"And both my shoulders are soaking wet," added Mrs. Mackson. "But it might be worse, girls!"
"I don't very well see how," remarked Mollie. "Well, shall we try it?"
The others hesitated a moment. As they waited and listened to the whining of the wind, the swish of the rain and the angry muttering of the thunder, and saw the vivid lightning, it was no wonder they did not want to decide hurriedly to go out in that out burst of the elements. But it was also trying on the nerves to stay in the stalled auto, exposed as it was by the lack of side curtains.
"Oh, let's try it!" suggested Betty in sheer desperation. "We can't any more than get drenched, and our rain coats will be some protection. Come on, girls."
They had the two oil lanterns in the car with them, and carrying them they now emerged from their shelter.
"Gracious! This is awful!" gasped Mollie, as the blast and rain struck her full in the face.
"Keep on!" called Betty, grimly.
"Which way?" asked Amy. "How dark it is!"
"Not when it lightens—that's one good thing about it," said Cousin Jane, cheerfully.
"It's nice you can see some good points," laughed Mollie—yes, actually laughed, and the girls marveled at it. But Mollie had that rare quality of "keeping her nerve," if I may be pardoned that expression, so often and effectively used by my friends, the boys.