“We got to hustle at that,” Captain Quiller reminded them. “I kin see the light a-goin’ an’ the storm’s about spent. But ole Pete’ll be in a canipshun fit. He figgered he jest about knowed I couldn’t get any oil an’ we’d be out o’ luck then,” he admitted dryly.
“But you have got it,” Barbara said proudly. She was holding up the can in proof.
“I’ll get the car,” Dudley said. “See, here’s a pretty good road around the jungle. I’ll be back in a jiff.”
“What a wonderful little boy!” Cara took time now to exclaim. She was now beginning to understand what it was that Barbara so greatly admired in the little Italian. Captain Quiller had called it spunk.
“I’d have got there,” said Nicky stoutly, half apologizing for his predicament, “if my light didn’t go on the blink. Fer jest a minute it danced. An’ that was when I took this header.”
Ruth had been shouting all sorts of questions from the car but no one had time to answer her. Now she was coming along with Dudley. As the strong headlights of the big car caught the group standing waiting a remarkable picture was presented.
“Oh,” squealed Ruth to Dudley. “Just look!”
There stood Cara in the white dress, which shone plainly beneath the cape, Nicky next with his bandaged arm and tattered clothing, his black hair making streaks on his forehead and seeming to hide so much of his small face. On the other side of him, and insisting on holding on to him was Babs in her college gown, and somehow still managing to keep on her head that ridiculous mortar-board cap. Of course it was fitting on her bobbed head pretty closely. And Captain Quiller was actually standing just back of them, his lantern held high above their heads. The can of oil securely held in the other hand could not be seen but he knew it was there and he had a “strangle hold” on it.
No wonder Ruth exclaimed at the picture. It was fit for a “movie set” with unlimited possibilities in the subtitle.
But the lighthouse tender was impatient to be off with the oil for his lamp, and it took all of them but a few minutes to get into the car, while Dudley then expertly drove through the uncertain roads made more uncertain by the ravages of the heavy summer shower.