Philip held the lamp while Patty peered anxiously into the motor.
She didn’t understand fully all the complicated parts, but she had a fair working knowledge of its main principles, and she, too, was unable to discover anything wrong or out of order.
“We’re in a lovely mess,” she observed, cheerfully, as she stood looking at Philip.
“Yes, we’re up against it,” he rejoined, but his tone was as cheerful as her own, and they both laughed as they looked at each other. For, given a moonlight night, and two merry young people, it is not difficult to look on the bright side of a motor misfortune.
“Now,” said Patty, philosophically, “what do we do next?”
“I’m not very familiar with this locality, but, if there were any chance of a big car coming along, we’d ask them to tow us. The running gear of this car is all right.”
“Yes, and so is the steering gear. And the batteries seem to be in perfect order. I can’t imagine what’s the matter. However, I can inform you there’s precious little chance of any car coming along this way now. Seashore people always go to bed early, and they never ride at night, anyhow. No, we’ll have to walk home.”
“And leave the car here?”
“Yes; I hate to do it. But nobody can steal her, for she won’t go.”
“But somebody might steal her and tow her away. That is, if a car should come along, and we weren’t here.”