“You won’t tell them that, P. E.? Please don’t tell them that. It would so discourage them that they would quit instantly.”
“You don’t know your friends, I see,” answered Disbrow with a short laugh. “They would laugh at me were I to make such an announcement, and tell me very quietly and confidently that they were going to enter the tournament and were going to win. What are you going to do with such spirit as that? I take off my hat to it. Whatever P. Earlington Disbrow can do for those plucky young women he is going to do, and don’t forget it, Captain George Baker!”
CHAPTER XIV
A STEAM ROLLER TO THE RESCUE
The tired girls were awakened by a terrific racket. Groanings, clankings and an unfamiliar hiss greeted their ears. They opened their eyes to find that the day had dawned. But what meant this terrible uproar? A shrill, piercing whistle split the calm of the morning.
“Thave me! A train of carth ith coming through the woodth,” cried Tommy. “Oh, thtop them! They’ll run over the tennith court. Thave me!”
Harriet, who had sprung out of bed ahead of her companions, ran to the tent-opening and peered out. Her eyes grew large as she gazed. What she saw was a huge steam roller, enveloped in a cloud of steam. The roller was bumping over the uneven ground, jerking from side to side and making frantic efforts to escape from the rough trail over which the guiding hand of the engineer was directing it.
“For mercy’s sake, what does it mean?” gasped Harriet.
“It evidently is a mistake,” replied Miss Elting. “He has missed his way. Isn’t that man from Meadow-Brook?”
“Yes, he is. But I do not know him. I have seen him driving his steam roller through the streets. He is employed on the improved roads, I believe.”
“He’s coming right this way. He will run down the tent,” cried Margery.