The Outdoor Girls on Pine Island | Page 3

dear, Mollie, for having such lovely relatives,"
cried Betty gaily. "If I could only climb over this seat, I'd give you two
great big hugs, one for each of them."
"Nobody calls me a dear and offers to hug me, and I've got the loveliest
relatives in the world--you can ask them if you don't believe me," and
Frank managed to look very pathetic and forlorn.
All this time they had been getting farther and farther out into the
country and now Frank put on extra speed to ascend the rather steep
incline directly in front of them.
"Your car runs like a dream, Frank," Betty was saying as they reached
the top. "Look at that great big haystack down there--it must have taken
some time to gather it in. Why don't you slow down a little? Don't you
think--oh, what is it, Frank?" for she had noticed the set lines of his
mouth and the look of terror that had flashed into his eyes. "Oh,
Frank!" she cried again.
"Sit tight," he muttered through clenched teeth. "The brake won't
work!"
On, on dashed the great machine, swaying from side to side and
gaining velocity with each second, while the girls, with terror tugging
at their hearts, sat still--and waited.
CHAPTER II
A LUCKY ESCAPE
To those who are already acquainted with the Outdoor Girls, no
explanations are necessary, but for the benefit of my new readers I will
take advantage of this moment to make them better acquainted with the
characters and setting of the story.
In the first book of this series, called "The Outdoor Girls of Deepdale,"
the girls, Betty Nelson, sometimes called the Little Captain, because of
her fearless leadership, Mollie Billette, Grace Ford and Amy Blackford,

had gone on their famous walking tour, and during their wanderings
had solved the mystery of a five-hundred-dollar bill.
The second volume, "The Outdoor Girls at Rainbow Lake," tells of a
summer full of interest and adventure during which the horse Grace
was riding ran away with her. This misfortune led to the loss of some
very valuable papers, with a subsequent strange happening on an island,
about which, and the recovery of the papers, you may read, dear reader,
if you will.
"The Outdoor Girls in a Motor Car" is the third book of the series. Yes,
there really was a house where all sorts of weird sights and sounds
might be seen and heard at night if one had the courage to stay around.
And you may imagine the consternation of the Outdoor Girls when
Mollie was captured by the "ghost."
At the end of a delightful summer, spent in touring the country in
Mollie's car, the girls had a wonderful chance to spend the winter in the
woods. Needless to say, they took advantage of the opportunity. The
fourth book, "The Outdoor Girls in a Winter Camp," describes the
settlement of a certain property dispute, involving Mr. Ford. The happy
result was made possible by the good fortune that favors our girls. This
volume tells also how Amy was claimed by a brother, of whose
existence she was unaware.
Then followed their adventures in Florida during which the girls had
succeeded in finding Will Ford, Grace's brother, who had been virtually
kidnapped by a villainous labor contractor and had been set to work in
a turpentine camp. The fifth volume, entitled "The Outdoor Girls in
Florida; or, Wintering in the Sunny South," tells of many other
adventures the girls had during their winter among the "orange
blossoms," but now it was over, and Deepdale, which they had left
covered deep with snow, had begun once more to stir with life beneath
the gentle touch of spring.
In the sixth book, "The Outdoor Girls at Ocean View," the girls have
many good times and stirring adventures. The discovery of a box,
containing veritable riches in diamonds, led to the kidnapping of Betty

and Amy and their subsequent rescue.
And now that spring had dipped into summer, and they were again in
Deepdale, was this ride of theirs, begun so joyously, about to end in
tragedy?
"Frank, Frank!" screamed Grace, "if you don't stop, I'll jump, I will--I
will!"
"No, you won't! Sit where you are!" her brother Will commanded
sternly. "Sit still, I tell you!"
On, on, they went with ever-increasing speed, while Frank tried
desperately to jam the useless brake--but to no effect! The car was like
a horse with the bit between its teeth, plunging madly to destruction.
"Oh, oh, oh!" screamed Grace, pressing her hands tightly before her
eyes. "We're going to be killed, I know it!"
There was a shock, a sound like tearing cloth, the big machine plowed
half its length through the big haystack and--stopped!
"Frank, I'm getting smothered; won't you dig me