“Perhaps,” returned Dan, cheerfully.
Even Billy kept his temper and grinned at the gibes of Wiley and Fisher. The Breton-Melville car had shown what she could do for a few moments, and that satisfied Billy, as it did his brother. The Speedwells knew that of the three cars, their drab machine was running the smoothest, with less cost, and was as easily governed as any.
They ran on for the rest of the distance to Karnac Lake in the same order, letting Chance, in the Poole car, keep the lead, while the Speedwell and Greene machines ran close together and the occupants were sociable.
They arrived at Stetson Lodge, as the lake cottage was called, in ample season to remove the dust of the journey, and become acquainted with other folk of the cottage colony invited in for supper. It was a merry evening for all, the Stetsons being people who knew very well how to make their guests feel at home.
At eleven o’clock, or a little later, the party broke up. The neighboring guests went home and the members of the party sought their several rooms. Dan and Billy had already explained to Jim Stetson that they intended to run home in their car and return soon after breakfast, or even before, Saturday morning.
“You can’t do it, fellows,” said Jim, as he went out with them, and held the lantern while they ran the drab car out from under the shed and lit the lamps, both fore and aft. “Fifty miles each way—huh! something will happen to the machine as sure as shooting.”
“If she can’t run a hundred miles in twelve hours without going to the repair shop,” snorted Billy, “there isn’t much use in our entering for the thousand mile run.”
“You’re right there, Billy-boy,” said Dan, as he cranked up and the engine began to whirr and pop.
“Well, good luck!” exclaimed Jim, as he closed the shed. “We have to keep these doors locked. You see, that M’Kim chap—Harrington M’Kim—is just crazy about automobiles and uncle doesn’t know what he might do next. He came over here one day last summer and borrowed uncle’s car without saying ‘by your leave’, and started off with it. They caught him, however, in time.”
“What’s the matter with him?” asked Billy.