The Motor Girls on a Tour | Page 5

reflected Belle aloud,
sympathetically.
"Yes," Bess almost shouted, "and have them veto every single plan.
Besides, there are to be no boys on this trip; Lady Isabel please take
notice!"
"As if I wanted boys!" sneered her sister.
"As if you could have them if you did!" fired back Bess in that
tantalizing way that only sisters understand, only sisters enjoy, and only
sisters know how to operate successfully.
"Peace! peace!" called Cora. "If Belle wants boys she may have them. I
am chairman of the acting committee, and if boys do not act I would
like to know exactly what they do."
"No boys!" faltered Hazel, who, not owning a machine, had not as yet
heard all the details of the proposed three-days' tour of the motor girls.
"Nary a one!" returned Bess, now about to start.
"If we had boys along," explained Cora, "they would claim the glory of
every spill, every skid, every upset and every `busted tire.' We want
some little glory ourselves," and at this she threw in the clutch, and,
with a gentle effort, the Whirlwind rolled off, followed closely by the
Flyaway.

"I suppose Sid and Ida are licking their fingers just about now,"
remarked the good-natured Bess.
"Very likely," rejoined her sister, "for I fancv their meal was made up
of buckwheat cakes and molasses, as Sid had to pay for it."
"Oh, I meant sheer deliciousness," corrected her sister. "I 'fawncy'" -
and she imitated the dainty tones used by Belle - "they have had - "
"Backbiting and detraction," called Cora, who had been close enough
to hear the sisters' remarks. "I would not have been in your place at that
table, Bess, for a great deal."
Bess tossed her head about indifferently. She evidently knew what to
expect from Ida and Sid.
"Now for a straight run!" announced Cora, throwing in third speed.
"We must make the bridge by the quarter whistle or the Maud Morris
family tree may have been consumed for luncheon. I particularly want
a peg at that tree."
"We're off!" called Bess, following with additional speed.
Then the Whirlwind and the Flyaway dashed off, over the country
roads, past scurrying chicks and barking dogs, past old farmers who
turned in to give "them blamed things" plenty of room, out along
Woodbine to the pretty little park where the plans for the first official
run of the motor girls were soon to be perfected.
CHAPTER II
THE WOODLAND CONFERENCE
In the first volume of this series, entitled "The Motor Girls; Or, A
Mystery of the Road," we became acquainted with these vivacious
young ladies. Cora Kimball, the first to own her own motor-car, the
Whirlwind, was the only daughter of Mrs. Grace Kimball, a wealthy
widow of the little town of Chelton. Jack Kimball, Cora's brother, a

typical college boy, had plenty to do in unraveling the mystery of the
road, while his chums, Walter Pennington and Edward Foster, were
each such attractive young men that even to the end it was difficult to
guess which one would carry off the highest honors socially - with
Cora as judge, of course.
It was Ed Foster who lost the money, a small fortune, and it was the
rather unpleasant Sid Wilcox, and perhaps unfortunate Ida Giles, who
finally cleared up the mystery, happily enough, all things considered,
although in spite of the other girls' opportune intention it was not
possible to reflect any degree of credit upon those responsible for the
troubles and trials which that mystery involved.
Speaking of the young men, Paul Hastings, a young chauffeur, should
not be overlooked. Paul was a very agreeable youth indeed, and his
sister, Hazel, a most interesting young lady, with very special qualities
of talent and learning.
"Among those present" in the first volume were the attractive Robinson
twins, Bess inclined to rather more weight than height, and Belle, the
tall, graceful creature, who delighted in the aesthetic and reveled in
"nerves."
Mr. Perry Robinson, the girls' father, was a wealthy railroad magnate,
devoted to carriage rides, and not caring for motors, but not too "set" to
allow his daughters the entire ownership of the pretty new runabout -
the Flyaway.
Cora, Hazel, Bess and Belle were flying over the country roads in their
cars, making for Woodbine Park, where they were to hold a preliminary
meet to arrange for a tour on the road.
Past the bridge at the appointed time, they reached the wooded park
exactly at twelve - the hour set for the rest and luncheon, to be followed
by the "business meeting."
"There come Daisy and Maud," called Cora, as along the winding road
she discerned another car approaching.

"And there are Clip and Ray," added Belle, shutting off the gasoline
and preparing to bring her machine