The Watermelon turned carelessly and spoke to Henrietta. "That was a pretty bird up there. Did you see it?"
"Yes," said Henrietta automatically, though she had seen no bird. She heard the two men now right behind the car and she sank back limply. All was over.
"Well?" queried the Watermelon.
"By gum," admitted the man with the key. "It fits."
CHAPTER XIII
ONLY TO BE LOST
Bartlett grinned and removed his hat to wipe his brow. The general strove not to show a guilty surprise, Billy giggled and Henrietta began to live again.
The Watermelon held out his hand. "My key, please. Kindly remove that piece of artillery from the road and we will go on."
The man, covered with perspiration and embarrassment, handed back the key. "When the Browns come back, shall we tell them you called?"
"Certainly," said the general pompously, and in the exuberance of the reaction, he drew a half dollar from his pocket and handed it to the fellow. "Kindly give that to Dick," said he with the benevolence of a grandfather.