The Outdoor Girls on Pine Island | Page 4

a shame-faced little smile, "I'm sorry I made such a fuss--I always am ashamed of myself when the danger is over."
"You needn't apologize, Grace," said Betty, quickly. "If there's one time you ought to be excused for making a fuss it's when you think it's going to be your last chance."
That was Betty all over--bright, generous, fun-loving, the acknowledged leader of the girls. Grace was tall, graceful, slender, with a pretty face framed in a wealth of bright hair. She was accustomed to take life more easily than Betty and, although not a coward in the true sense of the word, she was always willing to have the other girls go first. Then there was Mollie, dark eyed and quick tempered, with more than a touch of the French in her, but Betty's equal in bravery. The last of the little quartette was Amy Blackford (formerly called Amy Stonington), who has not yet appeared in this book. Up to a year before she had been surrounded by a mystery which would have held great interest for the girls even had they not loved and admired her for her own good qualities.
Such were the girls who, with Betty's help, were fast recovering their good spirits.
"If we can back the machine out of this haystack," Frank was saying, "I guess we had better start for home."
"But don't you think we had better walk," Grace suggested nervously. "I'm afraid to trust myself to the old thing again."
"Oh, there won't be any danger now," Will assured her. "We can go back by a roundabout route where there aren't any hills to speed us into haystacks. How about it, Frank?"
"You're right! We are not going to take any more chances, I can tell you that." Then, turning to the girl beside him, he added, "How are you feeling, Betty? Awfully shaken up?"
"Not a bit," she assured him, gaily. "Why, after the first shock I really enjoyed it."
"That's the way to talk and I'm mighty glad no one's hurt. Now for home."
After a great number of half starts and sudden stops they succeeded finally in backing the great machine away from the haystack and out on the road again.
"Now remember your promise," cried Grace as they started off. "No more speeding, Frank, and no more hills."
"Right," he sang back, cheerily. "We have had excitement enough for one day. Just watch me."
And, true to his word, after an hour's roundabout trip, they swung quietly into Deepdale, without having encountered further mishap on the way.
CHAPTER III
FORTUNES
Early the next morning Mollie hailed Betty as the Little Captain went up the street.
"Where to, so early?" she called. "Why didn't you stop for me?"
"Oh, I was going to Amy's first, to find out how Mrs. Stonington is," said Betty as she turned back. "Then I was going to stop in to see if you would go with me to call on Grace. I promised her last night I would come over this morning."
"But isn't it early?" said Mollie, doubtfully. "Probably Grace won't even be up yet."
The Little Captain seated herself comfortably on the board step of the veranda. "Yes she will," she said decidedly. "I told her yesterday that if I came over this morning and found her in bed eating candy before breakfast instead of enjoying the wonderful morning air, I'd never come over again. She knows that I mean it, too."
"Well, in that case, she may be up," laughed Mollie. "If you will wait a minute I'll go with you to Amy's," she added and ran lightly into the house.
The girls found Mrs. Stonington very much improved and Amy only too glad to get out into the glorious sunshine of the summer morning.
As the three chums, clad daintily in white, with a background of velvety green lawn to set them off, approached the Fords' beautiful home, they were surprised beyond measure to see Grace swinging leisurely back and forth in the big hammock under the trees. They stopped short and gazed upon this spectacle.
"And she's not eating chocolates either," remarked Amy in an awe-struck voice. "What can have happened?"
"I wish you would stop gazing at me like that," said Grace, raising her head and looking at the three girls who were still regarding her fixedly. "Is it my hair, or is my nose red, or is it my skirt that's too tight? Please tell me and get it over with. I can stand anything but this suspense."
"A miracle has taken place--the impossible has happened!" cried Betty, striking a theatrical pose. "Never again will I doubt the wisdom of those so learned----"
"What is she raving about, girls, do you know?" asked Grace plaintively. "She never used to be like this."
"It's the shock, that's all," interpreted Mollie. "Never mind, Betty," she added soothingly. "You will get used to it in time."
"Amy,