"You bet he does!" replied Bill himself, and they whizzed on.
Patty had never gone so fast. Though it was a warm night, the rush of wind chilled her, and she shivered. Jack, seeing this, picked up a lap-robe and wrapped it about her.
"Don"t want to turn back yet, do you?" he asked.
"We must turn soon," Patty managed to reply, but Jack scarcely heard the words.
The big moon was setting when Bill turned the car inland, and shouting, "We"re going to drive straight into that moon!" made a mad dash toward it.
"Hurry up!" cried Patty. "Catch it before it drops below the horizon.
Speed her!"
CHAPTER XI
THE WORST STORM EVER!
Patty"s gay words added the final spur to Farnsworth"s enthusiasm, and with a whoop of glee, he darted ahead faster than ever. Though his manner and appearance gave the effect of recklessness, Big Bill knew quite well what he was doing. He was a magnificent driver, and however seemingly careless he might be, his whole mind was alert and intent on his work. The road, hard and white, glistened in the moonlight.
Straight and clear, it seemed truly to lead directly into the great yellow disk, now dropped almost low enough to touch it.
"Whoopee!" shouted Bill. "This is some going! Sit tight, Daisy, and hold on for all you"re worth! Are you people in the back hall all right?"
"Right we are!" returned Jack. "Are you going straight THROUGH the moon?"
"Yep! If we catch her in time! Hallo, she"s touched the earth!"
It was a great game. The road was so level and so free of obstruction that they kept the centre, and seemed to be shooting, at whistling speed, into that enormous yellow circle.
But, already, the horizon was swallowing up their goal. The laughing quartette saw the circle of gold become a semi-circle, then a mere arc, and soon only a glimpse of yellow remained, which immediately vanished, and save for a faint reminiscent glow, the western sky was dark.
"Where are your stars?" queried Farnsworth, gazing upward. "Nice country, this! No stars, no moon, no nothin"!"
"The lamps give enough light," cried Daisy. "Don"t slow down, Bill! Go on, this flying is grand!"
"Come on in,--the flying"s fine!" laughed Bill, and again they went at highest speed.
But with the setting of the moon, Patty"s spirit of adventure calmed down.
"Oh, do let"s turn back," she begged. "He doesn"t hear me,--make him hear, Jack."
"I say, Farnsworth," and Jack tapped the burly shoulder in front of him, "we"ve gone far enough. Back to the old home, eh?"
"Back it is!" and the driver slowed down, and picking a wide, clear s.p.a.ce, deftly turned the machine around. But at sight of the eastern sky, every one exclaimed in dismay.
Though the moon had set clearly, and the west was a dull grey, the eastern sky was black. Turbulent ma.s.ses of clouds climbed, rolling, to the zenith; faint lights appeared now and then, and a dim rumble of distant thunder was heard at intervals.
"Shower coming up," said Farnsworth, blithely; "better streak for home.
Wish I"d turned sooner. But we"ll beat the storm. Wish the girls had some wraps. Here, Daisy, take my coat and put it on while you"ve a chance. It"ll look pretty silly on you, but it will keep your furbelows from getting spoiled."
"Yes, I will take it, Billy. I"m awfully chilly."
As Daisy already had a laprobe, Patty looked at her in astonishment, as she let Farnsworth take off his coat and put it on her. An ordinary evening coat, it was not a great protection, but Daisy turned up the collar and made herself as comfortable as she could. Then she tucked the laprobe carefully over her skirts, though as yet no drop of rain had descended.
"No, indeed!" said Patty, as Jack offered her his coat. "I have the laprobe, you know, and I"ll put it round my shoulders. Never mind if my skirts are spoilt. Turn up your collar, Jack, it will pour in a minute now."
And pour it did! Suddenly, without a preliminary sprinkle, the floods dropped straight from the heavens. A drenching, pouring rain that soaked the occupants of the open car before they could realise what had happened. Gusts of wind added to their discomfort, and then the thunder and lightning, drawn nearer, gave the greatest exhibition of an electrical storm that had been seen all summer.
Patty, who was confessedly afraid of thunder storms, shivered, on the verge of nervous hysterics. Finally, at a specially ear-splitting bolt and blinding flash, which were almost simultaneous, she gave a little shriek and pulled the wet laprobe over her head. She crumpled down into a little heap, and, frightened lest she should faint, Pennington put his arm round her and held her in a rea.s.suring clasp.
Daisy Dow was more angry than frightened. She hadn"t Patty"s fear of the elements, but she greatly objected to the uncomfortable situation in which she found herself.
"Do get home, Bill!" she cried, crossly. "Can"t you go any faster?"
The big fellow, in his white shirtsleeves, bent to his wheel. He had worn no hat, and the rain fairly rebounded as it dashed on his thick mat of soaking wet hair.
"Speed her, Bill," went on Daisy, petulantly; "you could go fast enough in the moonlight,--why do you slow down now, when we all want to get home?"
No answer from Farnsworth, who was intently looking and listening.
"Why DO you, Bill?" reiterated the irritating voice, and Farnsworth"s never very patient temper gave way.
"Shut up, Daisy!" he cried. "I"m doing the best I can,--but that"s all the good it does. We"ve got to stop. The gasolene is out!"
All of them, accustomed to motors, knew what this meant. Like a flash, each mind flew back to think who was to blame for this. And each realised that it was not the fault of the chauffeur at "Red Chimneys"
who had let them take out the car. For, had they not said they were going only for a short spin? And the car had been amply stocked for about two hours. Yes, it must be about two hours since they started, for in their merry mood they had had no thought of time, and had gone far, far inland.
"We can"t stop," shrieked Daisy, "in this storm! No house or shelter near! Bill Farnsworth, I"ll NEVER forgive you for bringing me into this pickle!"
Farnsworth gave a short, sharp laugh.
"I can get along without your forgiveness, Daisy, if I can only get you people home safely. Great Cats, how it rains! I say, Pennington, what do you think we"d better do? Where"s Miss Fairfield?"
Looking around suddenly, Bill saw no sign of Patty in the nondescript heap by Jack"s side. But at his startled question, a wet face and a ma.s.s of tangled curls and apple blossoms, equally wet, emerged from the soaking laprobe.
"Here I am!" said a plaintive little voice that tried hard to be brave.
But a sharp flare of lightning sent the golden head suddenly back to its hiding-place.
"Miss Fairfield is awfully afraid of electrical storms," explained Jack, patting the wet heap anywhere, in a well-meant attempt at rea.s.surance.
"Pooh!" exclaimed Daisy. "What a "fraid-cat! I"m not frightened,--but I"m terribly wet. I"m soaked! I"m drowned!"
"So are we all, Daisy," said Bill, shivering as the wind flapped his dripping shirtsleeves; "but what CAN we do? The car won"t move."
"Well, WE can move! Let"s get out and walk."
"Why, Daisy, what"s the use? Where could we walk to?"