Dorothy and Aunt Betty were sitting on the gallery when they drew up, and waved their hands at Gerald as he let Jim and Ephraim out and turned his machine toward home.

"You are both chauffeurs now, I suppose?" queried Aunt Betty, as the pair came up the walk toward the house.

"Ephraim is, at least," laughed Jim.

"Yas'r, yas'r; I suah is," said Ephraim with a deep chuckle. "Dis yere joy ridin' business am gittin' intuh mah blood. Nebber ain't gone so fast in mah whole life as w'en Mistah Gerald done let dat blame contraption out. Lordy, but we jes' flew!"

"Where did Jim come in?" Dorothy wanted to know.

"Oh, Mistah Gerald teached him how tuh run de machine, en den he teached me. I tell yo' w'at, Miss Betty, I's gwine tuh be yo' shofer all right, en I's gwine tuh be a mighty good one, too."

"He can hardly wait for Gerald to come back to-morrow," said Jim.

"Then Gerald is coming back, is he?" asked Dorothy.

"Yes; we can't learn to run his car in one lesson, you know. I reckon I haven't much call to talk about Ephy's enthusiasm, for the fever's in my blood, too."

"That's what they call 'automobilitis,'" said Aunt Betty.

"Well, whatever hit am, I's got it," said Ephraim, with a grave shake of his head. Then he emitted another chuckle and walked away.

The next few days pa.s.sed quickly.

Gerald came each afternoon, as he had promised, and before the long-looked-for day arrived, both Jim and Ephraim were nearly as proficient in the use of the car as he.

On Tuesday afternoon Molly Breckenridge arrived, as she had promised in her letter, Dorothy, Jim and Metty meeting the train with the barouche.

To describe the meeting between the girls would be impossible. A bystander, observing the hugs and kisses they bestowed upon each other, might well have wondered who they were, to be so lavish with their affection.

"You dear, good girl!" Dorothy kept saying, over and over, each word accented by another kiss.

Molly surprised Jim by kissing him rapturously on the cheek, an act the boy did not like, but which he took with the good nature he knew would be expected of him.

Later, in confidence, he confessed his displeasure to Gerald, which caused that young man to go off into a fit of merriment.

"You're a funny fellow, Jim," he said, finally, when he had induced a sober expression to remain on his face. "Most fellows would go several miles out of their way to get a kiss from Molly Breckenridge.

But you, with kisses thrust upon you, are angry. Well, that may be all right, but I don't understand it--hanged if I do!"

But Jim vouchsafed no further comment. He only smiled and shook his head.

CHAPTER V

THE CAMP IN THE MOUNTAINS

Old Bellvieu was early astir on Wednesday morning, the time set for the departure. At four o'clock, when the darkness without was still intense, Ephraim, who had been awakened by an alarm clock, went from door to door of the big mansion, arousing the inmates.

The provisions and cooking utensils had been packed in baskets and were setting in the front hall, ready to be carried to the automobile when Gerald and Aurora should arrive. There was also a hamper containing extra clothes for Aunt Betty, Dorothy and Molly.

It was two sleepy-eyed girls who came slowly down the back stairway to eat hominy, biscuits and coffee, prepared by Chloe and Dinah in the big kitchen--sleepy-eyed, because the chums had lain awake more than half the night talking over old times. Molly's trip to California had been told of to the most minute detail, and at the end of the discourse Dorothy had started on her adventures at Oak Knowe.

Then to sleep at half past one, to rise at four!

It was no wonder Dorothy said, as they entered the kitchen:

"I feel like the last rose of summer. The next time you keep me awake till nearly morning, Molly Breckenridge, I'm going to be revenged."

"The same to you, Dorothy Calvert," was Molly's retort. "You seem to have no regard for my condition after my long journey here. I needed rest, but you kept me awake all night with your constant chatter, telling me things that did not interest me."

"I didn't!"

"You did!"

And so forth and so on. Then, when Chloe, Dinah and Metty, were staring open-mouthed, impressed with the fact that the young ladies had apparently descended in a very bad humor, both girls laughed, threw their arms about each other's neck, and concluded their performance with a resounding kiss.

"My, how affectionate!" said Aunt Betty, who entered at this moment.

"And what swollen eyes!"

"Why, isn't that strange?" asked Dorothy, a.s.suming an innocent look.

"She says our eyes are swollen, Molly--and after all the sleep we had, too."

Aunt Betty laughed.

"Do you think, my dears, I did not hear you talking 'way into the night?"

"Oh, did you, auntie?"

"Yes; but it was your first night together, so I decided to say nothing. But come; let us eat, for Gerald and Aurora will shortly be here in the car."

The girls needed no second invitation. The coffee, made by Chloe, after Aunt Betty's special recipe, was delicious, and served to revive the sleepy girls, while the biscuits, as Molly expressed it, "fairly melted in your mouth."

The meal over, preparations for departure went forward rapidly, and when, at half past five, just as the sun was getting ready to peep above the distant horizon, the big touring car drew up in front of the place, Aunt Betty, the girls, Jim and Ephraim were all waiting on the gallery.

"Ship ahoy! What ship is that?" cried Jim, cupping his hands at Gerald.

"The good ship Ajax, out of Baltimore for the South Mountains. Four first and one second cla.s.s cabins reserved for your party, Mr.

Barlow."

[Ill.u.s.tration: "THE PARTY CLIMBED INTO THE BIG MACHINE."

"_Dorothy's Triumph._"]

There was much good-natured badinage as the party climbed into the big machine. Molly and Aurora seemed to take to each other from the first, and Aunt Betty saw with no little satisfaction that the trip bade fair to be a happy one.

When the baskets were all under the seats, or placed in the great trunk-like compartment on the rear of the machine, along with several large tent flaps and a coil of rope, the party waved a cheery good-by to Chloe, Dinah and Metty, Gerald started the Ajax, and they went bowling off down the smooth road on the first stage of their journey.

Gerald occupied the driver's seat with Dorothy beside him. In the big rear seat were Aunt Betty, Molly and Aurora, while the smaller seats at either side were occupied by Jim and Ephraim.