"So far—so good!" cried Betty, when they had reached the level. "Now to see how far the starter will carry us."
As she spoke a more vivid flash of lightning, and a rumbling crash of thunder, made all the girls, and even Cousin Jane, jump.
"We're going to get it!" predicted Grace, with a shiver.
Betty again repeated her operation with the starter. The car went forward slowly, and the girls were very hopeful, and then suddenly the auto came to a stop with a sort of whining groan, and the electric lights went out.
"Oh, dear! What's happened now?" asked Amy.
"The storage battery has given out," said Mollie. "I was afraid it would. Now, girls, we'll either have to stay here in the auto, or else walk—and be caught in the rain."
"Well, let's get the top up, at all events," suggested Betty. "Then we'll be sure of some shelter."
It began to rain, gently at first, even while they were struggling with the rather refractory top, in the dim light of the two oil lamps. But they managed to get it in place. Then, as they were fastening the side curtains, the storm burst in all its fury, with a suddenness that was almost terrifying.
Grace and Amy, who were trying to fasten a curtain on the side of the auto whence the wind came, screamed and let go of the flap. In an instant, so powerful was the wind, it had ripped off the curtain, sending it scurrying away in the blackness of the night, that was torn and pierced by frequent flashes of lightning.
"Now we have done it!" cried Grace. "Oh, Mollie, I'm so sorry!"