“We are trying to find out something about a big automobile that came along here about ten days ago,” said Roger. “It was a great big enclosed car, and one of the mud-guards was smashed.”
“Oh, I remember that car, Nellie!” cried one of the girls. “Don’t you remember? It’s the one that stopped over by Radley’s orchard.”
“Indeed I do remember!” answered Nellie, with a toss of her head. “Didn’t they come close to running over Rover?”
“What did the car stop at the orchard for?” asked Dave.
“I don’t know exactly. I think they had to fix something on it. Anyway, the man opened the tin door on the top of the front,” answered the girl. “That was broken, too, just like the tin thing over the wheels.”
“They didn’t stop for that,” said another one of the girls. “They stopped to send Billy Barton on an errand down to the hotel.”
This announcement on the part of the little girl filled our hero and Roger with increased interest.
“Where is this Billy Barton, and what did he go to the hotel for?” questioned Dave.
“The man who ran the car gave Billy a note to give to two young ladies who, he said, would either be at the hotel or would soon get there. Billy said he saw two young ladies just going into the hotel, and asked them if they were the people he was looking for, and they said ‘Yes’; and so Billy gave them the note. The man gave him ten cents for doing it. I wish I could deliver a note and get ten cents for it,” continued the little girl wistfully.
“Well, you’re going to get ten cents for telling me all about those people in the automobile,” said our hero, and produced several dimes which he distributed among those present, much to their astonishment and gratification.