“First find the crow,” his father told him.
Teddy and Janet made up their minds they would spend all the remainder of the time before leaving for Mount Major looking for Jim. This they did, but without result. Jim remained lost.
Then came the glad day on which they were to start. As much as possible had been packed into the automobile which was roomy. And then in piled Mr. and Mrs. Martin, taking Trouble on the front seat with them, while Ted, Janet and Lucy rode on the rear seat.
“I’ll take care of you, Lucy, if any bobcats come after you,” promised Teddy.
“Har! Har!” laughed fat Lucy. “Ah ain’t skairt ob no bobcats no mo’. Yo’ papa done told me ’bout ’em! Ah ain’t skairt! Har! Har!”
Off they started, the Curlytops and Trouble waving their hands to their playmates who gathered to bid them good-bye and wish them a happy summer in the woods.
Mr. Martin drove around past his store, for he wanted to leave a last word with Mr. Henderson, who was in charge, and the children could see where carpenters were at work repairing the burned shed, for there had been some slight damage there, it was later discovered.
On through the town, out into the beautiful country, rolled the automobile, with Ted and Janet now and then breaking out into short snatches of song to show how happy they were.
They stopped for lunch along a beautiful road that led through the woods, and after eating they walked around to “stretch their legs,” as Mr. Martin called it.
“But we must not delay too long,” said daddy, after a while. “We have a long way yet to go, and I don’t want to arrive after dark. Better pile in, Curlytops!”