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Thank you, Mr. Maynard, said Agnes, with a naughty twinkle in her eye. Im afraid we should have had to refuse them, for Mrs. Heard does not approve of fishing.
Goodness! but I am fond of fish, just the same, said their chaperone, honestly.
What would you suggest as the least cruel way of capturing fish? Mr. Maynard asked, soberly.
How about seining them and then chloroforming each fish? whispered Neale to Agnes.
But the widow laughed, saying to the fisherman:
I remember my husband used to go fishing with you, Mr. Maynard. But he never brought fish into the house where I could see them till they were ready for the pan, so as not to shock me.
That was quite right of him, Mrs. Heard, said Mr. Maynard, gravely. Then he turned to Dot again. I hope you will all have a fine time on your tour you, especially, my dear. Do do you suppose you could spare a kiss for me a good-bye kiss?
Oh, yes, sir, said the generous Dot. And I truly hope you wont be sick again, Mr. Maynard.
The man flushed deeply, saying:
I have not been troubled by that sickness, my dear, since the day you were so kind to me; and please God! I never shall be again.
He strode away then with a nod only to the others.
CHAPTER X THE PASSING AUTOMOBILE
How much do you suppose Mr. Maynard really knows about the stealing of Mr. Collingers car? she demanded.
Not a thing! said her boy friend, promptly.
Oh, Neale!
No. I know Mr. Maynard. Hes a perfectly square man, I am sure. I dont suppose he ever noticed Saleratus Joe until I called his attention to him.
Where do you suppose they have gone? queried the girl, starting on another tack.
Who?
That Joe and the Brady man.
Ask me an easier one, laughed Neale ONeil.
But cant we do anything about it if we run across them? she cried.
Joe and Brady? gasped Neale, in wonder.
Yes.
Neale eyed her quizzically for a long half minute that is, with one eye. The other he kept faithfully on the road ahead.
Aggie, he said, you beat the world. Mucilage isnt in it with you for sticking to a thing when your mind is once set upon it.
Well, I dont care! she pouted.
Oh, yes you do. You evidently do care or you wouldnt be talking about that stolen car all the time. Whats the odds where Mr. Brady and his chauffeur have gone? You dont suppose Brady knows anything about Mr. Collingers machine himself, do you?
Of course he does! I believe he had it stolen, cried the girl.
And if he did, so much the more reason for his not knowing anything about what was done with the car. Thats what Mr. Maynard intimated. Brady would have no use for it. And I doubt if anybody could use it long without being arrested. Hard to hide an automobile nowadays. Unless the thieves took it away up into Canada and sold it, maybe.
Surely that Saleratus Joe couldnt have done that, rejoined Agnes, instantly, for he couldnt have gone there and got back so quickly.
Good girl. Female detective, I tell you! chortled Neale. But how about the other fellow?
Who that
awful Brady?
Cricky! No. They say there were two fellows in Mr. Collingers car when it was driven away from the court house. And maybe he the second chap has the car now.
Oh, dear me! Id like to know, sighed Agnes.
This first days journey was rather long; the smaller girls were tired by mid-afternoon. So was Sammy Pinkney, although he would not admit the fact. Tess and Dot went frankly to sleep in the tonneau; Sammy kept himself awake by asking questions of Agnes and Neale, so that they could no longer discuss the stealing of Mr. Collingers automobile, or any other subject of moment.
If I ever go auto riding again with a kid of his size, growled Neale, at last, Ill insist on having his question-asker extracted first.
Huh! Whats a question-asker, Neale? Have I got one? was the query that capped that climax.
The effort to reach a certain old-fashioned hotel on the road to Parmenter Lake, of which Mrs. Heard knew, was successful. Without even a minor mishap Neale brought the car to the Bristow House an hour before sunset and in plenty of time for supper.
As none of the four Corner House girls had ever slept in a hotel before, this was a new experience for them. Mrs. Heard engaged two double rooms for herself and the girls, and a third for Neale and Sammy. Tom Jonah was made comfortable in the stable yard.
The big dining-room was well filled when after they had washed, they went down to supper. The Bristow was popular despite the homely manner in which it was managed.
Good home cooking, Mrs. Heard said, and simple ways. These girls who wait on us are all from the neighboring families hereabout. It is not a popular resort with the sporty class of automobilists although I notice that occasionally one of that kind gets in here.
Her remark was to the point, for at that very moment an example to prove the truth of it was furnished by a big man sitting alone at a small table at the end of the dining room.
What? he suddenly bellowed. I cant get a drink here?
Tea, coffee, milk, or soft drinks, the waitress at that table recited, calmly. The Bristow House is temperance.