"All right!" Bob said. "I see a house down the road."
"Perhaps they'll have some gas," Jim said, hopefully, as they started off.
But it was after seven before they finally got back to the hotel. Jim had had to walk miles before he could get a pail of gasoline, and then on the way back one of the tires had blown out.
Mrs. Farwell was waiting for them in the lobby. She looked thoroughly frightened.
"Children, where have you been?" she asked.
Bob explained.
"We couldn't get here a second sooner," he concluded.
"I'm awfully sorry, Mrs. Farwell," Jim added, apologetically, "I never felt so ashamed in my life; but I really did start with plenty of gas, only the tank leaked," he finished ruefully.
Mrs. Farwell smiled her forgiveness.
"You'll have to hurry through dinner, then go and dress," she said. "Perhaps, after all, the girls aren't so very tired."