“Got what?” demanded the others.
“Why, a place to put the jewels in, of course. Mother’s safe.”
“But would she like us to use her safe?” asked Billie.
“She won’t mind. I’ll tell her it’s something of yours. She never uses it. We haven’t anything to keep in it now,” Mary added simply. “Father used it in his life time and Mother has just kept it since because we are always expecting to make lots of money, you know, and then we might need it. I know the combination, and we can go straight home and put them in. No one would ever think of looking for jewels in our little house, and they ought to be as safe there as any place in the world.”
“Mary, dear, you are a trump,” exclaimed Billie. “It’s a perfect idea.”
In another moment, they had faced about and were on their way back to town.
“Dear old car,” ejaculated Elinor, patting the red leather tenderly. “Mary’s right, we couldn’t get on without you. We consult you exactly as the ancients consulted oracles. I think all your cushions must be stuffed with good advice, instead of horse hair, and your big all-seeing eye is always on the lookout for danger——”
“And his heart is true to his jolly crew,” sang Nancy.
“He is better than a horse,” put in Mary, “because he never gets tired.”
“And when he’s empty we fill him with gasoline, and he’ll go ahead as fresh as ever,” went on Billie.