"I have known one to be of service on a motor boat," spoke Betty. "I bent it in the shape of a spring, and used it on a valve in the Gem."
"I'm afraid there's more than that the matter here," spoke Mollie, as she raised the hood of her car. "That one cylinder must have affected the others, in some way."
"Gracious!" exclaimed Amy, "I didn't know auto diseases were catching in that way. We must be careful, girls."
"It's getting darker," observed Betty. "We must be quick Mollie, if we're to get to shelter before the storm breaks."
It was growing dark and gloomy, and though it was not yet seven o'clock the lowering clouds had added to the dusk of approaching night. Occasionally, in the distance, could be heard the low rumbling of thunder.
"Oh dear!" exclaimed Grace. "We are in for a drenching, that's sure."
"Not necessarily!" said Mollie, a bit sharply. "I'd remind you that my car has a top, and we can put it up."
"That's all right," spoke Betty, soothingly, for she noted that Mollie's temper might get the best of her under the stress of the trouble. "Let's look at the engine first. Shall I light the lamps, Mollie?"
"Yes, do. I didn't think of them. Light the oil ones as well as switch on the electrics. We may need both, and I am not sure of that storage battery. The last place I had it looked at the man said it would need re-charging soon."
While Betty, with the aid of Grace, set the oil and electric head lamps aglow, and saw that the tail light was also in service, Mollie was peering at the motor.