advice, Bess changed to low gear, and crawled up and down the hills, after the pace set by Cora.

One very steep hill confronted them. The engines of both cars were fairly ”gasping for breath,” and Cora, knowing that the hot radiators could cook anything from cabbage to pork and beans, realized that it was not wise to start up the hill until the engines had been cooled off. Consequently the cars stopped near a spring house at the roadside, and the girls alighted to get a refres.h.i.+ng drink. The door was unlocked, and a clear, clean gla.s.s stood on a small shelf, just inside the low building.

”Did you ever see anything so delightful?” exclaimed Belle, while Cora dipped the gla.s.s in the square, cement-lined pool, and brought it up filled with the coolest, and most sparkling water imaginable.

”And was it just built for--roadsters?” asked Bess, taking the proffered drink.

”Oh, no indeed,” said Cora with a laugh. ”These spring houses are the farm refrigerators. In this, every evening, I suppose many, many quarts of milk are put to cool for the creamery. I have often seen a spring house just filled with the big milk cans.”

”Oh,” answered Bess, intelligently. ”That's a good idea. Just think how much money we could save on ice if we had a spring house.”

”Maybe if we had one, you would be able to cool off sometimes,”

remarked her sister teasingly. ”You look as if you needed a dip this very minute.”

The red cheeks of Bess certainly did look overheated, and the way she plied her handkerchief betrayed her discomfort.

”An internal dip will do nicely, thank you,” answered the girl. ”I don't see that I am any warmer than the rest of you.”

”Here comes a girl from the house,” said Cora, as down the path a girl, in generous sunbonnet, and overgenerous ap.r.o.n, was seen to approach.

”Do they wear their sunbonnets to bed?” asked Belle. ”I am sure there is no sun now.”

”Father will be down in a minute with the team,” called out the girl, much to the surprise of the motor girls.

”Mercy!” exclaimed Belle, ”are we going to be arrested?”

”I think not,” replied Cora; ”however, we are trespa.s.sing, though I did think farmer folks very--liberal, especially with their spring water.”