u had better pray for an aeroplane."

"Never!" assented Grace. "The land and water are enough for me."

"And as for Amy," said Betty, "she wants a balloon, perhaps."

Amy shook her head, and a strange look came over her face. Her chums
knew what it meant--that above everything else she would have preferred
having the mystery of her identity solved.

"Well, if we're going to mote--let's mote!" exclaimed Mollie, perhaps
with a desire to change the subject. "I'm going to take you for a nice
long spin."

"Aren't you nervous--to think of being at the wheel without some one
beside to help you in case of emergency?" asked Betty.

"Were you, in the _Gem_?" retorted Mollie.

"A little, but then, you know, a motor boat doesn't go as fast as a
car--somehow you seem to have a better chance in case of collisions, or
accidents."

"There aren't going to be any collisions or accidents," declared Mollie,
with conviction. "I'm going to be careful until I get a little more
accustomed to it, and then----"

"You'll scorch, like all the others, I suppose," put in Amy.

"Never! Now who's going to ride with me on the front seat?"

For a moment no one answered--Betty, Grace and Amy looked at one
another, and then they burst into laughter.

"Well, do you want to draw lots for it?" inquired Mollie, with a trace
of sarcasm. "I thought you'd feel honored."

"I will!" exclaimed Betty. "But you will be careful; won't you, Mollie
dear?"

"Of course. I'm no more anxious to get into trouble than you are. Oh,
what did I do with my handkerchief?"

"It's up your sleeve," said Grace, indicating a bulge in Mollie's
sweater.

"Well, come on!" exclaimed the owner of the new car.

"She says it as though she were--going to--jail!" laughed Grace.

The demonstrator had alighted from the car, and was looking it over,
testing the tires with his hand.

"Is it all right, Mr. Ransom?" asked Mollie, a bit anxiously. "Is
anything the matter?"

"Not a thing, Miss Billette," he replied. "It is in perfect order. And
I'm sure you can run it alone very easily. You have had a number of
lessons, and you learned very quickly."

"If only I remember to let out my clutch before I change gears," Mollie
murmured.

"Oh, you'll remember that," returned the chauffeur, to give her the
confidence he saw she needed.

"I'll remind you of it," volunteered Betty.

The girls got into the car, and the man, impressing a few important
facts on the pretty girl drive