“Yes, I think so,” was the low-voiced answer. “But we planned to have an early tea and—”
“Oh, I promise to get you back home in plenty of time,” the lawyer said, with a laugh. “And after that, if you like, we might take another ride.”
“How wonderful!” murmured Agnes.
“Won’t you stay to tea?” asked Ruth.
“I was waiting for that!” exclaimed Mr. Howbridge. “I shall be delighted. Now then, youngsters, run out and hop in, but don’t touch anything, or you may be in a worse predicament than when you were in the clothes basket elevator.”
“We won’t!” cried Tess and Dot, running down the walk.
“You must come back and be washed!” cried Ruth. It was a standing order—that, and the two little girls knew better than to disobey.
But first they inspected the new car, walking all around it, and breathing in, with the odor of gasoline, the awed remarks of some neighboring children.
“That’s part our car,” Dot told these envious ones, as she and Tess started back toward the house. “We’re going for a ride in it, and don’t you dare touch anything on it or Mr. Howbridge’ll be awful mad!”
“Um, oh, whut a lubly auto,” murmured Alfredia Blossom, who had come on an errand to her grandfather, Uncle Rufus. “Dat’s jest de beatenistest one I eber see!”