njured, Gladys and Nyoda breathed a sigh of
relief and left her in the care of the hospital.

"We've had enough excitement to-day to last a month," said Gladys, as
they hastened tack to the house the second time to get the sweater and
shoes. "I'm all tired out."

"So am I," said Nyoda.

"We have just time enough to make that four o'clock car, and none to
spare," said Gladys, as they rode toward town in the street-car. As if
everything were conspiring against them to-day, a heavy truck, loaded
with boxes, got caught in the car-track right in front of them and
blocked traffic for ten minutes. Gladys and Nyoda looked tragically at
each other at this delay. Nyoda held up her watch significantly. It was
ten minutes to four. Just then Gladys spied a man she knew in an
automobile, slowly passing the car. She called to him through the open
window. "Will you take us in if we get off the car?" she asked. "We're
trying to make the four o'clock Limited."

"Certainly," agreed the obliging friend. The transfer of seats was soon
made. "How much time have you?" asked the friend as he shoved in the
spark.

"Ten minutes," replied Gladys.

"We'll make it," said the friend, dodging between the vehicles that were
standing around the disabled truck, helping to pull it from the
car-tracks. Getting into a clear road, he opened the throttle and they
proceeded like the wind for about six blocks. Then, for no apparent
reason, the car slowed down, and with a whining whir of machinery came
to a dead stop. "I'm afraid I can't make good my promise to catch that
car," said the friend in a vexed tone, after vainly trying to start the
car for several minutes. "I'll have to be towed to a garage," Nyoda and
Gladys jumped out, hailed a passing street-car and reached the station
just five minutes too late. The Limited had already pulled out.

"Five girls with red ties?" repeated the crossing policeman when they
made inquiries to find out if the other girls had gone and left them.
"They all got on the Limited." There was no doubt about their having
gone, then.

"You know, you said if any were late they'd get left," said Gladys.
"Whoever was here for the car was to go and not wait. Won't they laugh,
though, at you being the late one?"

"There won't be another Limited for two hours," said Nyoda impatiently,
"and the local takes twice as long to get there. I'll telephone Mrs.
Bates that we missed this car but will come out on the next Limited."

"M