“We’ll keep these pictures for the present,” said Mr. Rockwell. “They’ll be returned to their respective owners later.”
When the Rovers and the others rejoined the girls they found the latter eagerly discussing the sudden and unceremonious departure of Joe Sedley.
“Why, he never even noticed us!” declared Martha. “He looked as dark as a thundercloud and as mad as a hornet. He dashed over to his car, leaped in, slammed the door after him, and made off as if the very old Nick was in pursuit.”
“Well, I don’t blame him for feeling bad,” said Jack. “But I don’t think I’d show it like that if I had been in his place.”
“Then, you really won, Jack?” cried May. “Wasn’t that grand!”
“If he really thinks it’s a tie, Jack, why don’t you ride the race over again?” said Ruth. “Perhaps you could give him a worse beating.”
“I don’t think Jack ought to ride it over again!” declared Martha. “If he won it, he won it, and that’s all there is to it.”
“That’s just what I say!” broke in Mary.
“Well, I think I’d ride it over again rather than have all this fuss and feather and make an enemy of Joe Sedley,” declared Ruth, and once again Jack felt that she was raising a barrier between them.