At ten o'clock the girls heard loud tootings, and Janet, who was putting on her hat, hurried to the window.
"Oh, Phyl, do look; three automobiles full of every girl and boy you ever knew."
They rushed downstairs, and Mr. Keith met them at the door.
"All ready?" he inquired. "Come along, Miss Carter; we will lead the way."
The girls were too excited to answer. They followed their aunt to the waiting cars, where a babble of greetings met them. Mr. Keith helped Miss Carter into the first one, and the girls into the second.
"Go ahead," he called to the chauffeurs, and jumped in after them.
Phyllis could see that Mrs. Vincent was in the last car. She smiled and waved to her.
Daphne and Chuck and Jerry and Howard were in their car, and they squeezed up to make room for Janet and Phyllis. Mr. Keith sat in the front beside the driver.
A buzz of questions and speculations rose from every car, but no one seemed to have the least idea where they were going.
They picked their way carefully through the city streets, but once in the country they flew along. Towns whizzed by, and at last they slowed up for Poughkeepsie, crossed the river on the ferry, and snorted up the hill on the other side.