Miss Sallie had not spoken again. Her expression was that of a martyr.
“Do you think you can manage, Miss Sallie?” Bab pleaded.
Ruth was explaining matters to the chauffeur. He was to take the car to Lenox. Every afternoon at one o’clock he was to return with it to this fork in the road and wait for half an hour. If “The Automobile Girls” decided on a trip to one of the nearby towns, they would join him at this place; for here the good road ended and the trail up the hillside began. The camp was a long way from any town, but an automobile defies distance.
Miss Stuart looked truly miserable when she saw their car disappear down the foot of the hill. Then she looked around her carefully. The place was entirely deserted.
“Very well,” she declared, resignedly. “I suppose there is nothing for me to do but to climb up into that wretched wagon.”
Ruth, Barbara, Grace, Mollie, Naki and his wife all assisted her to mount over the wheel to the seat of honor. Violet cushions were piled back of her, Grace sat on one side of her, Mollie on the other. Ruth and Barbara were determined to walk.
“We are dreadfully tired sitting still, Aunt Sallie,” Ruth begged. “Please let us follow the wagon!”
“Certainly, you can walk if you are able. In fact, you have no way to ride except in the grocery wagon, where you would probably get mixed up with the pickles and preserves,” responded Miss Stuart. “Walk by all means!”
The cavalcade started.
“Let’s pretend,” proposed Bab to Ruth, “that we are starting out on what the Indians called ‘the long walk.’”