“It’s after ten o’clock now Phil,” Robin was saying. “Really, I think I’d better brave the rain, go over to the garage and run Vera’s car into town. Anna said yesterday that there were only two busses running on the new bus line. There were three, but one has been taken away to another route. Seventy-two girls will crowd two busses. Suppose anything should happen to either of the two? I told Anna to get the crowd to the inn by half past twelve. It will take longer to run out from town in the pouring rain. We mustn’t be a minute late at the inn.”
“I’m very well aware of that, sweet coz,” Phil returned in her bantering fashion. “Far be it from me to allow the gang to be late and disarrange the well-laid plans of Guiseppe.”
“If you intend to paddle out in this deluge and play duck, count me in,” Barbara made valiant announcement.
“You can’t lose me, either,” Phil decided. “Slave, bring me my raincoat, my faithful Tam and my goloshes! Out in the tempest I must go!” She struck a dramatic posture, held it a moment, then said disappointedly: “I fail to see anyone around here who answers to the name of slave. I’ll have to be it myself.”
Ten minutes later the three, with raincoats buttoned to the chin, caps drawn low, high-buckled goloshes on their feet, the largest umbrellas they could find over their heads, were plodding through the rain to the garage which housed Vera’s car. The latter had urged Robin to make use of it during her absence. Leila’s, unfortunately, was laid up for repairs.
“Some of the dormitory girls were going to walk to the campus today. Just imagine!” Phil said ironically to Barbara. The two, seated in the tonneau of the car, watched the drenched landscape through the half-opened curtains as the machine fled along the pike.
“Wade would be more appropriate,” laughed Barbara. “But they’ve changed their minds long before now. Deliver me from any more walks in this flood. I don’t envy Robin her job of chauffeur.”
“We’re making good time.” Phil inspected her wrist watch with a satisfied nod. “We ought to be at the place on Linden Avenue where the busses make their stand by ten minutes past eleven. What time are the dormitory girls to be at the stand?” She leaned forward and called out her question in Robin’s ear.
“Half past eleven,” Robin raised her voice above the beat of the pelting rain, but did not turn her head.
“They’ll have to mob the corner drug store nearest the stand. They can’t stay out on the walk with the rain coming down in cataracts,” commented Phil. “Anna Towne can be depended upon to have them at the bus stand on time. Such a horrible flivver for a holiday! I don’t dare stop to think of it,” she grumbled.