Hill Grace Brooks - The Corner House Girls on a Tour стр 5.

Mrs. Eland and her sister, Miss Pepperill, who has been Tess Kenways school teacher, become very good friends of the Corner House girls. In the volume of the series immediately preceding this present narrative, entitled The Corner House Girls Odd Find the Kenways find an old, apparently worthless, album in the garret of the mansion a treasure room which seems inexhaustible in its supply of mystery and amusing incidents.

This album seems to contain a lot of counterfeit money and bonds, which in the end prove to have been hidden in the Stower house by a miserly uncle of Mrs. Eland and Miss Pepperill, Mr. Lemuel Aden, who had died too suddenly to make a will or to tell of his hidden treasure and the money and bonds are really perfectly good.

The four Kenway sisters, therefore, saw their friends, the hospital matron and the school teacher, made comfortably wealthy for life; and the beautiful, seven passenger touring car, with self-starter, quick top, and all the modern

appurtenances of a good automobile, was the gift of the legatees of Mr. Lemuel Aden.

But it might as well be a flivver, said Agnes, in disgust, if weve got to sit here all day and watch a fat brown pony whisk his tail.

I dont see what I can do, my dear, said the woman in the basket phaeton. You cant lead him, and you cant push him, and I verily believe if you built a fire under him hed just move up far enough to burn the cart, and stand there until his harness scorched him.

Agnes giggled at that, and was her own jolly self again. Its up to you, Neale ONeil, she declared. Youre the chauffeur and are supposed to make us go. Make us!

Get out and walk around the pony, proposed Neale, grinning.

And what about the car?

Do you think we could lift it over? said Ruth, with scorn.

Now, young man, Agnes pursued, with gravity. It is your duty to get us to Marchenell Grove. Were still twenty-five or thirty miles away from it

My goodness! exclaimed the lady in front. Were you young folks going there?

We had an idea of doing so when we started, maam, said Agnes, quickly.

I should have gone there to-day, too

Not with that pony? shrieked Agnes, clasping her hands.

Why no, said the lady, smiling. But if my nephew hadnt lost his automobile he would have taken me. Oh, dear! Now I shall have to ride behind Jonas all the time.

You really dont call this riding, do you, maam? asked the irrepressible Agnes.

The woman laughed. She liked Agnes Kenway from the first, as almost everybody who met her did.

Im not riding fast just now, and thats a fact, she said, nodding her bonnet with its many bows. Nor does Jonas take me over the roads very rapidly at his very best pace.

Neale ONeil had got slowly out of the car and now walked around to the head of the fat brown pony. The pony had blue eyes, and they were very mild. But he seemed to have no idea of going on and getting himself and his mistress out of the way of the automobile. Maybe he did not like automobiles.

You see, my nephew bought a car and we let Jonas kick up his heels in the paddock. Oh! hes lively enough when he wants to be Jonas, I mean. But my nephews car was stolen day before yesterday and hes worried almost to death about it, poor man.

Oh! cried Ruth, who is your nephew, Madam?

Why, Philip Collinger is my nephew. Hes the county surveyor, you know. A very bright young man if I do say it. But not bright enough to keep from having his auto stolen, she added, ruefully.

Just then Agnes, who had been watching Neale ONeil, called:

What are you doing to that pony, Neale?

The boy had rubbed the fat brown ponys nose. He had lifted first one foot and then the other, going all around the pony to do so. He had patted his neck. Jonas had seemed rather to like these attentions. He still whisked flies calmly.

Now Neale reached over and took one of the ponys ears in his hand, holding it firmly. To the other ear the boy put his lips and seemed to be whispering something privately to Jonas.

What are you doing to that pony, Neale? cried Agnes again.

Mercy! what is the boy doing? Why, Jonas doesnt pay any attention to me when I fairly yell at him. Hes deaf, I believe.

And then the lady stopped, startled. The four Corner House girls all expressed their amazement with a united cry. Neale had taken the pony firmly by the bridle and was leading him quietly out of the middle of the road.

For pitys sake! gasped the ponys mistress, I never saw the like of that before.

Jonas seemed to have forgotten all about balking. He still wagged his ears to keep the flies away and whisked his tail industriously.

Neale, leading the pony, turned a corner in the lane, and there came upon a house. The lady had left the phaeton to speak to the girls more companionably. Neale tied the pony to the picket fence before the house, leaving the hitching strap long enough to allow the animal to graze.

Well, I want to know! cried the woman, when the boy returned to the car. How did you do that? What did you do to Jonas to make him change his mind?