"If the luck keeps up, all right." This from Dave, who could not let go all his mental bearings without some pessimistic afterthoughts. "But who's to say it will hold out? One thing I rather insist on, Phil, since you make a sort of bluff at being our leader. Let's stick to the guide book route, whether we go through Albany to Boston or whether we short-cut through the Catskills and down the Hudson to New York. That's my opinion." They argued it out that last night at Griffin, which they were to leave in the morning for the east. "Somehow I'd like to see New York more'n Boston, I think," remarked Way. "It would shorten the time of our vacation, and give us more time for side trips, say to Niagara Falls or, if we went down the Hudson, to West Point." "Geewhillikins! Stop it, Phil!" cried Paul, making a grimace. "I tell you what, boys! After all our troubles we're going to take in the real country from here on. If I don't see the Falls, 'twill be because you vote against the Big Six going there." "And West Point!" This from MacLester, no longer gloomy-viewed. "I've wanted to see that place ever so long." "Tell you what we can do," chimed in Billy, who had been listening intently. "Let's have a sort of elastic program, a go-as-you-please route, governed each day by taking a vote as to how we'll go from then on, subject always to approval of a majority of the voters." "Will that do?" queried Phil humorously. "There are only four votes. Suppose it's a tie, what then?" "Aw, Phil!" from the irrepressible Paul. "If it comes to a tie, we'll keep talking and voting until it's unanimous or three to one. I guess we've all got some horse sense!" Without too much stickling for unanimity, it was finally agreed that while the general plan of the eastern trip should remain the same, whenever advisable there would also be discussions of the next move which would require at least a three-to-one vote in order to decide. "We may all be fools some of the time," voiced Dave sagely, paraphrasing Lincoln's noteworthy pronouncement, "but we won't all of us be fools all the time." This while shaking his head dubiously at Jones, Esq., who sniffed scornfully. Accordingly, the following morning when the Big Six left Griffin its course was eastward over the big highway prescribed in the guide book. Phil, Dave and Paul took turns at the wheel, and when night was again upon them they were nearing a small town where, according to the guide book, one might turn to the left and before the day was over be fairly within an hour or so of Niagara Falls. They put up at a modest hotel, stored the auto in a convenient garage, took supper and, after a short stroll along an uninteresting main street, retired for the night to a large bedroom with two double beds. Some debate ensued as to whether they should turn off and visit the big falls, during which Worth dropped off asleep while MacLester nearly jerked his head loose as he nodded from the depths of an ancient armchair.