her.

"We'll take it off when we get around the corner," he promised.

"What does this mean?" demanded Belle, rather indignantly, of Norton.

"I guess they take this for a wedding procession," he replied.

"And who are----"

She stopped suddenly.

"I see!" she exclaimed, as the meaning of the rice came to her. "Well, I
don't think this a bit nice. I'd rather have my sister back here with me,"
she went on coldly. "Mrs. Fordam, is there anything on our car--any of
those silly white satin ribbons, or----"

"Old shoes?" suggested Norton, rather abashed at the way his joke had been
received.

The chaperone looked over the rear of the tonneau.

"There's a strip of cloth on here, with some letters on it," she answered,
"but I can't read it upside down without my glasses. Surely----"

She hesitated for a moment, and then cried:

"The rice! Oh, I see! Boys, you shouldn't have done it!" but she laughed
nevertheless, and Norton felt more relieved.

"It was only in fun," he protested.

"A boy's idea of fun, and a girl's, often differ exceedingly," spoke Mrs.
Fordam. "I really think it had better be taken off."

The crowd had been following along the sidewalk, tossing rice and
showering congratulations on those in the "bridal-car." Norton saw that
Mrs. Fordam meant what she said. So he stopped the machine and got out to
remove the placard, just as Cora was about to turn around to learn more of
the cause of the merriment. Norton ripped off the lettered muslin and
tossed it aside.

"It may do for someone else to play a joke with," he remarked. "I guess I
got myself in bad here. I'll have to make up for it."

"There, you needn't get out--Norton is fixing it," said Bess to Walter.
"But I think I'll ride in my own car, if you don't mind," and she prepared
to get out as he put on the brakes.

"Not mad; are you?" he asked, and there was a note of anxiety in his voice.

"No, not exactly," she replied with a smile.

Cora, who had made the turn, and had learned what had happened, said
nothing. She looked at Jack rather reprovingly, however. Then, the crowd
seeing no more chance for fun, began to drop back. The autos went on, the
twins in their own, and Walter back with Norton, while Jack and Ed rode
together, Cora being with Eline up ahead--a pacemaker.

There was a little coldness among the girls and boys--on the side of the
girls--when they stopped for dinner at a country hotel. Nothing of moment
had occurred on the