“You are two of the young folks my aunt is traveling with, I take it?” said Mr. Collinger, turning to Neale and Agnes. “And I guess you were chasing those fellows.”
“Yes, Mr. Collinger,” Agnes said. “And they would not have got away from us.”
“I am sure they would not,” he returned, smiling. “Tell me about it.”
So the story was told, and then Mr. Collinger decided to drive back to the Higgins place and see Mrs. Heard before starting for Milton. He was warm in his praise of the Corner House girls and Neale, as well as of Sammy Pinkney, for what they had done toward aiding him in securing the car.
The girls did not understand fully the reasons underlying the stealing of the runabout, or why Mr. Collinger did not intend to prosecute Jim Brady and the freckled-faced man.
“I wouldn’t make anything out of it,” the surveyor said. “And I have the car back and, best of all, the maps and papers they wanted to get from me. I am satisfied.”
He remained to dinner with the touring party, and then started back for Milton. But it was not the intention of the Corner House girls and their party to go home immediately.
They spent four more days on the road—days of pure delight for all the Kenway sisters, for even Sammy behaved well during that part of the tour.
Yet, after all, they were glad to get home when the car rolled up to the Willow Street gate of the Stower homestead. Mrs. MacCall and Linda ran out of the gate to welcome them. Uncle Rufus hobbled around from the garden, swinging his tattered straw hat and cheering. Even Aunt Sarah Maltby appeared on the porch to welcome somewhat grimly her nieces and Neale O’Neil.
Then, from across the street came Mrs. Pinkney, with a delighted scream of welcome.