“Maybe they are college students,” said Alice, “out for a joy ride. They looked young.”
“My gracious, Alice, did you even notice their ages,” teased Florence. Then, turning to their chaperone, “Mrs. Remington, I see you will have to keep your eye on this young lady during the trip.”
“Now, Flos, that isn’t fair!” protested the accused. “You know there was something unusual—likely to attract attention—about that car. You girls probably all noticed it, and most of you would look at the young men too, if you got the chance!”
“Guilty!” admitted Marjorie, in self-accusation.
“Well, it serves them right if they get arrested,” said Alice. “I only hope they don’t have any accidents.”
She spoke lightly, and yet she could not dismiss the young men from her mind. They really were very striking looking—almost distinguished—and they had looked at the girls as they passed them. Indeed it seemed to Alice that they had given her in particular an especial amount of attention.
By the time they had been riding for an hour or two longer, and had seen hundreds of machines, Alice had almost forgotten them, and probably would never have thought of them again, except for an incident which occurred while the girls were eating lunch. They drew up in front of a little tea-room, and were just preparing to get out when Alice caught a glimpse of a bright red car, coming from the opposite direction. She grasped Marjorie’s arm.
“Look, Marj! That must be our friends!” she exclaimed.
“What friends?” demanded Marjorie, who had totally forgotten the incident of the morning.
“Why, the young men you people teased me about. Don’t you remember?”