“I don’t need any towing,” returned Spink, sharply. “There’s one thing sure, I can beat that old milkwagon of yours. Better take up my offer, girls!” he added, grinning impudently.
He did shoot away in advance at a good pace, and Lettie cried, under her breath: “Oh! don’t you dare to let him beat us, Dan Speedwell!”
“The race is not always to the swift,” returned Dan, smiling.
“I really wouldn’t pay any attention to that fellow,” said Mildred. “He is not worth noticing. And I don’t see any reason why he should be so mean to us.”
“Looks to me as though he wanted to cut Dan and me out with you girls,” chuckled Billy.
“Well!” said Lettie Parker, in earnest for once, “that might be, too. But the particular reason why he dislikes you boys is because you don’t ‘make much’ of him as some of the others do. You know, Barry’s mother is rich.”
“Seems to me I’ve heard something about that before,” said Dan, laughing.
“He got in bad with you boys at the start. Billy only charged him a nickel for saving his life—isn’t that so, Billy?” asked Lettie, with a giggle.
“I didn’t want to overcharge the poor chap,” returned Billy, with an answering grin.
“Well, you can’t expect him to feel very kindly towards you, then,” said Lettie.