So were Lida and Esther, they said, but Ruth agreed to go with Cara and Babs, so it happened that those most fantastically attired piled into the touring car, after Captain Quiller.
Babs, being almost fully dressed, just went along in the college robe, at Cara’s suggestion, and Cara actually kept on the bridal dress, because she declared it was too much trouble to get it off, merely throwing a light cape over her shoulders and tossing the bridal veil at Louise as she dashed off. The veil rested comically over Louise’s head and gave the girls on the porch something to joke about as those in the car rumbled off.
“I sense an adventure,” predicted Babs, hopefully. “It seems to me, Cara, you should remember your house party.”
“And call it ‘The Midnight Race for Lighthouse Oil.’ I will,” agreed Cara, while Dudley and the seaman discussed the problem of finding oil at that hour of the night.
Then a vivid flash of lightning followed by a splitting clap of thunder silenced them all.
CHAPTER XII
DUMPED BUT NOT DISCOURAGED
The blackness of the night made the lightning flashes all the more terrifying. Dudley took a firm grip on his steering wheel, while the girls shuddered.
“Pretty slick lightnin’,” muttered Captain Quiller, “an’ my light hasn’t oil enough to keep her goin’ long.”
“And you think you can get it over at the little Italian store?” Dudley asked. “How in the world can we expect to wake the store man up? I imagine an Italian store-keeper might be a pretty good sleeper.”
“Might at that,” agreed the captain. “But we sailors have to trust an awful lot to luck. Somethin’s sure to turn up. Ain’t no countin’ on what it’ll be.”