back on the following night to
finish what they had failed to do the first time."

Mr. McCarthy nodded. So did Mrs. Livingston.

"Remarkable girls, these Meadow-Brook Girls, Mr. McCarthy. However,
there is nothing to be done. We shall not be bothered any more, in all
probability. Besides, they were not here on our account, so we have no
cause to worry."

"And I've got to walk back to Portsmouth," groaned Mr. McCarthy. "I
told you, Mrs. Livingston."

"Perhaps we may catch some farmer who is going in that direction, and
who will be willing to give you a lift," she suggested.

"No; you will have to let me sleep under a tree and hang about
to-night. The men are coming down in the morning to get the car out of
the pond. They might as well have two jobs as one. How did it happen,
Jane?"

For the first time the party of Camp Girls who had gathered about the
little group gave their attention to the Meadow-Brook Girls. The
latter were now discovered to be much the worse for wear. Their hair
was down over their shoulders and their clothes were soiled and torn.

"Got it hard, didn't you?" chuckled Mr. McCarthy.

"Oh, not so much," replied Jane, repressing a smile.

"You are a thight. You look ath though you had been digging for buried
treathure," declared Tommy.

"How'd it happen?" rumbled Mr. McCarthy.

"It was like this, Daddy, dear. We were running along nicely and
easily--just at a comfortable jog, when--"

"How fast?"

"How much time were we making, Harriet?"

"Nearly sixty miles an hour."

"Yes, I knew it wasn't very fast. Just jogging, Daddy."

The visitor grunted.

"Something went wrong with the steering gear. I don't know what it
was, but the wheel had no effect on the car. You should have seen us.
It was funny, wasn't it, girls, the way that car darted from one side
of the road to the other, and we hanging on for dear life? You see,
that was all we could do--hang on. Well, the car jumped the ditch,
went up the bank on that side of the road, smashed into the iron post
of a wire fence, then stood up on end and turned over backward. Did
you ever see such a contrary automobile? Where did you buy it, Dad?"

"Didn't buy it. Borrowed it of a man I know up at Portsmouth. It'll
cost me only a few thousand to make it right with him, but then Dad's
rich; don't you care."

"I never do," chuckled Jane. "Do you?"

"No, I don't, so long as no one gets hurt. How'd you get out? What did
you do when the car was