r of the cow, quickly. "I
have as much right on this road with my cow as you have with that there
autymobile."

"Just the same, you had no right to let your cow keep to the middle of
the road," cried Ben. "If we had had a worse accident we might have held
you responsible."

"Huh! Hold me responsible, eh? Well ye wouldn't have got a cent out of
me," said the owner of the cow, and then he passed on up the hill once
more, driving the animal before him. The cow was contentedly chewing her
cud, as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened to disturb her.

A quarter of a mile further on our friends came to a small stream
spanned by rather a shaky-looking bridge, over which each machine was
run with great care. On the other side of the stream they came to
another fork of the road.

"Here's a signboard anyway!" cried Dave, whose car was now in advance.
"_'Rayville Four Miles._' We'll be there soon if this road holds out."

"I think you'll find the roads around Rayville all right," called Mr.
Basswood to him. "My friend told me that they were in good condition,
especially those on the other side of the town."

A quarter of an hour later found the two touring-cars in the village
where Mr. Basswood's friend resided. Here, as the gentleman had said,
was located a fairly good hotel, where accommodations for the night
could be had.

"Now, I'm going to go around and see my friends," said Mr. Basswood.
"Ben, you and your chums can stay here at the hotel. We'll be back
before it's time to retire," and then he set off in the touring-car,
taking his wife with him.

As the hotel at Rayville made a specialty of catering to automobile
parties, our friends found the accommodations there both ample and
satisfactory. After the hard run of the day, the girls and the boys were
glad to rest awhile. Then they fixed up for dinner, which was served to
them in a private dining-room, apart from the other patrons of the
house. As might be expected, they had a good deal of fun, and Shadow was
allowed to tell several of his stories, much to his own satisfaction if
not to that of his listeners.

"By this time to-morrow night we ought to be at Bear Camp," said Dave,
after they had finished dinner and gone out on the hotel veranda to
watch what little was going on in the town.

"I guess it will be a good deal more lonely than it is here, Dave,"
observed Jessie.

"There will be too many of us to be lonely," he answered. "I'm looking
forward t