“Mr. Gilroy particularly mentioned next season, and besides, you have to become a registered Troop, before you can accept his invitation,” hinted Mrs. Vernon.
“I should think we ought to hurry up and begin, then,” suggested Julie.
“How can we? Those girls in Elmertown will all be away for their vacations, and how can we find them?” grumbled Ruth.
“Mr. Gilroy said he had given orders in Freedom that any time we wanted to take a trip about the country, we were to have the automobile he rented that day for the hunt. He said that this would be his present to you this summer because he would not be here personally to take you about,” said Mrs. Vernon.
“What did you say—did you refuse or accept?” asked Ruth.
“At first I said I didn’t think he ought to pay for the drives, but he silenced me with a look, and said: ‘I have already paid for ten drives in advance—so they must be used up.’”
“Hurrah! Then we can go for one to-morrow, can’t we?” cried Joan.
“I have been planning where to go if we take a drive to-morrow,” answered Mrs. Vernon.
“Why can’t we go to Elmertown, first of all, and find out about the new members. I don’t want to postpone that until it is too late to teach them anything. You see, we must get on in scoutdom, so we can visit Mr. Gilroy’s place next year,” said Julie.
“That’s what I wanted to suggest, Julie—that we drive home and find out about new members,” responded Mrs. Vernon.