On the morning trip they would bring back the mail and any orders that might be needed for the house or the Scout camp. In the afternoon the trip would be made for passenger service only, and at evening the mail would be brought back, or any purchases needed at Tompkins’ store.
The initial trip was made that morning at nine-thirty, the girls wishing Frances all success in her new venture. As the car disappeared down the road Natalie hurried to her garden to go to work on the weeding.
Janet went to the farmyard to begin building some sort of shelter for a calf she purposed buying from Mr. Ames. And Norma began to plant seeds in her flower beds. Mrs. James went in to help Rachel, and Belle was left alone on the porch to plan various things to interest herself, also.
As she rocked nervously, trying to think of something agreeable to do, she heard Natalie cry loudly from the garden. She sprang from the porch and ran down the path to render any help possible to the friend in distress, and saw Natalie jumping up and down, with skirts held high and close about her form.
“Oh, oh! Belle,—bring a rock! Get a gun—anything—quick!” yelled Natalie.
“What for—what’s the matter?” shouted Belle, looking anxiously about for a stone or a big stick.
“A snake! A great big snake ran out of the ground and tried to get me!” screamed Natalie, still jumping up and down.
Belle caught up a heavy stone and tried to carry it quickly to her friend, but she had to drop it after running a short distance, as it was too heavy for her. Then she found a smaller stone and ran with that to demolish utterly the awful thing!
“Where is it? Where did it go?” cried Belle excitedly, as she reached the vegetable beds.
“Oh, oh—it came out of that hole in the corn-hill, and ran that way!” gasped Natalie, breathless with her violent exercise.