"Girls," proposed Grace, after they had recovered from the exhibition of the waltzing dog, "let's go in wading."

"What a great idea, Grace!" cried Ruth. In a jiffy they had their shoes and stockings piled together on the bank and had slipped into the little pool of clear, running water.

Zerlina watched them from the bank. Perhaps Miss Sallie was right, and water had no charms for this Gypsy child.

As they clung to each other, giving little shrieks of pleasure and making a great splashing, Mollie exclaimed suddenly:

"Look, look! Here comes a man!"

Sure enough there was a man emerging from the trees on the other side of the stream. The girls scampered excitedly out of the water, giggling, as girls will do, and sat in a row on the bank, tailor-fashion, hiding their wet feet under their skirts.

By this time the stranger had come up to the pool and stood gazing in amazement at the party of young women.

"Well, for the love of Mike!" he exclaimed.

It was Jimmie Butler, one of the major's house party.

Then he caught sight of the pyramid of shoes and stockings; his face broke into a smile and he laughed so contagiously that everybody joined in. Once more the enchanted pool was given over to merriment.

"Where on earth did you come from?" demanded Ruth.

"And where have you been?" he echoed.

Whereupon everybody talked at once, until all the adventures had been related.

"And you're actually alive, after all these hairbreadth escapes, and able to amuse yourselves in this simple fashion?" gasped Jimmie Butler.

"Ladies, putting all joking aside, permit me to compliment you on your amazing nerve. I don't think I ever met a really brave woman before, and to be introduced to five at once! Why, I feel as if I were at a meeting of suffragettes!"

"But how did you happen to be here?" repeated Ruth.

"Oh, I'm just out for a morning stroll," he replied. "I came to see the haunted pool."

"Just take another little stroll, for five minutes, until we get on our shoes and stockings. Then we'll all go back to our home of canvas," said Ruth.

By the time they had reached the encampment Bab had almost forgotten about the strange face she had seen, and they were all talking happily together about Ten Eyck Hall, which, according to Jimmie Butler, was the finest old house in that part of the country.

In the meantime the major himself had arrived in his automobile, while the boys had ridden over on horseback. When the others came up, they found the chauffeur busily engaged in repairing the tires of Ruth's automobile. Miss Stuart and Major Ten Eyck were deep in conversation, while the Gypsies stood about in groups, looking at the strangers indifferently.

"Miss Ruth," said the major, after greetings had been exchanged, "if you can run this machine, suppose we start at once and leave my chauffeur to follow with yours. You ladies must be very hungry. We will have an early luncheon."

The girls said good-bye to the Gypsies and thanked them graciously. Ruth had tried to compensate Granny Ann, but the old woman had haughtily refused to accept a cent.

"A Gypsy takes nothing from his guest," she said, and Ruth was obliged to let the matter drop. However, she made the old Gypsy promise to bring her granddaughter over to see them very soon, and as they disappeared down the road, they saw Zerlina leaning against a tree, watching them wistfully.

At last, the journey which had been so full of peril and adventure was ended, and "The Automobile Girls" arrived safely at Ten Eyck Hall.

CHAPTER IX-TEN EYCK HALL

Ten Eyck Hall, with its high-peaked roofs, its rambling wings and innumerable dormer windows, seemed to the four girls the very home of romance.

It was an enormous house built of brick, turned a faded pink, now, from age, which made a delicate background for the heavy vines that shaded the piazzas and balconies and clambered up to the roof itself.

The handsome old master of this charming house leaped to the ground as lightly as one of his nephews, the moment the automobile drew up at the front door. Lifting his hat he made a low, old-fashioned bow.

"Dear ladies," he said, "you are as welcome to my home as the flowers in spring!" Giving his arm to Miss Stuart, he conducted her up the front steps. The great double doors flew open as if by magic, and the party filed into the vast center hall, on each side of which stood the servants of the household, headed by the butler and his wife, the housekeeper.

"Dear me," exclaimed Miss Sallie, "I feel as if I were entering a baronial castle. Why did you never tell me years ago you owned such a fine place, John Ten Eyck?"

"Because I didn't in those days, Sallie," answered the major. "There were several heirs ahead of me then. But I always wanted you to come and see it. Don't you remember my mother wrote and asked you to make us a visit? But you were going abroad, that summer, and couldn't come."

"Well, I was a very foolish girl," replied Miss Sallie. "But better late than never, John, and it will be a pleasure to see the young people enjoy themselves in this beautiful house."

Some of the young people were already plainly showing their delight and pleasure in the visit. The major made a smiling gesture toward the four young girls, who, with arms around each other's waists, were strolling up the great hall toward the fireplace at the far end, pausing here and there to look at the fine old portraits and curious carved cabinets and settees. Many of the latter had been collected by the major during his travels abroad.

"I feel like a princess in a castle, Major," called Ruth.

"And here comes one of the princes, my dear," answered the major, glancing up at the broad staircase which occupied one side of the hall.

All eyes followed the direction of his gaze, and an exclamation of surprise escaped the lips of the automobilists. For there, on the landing of the staircase, looking down at the little group of people below as calmly as a real prince might regard his subjects, was the motor cyclist.

"Why, it's Mr. Martinez!" exclaimed Miss Sallie. "How are you?" she said graciously, as he descended the broad staircase. "We had no idea you were a friend of the major's, too."

"Nor had I, Madam," replied the young man, as he bowed low over Miss Stuart's hand and acknowledged the greetings of the girls. "I did not know who Major Ten Eyck was when he was stopping at the hotel, or I should have presented my letter there. It was a surprise to find in him the same gentleman I had come down to meet, and it is, indeed, a great pleasure and surprise to meet you and the young ladies so soon again."

"Martinez is the son of an old friend of mine, Jose Martinez of Madrid,"

broke in the major. "But how did you happen to meet him?"

Miss Stuart explained that he was the brave young man who had saved them from the attack of the drunken tramp.

"My dear Jose," exclaimed the major, grasping him cordially by the hand, "you were brave. It was an act worthy of your father, and I can say no more for you than that."

The young man flushed, and for the first time in their acquaintance showed signs of real embarra.s.sment.

"It was nothing," he said. "The man was drunk and drunken men are easy to manage."

"But he was not easy to manage," exclaimed Ruth. "He was a giant in size and strength."

The young foreigner shrugged his shoulders and the flush deepened on his face.

"Well, well," laughed Major Ten Eyck, "we won't embarra.s.s you any more by insisting on your being a hero whether you will or no. Here comes Mary to show you to your rooms, ladies. You look as fresh as the morning, but after a night spent in a Gypsy camp perhaps you would like to spruce up a bit before luncheon. Come along, Jose, and let me show you my library. I am very proud of my collection of Spanish books. I want your opinion of them."

The major waved his hand gallantly to the five women who were following the housekeeper up the carved oak staircase to the regions above.

"Am I awake, or asleep?" asked Mollie. "This whole morning has seemed like a dream, and now this lovely old house--"

"And the lovely old major, in the lovely old house," added Ruth.