It seemed odd that she had said nothing about expecting the automobile. And to let this strange fellow run it for her!
Nelson Haley could not drive an automobile himself; just the same he felt a little hurt. When Janice had spent the money Mr. Day sent her to help Lottie Drugg, she had told Nelson all about it, and he had sympathized with her, and admired her all the more for her unselfishness.
He wondered who the young fellow was who drove the new machine, and he asked questions. A young man from out of Polktown would be likely to interest Janice Day, Nelson believed. He felt chagrined that he had never learned to drive a car.
The conversation that went on between Frank Bowman and Janice as the car rolled smoothly up the hilly streets, might have troubled Nelson Haley, too; but all that was said came as a matter of course.
“Your car runs very nicely, Miss Janice,” Frank Bowman observed.
“Oh! I’d love to handle it as you do,” cried the girl. “I’m afraid it will be like a balky horse for me until I have a lot of experience.”
“If you let me give you a few lessons in my spare time, I will guarantee you will run it as well as I do,” laughed Frank. “I’d be glad to lend you my small experience.”
“Oh, Mr. Bowman! I couldn’t take your time.”
“Only some of my leisure,” he hastened to say. “It will keep me out of mischief. You know the old saw about ‘idle hands’?”
“And would you really be getting into mischief?” asked Janice, with mock seriousness.