p for
nothing. I don't like to advise--"

"Oh, please do," Mollie begged, adding with a pathetic little smile: "I
feel so awfully lonesome, trying to decide everything all by myself."

"You poor little girl," said the woman tenderly, then fearing lest
sympathy would only make the girl feel worse, added hurriedly: "In that
case I should most strongly advise that you wait a day or two at least
and give things a chance to straighten out. At the end of that time, if
they haven't been found and you still think you ought to go, we'll pack
up everything and go along with you, of course."

"That's what I'll do then," agreed Mollie, relieved to have the question
settled for her. "And now," she added, making for the door once more,
"I'm going to get into my street things and wiz down to that station in
record time. Who wants to come with me?"

It seemed everybody did, and in a very short time the girls had changed
from their bathing suits to their street clothes and were ready for the
dash to the station, which was about two miles from their house.

They all climbed into Mollie's car, and the big machine started slowly
backward down the steep incline.

"Better hold on," Mollie warned them. "I've never done quite so steep a
hill as this backward, and the old boy may balk. Take your time, old
man," addressing the car, as it showed a tendency to pick up speed too
rapidly. "Of course we're in a hurry, but we don't want to land on our
ears. That's the way--gently now. All right--we're off!" as they reached
the foot of the hill in safety and swung around into the road. "Now
let's see how long it will take you to reach that station."

As a matter of fact, it took scarcely any time at all, for the demon of
speed seemed to have taken possession of Mollie, and she drove so
recklessly that even the girls, who were used to her daring, were
startled.

Yet something about the young driver's straight little back and tightly
compressed lips kept them from protesting.

However, the wild ride came to an end without accident, and the girls
tumbled out of the machine and on to the station platform. They looked
about them, but the only person in sight was an unpromising looking
person with a bald head--though he could not have been over
thirty-five--beaked nose, and small red-rimmed eyes.

This decidedly unattractive individual lounged against the door of the
waiting room and eyed the girls with insolent admiration.

"Anything I can do f