"That's just exactly the trouble. If we were perfectly sure we would
not meet a fellow or two," replied Belle, making a very pretty mouth at
Walter, "there would be no need of the toting."

"Then don't meet them--take them along. I'll go."

"Me, too," added Ed.

"Me, three," multiplied Jack.

"We fully expected you all to come," drawled Cora coolly.

"Oh, you did? Isn't that nice! They fully expected us all to come,
and never told us a word about it. Now, that's what I call real cozy,
and real----"

"Jack," interrupted Cora, "have we ever had a long trip entirely
without you?"

"Seems to me you did have one or two--rather disastrous they were, too,
if I remember aright. But we caught up. Now this time you are really
going to allow us to go in the line, eh?"

"Just to wind up the season," Cora reminded him.

"Oh, sort of a winder. Well, it's all right, Cora. I hope we can fix
it to go. When do we start, if a fellow might make bold to ask? You
see, my car is in the shop. Walter has loaned his to some one up the
State. But a little thing like that doesn't matter when the girls say
we shall go----"

"If we have to walk," finished Ed.

"We did plan to leave as soon as mamma could arrange about a friend of
hers to accompany us," said Bess, with a sigh. "We hoped she would
know when she came back to-morrow."

"Well, I'm going to take my car down to the garage," remarked Cora,
getting up from the porch swing. "We can talk of the trip after tea.
And we have also decided to ask you poor, starved bungalofers to tea.
Have you had any since you went to housekeeping?"

"Ed _said_ it was tea," replied Jack, "but I think it was stove polish
thinned out. We didn't really enjoy it. Now, that's awfully nice. To
stay to tea! Bess, may I take your car in for you?"

"If you would, Jack. I am lazy after the sunny ride. Seems to me the
sun never goes down at the beach."

Ed had not asked permission to run Cora's car down the street for her,
but he was now cranking up, while Walter deliberately took his place at
the wheel.

"Let the 'chiffonier' do the work," said Walter, with a laugh. "He
loves work."

Cora stepped lightly into the tonneau of her handsome machine, and Ed
followed. "To the Imperial!" he shouted into Walter's ear, "and see
that you get there, man!"

So the tables were turned, and Walter was "doing the work." As there
was nothing left to do, Walter threw in the gear lever and let