The girls were glad that the letters had come from the boys just as they had, for it helped them to bridge over the tediously long wait till the next morning.

They read the missives with the little red triangles in the left hand corner over and over again and—­ whisper it!—­ at least two of them slept with the precious letters under their pillows.

And then—­ the morning was upon them.  It was a beautiful morning too, and as the girls dressed hurriedly they were glad that they had arranged to start early.  In that way they could take their time and enjoy to the full the glorious ride to Moonlight Falls.  It was only fifty-five miles, but by driving slowly they could make it seem like twice that.

It was barely half past nine when Betty, having finished breakfast and put the last finishing touches to her new white hat, ran around to the garage to get the car out.

Ten minutes later she had drawn up in front of Mollie’s house, her ears still ringing with the hundred and one instructions of her anxious mother, and was tooting the horn of her little car furiously.

The summons had the desired effect.  Mollie came running from the house, straightening her hat with one hand and lugging a valise in the other while the twins trailed at her skirts.

“For goodness’ sake, let go of me, Paul.  Dodo, if you touch that bag again, I’ll spank you.  Mother,” she wailed, looking back pleadingly over her shoulder, “won’t you please make these little pests go into the house?”

Whereupon Mrs. Billette suddenly appeared at the door, smiled at Betty, grabbed Paul with one hand, Dodo with the other, while the twins roared a protest.

Released, Mollie dropped her bag, sped round to the garage, and in a moment more was backing the big car round to the road.

The girls had decided to about live in their khaki tramping suits on this trip, merely packing in a good dress or two to wear on dress-up occasions.  In this way they had to take less luggage and could have more space to “spread out” as Mollie said.

“Put your grip in here, Betty,” Mollie suggested, as she slung her own grip into the tonneau of the big machine.  “There is more room, and Mrs. Irving said she wouldn’t mind in the least being entirely surrounded by suitcases.”

Betty laughed, did as she was bid, and a moment later they were off, speeding down the road to Grace’s house where they were to pick up the other two girls and Mrs. Irving.

They found the three waiting for them, and it took scarcely any time at all to add the extra grips to the growing pile in the tonneau of Mollie’s car.  Amid great fun, Mrs. Irving, who was rosy-cheeked and matronly and as jolly as the girls, was wedged into the remaining space, Amy climbed to the front seat beside Mollie and Grace took her seat with Betty.

They were off!  The sting of the wind was in their faces, and the sun beat warmly down upon them as they rolled along, passing familiar houses, and sometimes familiar people, to whom they waved, and so on and on till they left the town behind them and started out on the open road.