“By Jingo! Then we’d better be off!” exclaimed Mr. Fuzzier.
“I should say so!” added Mr. Dalken, turning to catch hold of Jack’s arm. “You run out and see if we can start in a car at once—Mr. Alexander, Fuzzy and myself. Hustle a good driver into the seat, and tell him not to wait for anything.”
Without waiting to hear more Jack hurried away to do his guardian’s bidding, and Polly was left to answer the anxious questions of the three men. All she could add to her information, however, was of no consequence to the three speculators.
“Polly, we’ll leave you to explain to the others why we had to rush away without waiting to say good-by,” said Mr. Dalken, taking Mr. Fuzzier’s arm, to make him come with him.
“What about our luggage, Dalken?” asked Mr. Alexander, not so anxious to go away in this fashion.
“Oh! Jack will attend to that. The bags can be taken on to the Grand Canyon, where we will meet the ladies.”
Thus, before the rejuvenated mother of Dodo could appear to captivate her two promised admirers, they had vanished from Flagstaff. Jack saw them off, and then turned to laugh at the whole plot.
“If we could get rid of Mrs. Alexander as easily as she rid herself of A. A. A., there might be hopes of enjoying ourselves during the next few days. But she will be in a dreadful mood when she learns how her beaux have disappeared.”
Polly laughed, too, because she could picture the consternation of Dodo’s mother. It would be difficult to make her believe the truth about the sudden departure of the men, and little Mr. Alexander would have to bear the brunt of her anger in the long run.
Soon after the automobile carrying the three financiers had rolled away, Mrs. Alexander “in all her conquering glory” came into the room where Polly and Jack were wondering how she would receive the news. She certainly meant business—if one might judge of her intentions by her costume and make-up. Eleanor and Dodo wisely remained out of sight of their companions; there would have been a unanimous scream of laughter, had they met each other’s eyes.