"At the turnpike junction," replied Cora as she deftly threw in the high speed gear, and that without the terrific grinding of the cogs that betrays the inexperienced hand. The Whirlwind leaped forward, and the girls clutched their hats. "Jack promised he wouldn't be a minute late," went on Cora as she turned out to avoid a rut. "Jack usually is on time," murmured Isabel. She almost lisped, yet the more you heard it the more you thought it was but a pretty little catch in her voice--in the accent--after the manner of babies, who seem to defer all they have to say to their listener. Every one loved Isabel. "Oh, you think so, do you?" asked her sister. "Jack never makes any mistakes apparent to Belle," she added with an arch glance at Cora, with whom she was riding on the front seat. "Never mind," murmured Belle. Mary listened to the talk with evident pleasure. She was not accustomed to this sort of perfectly frank jokes. "There they are!" suddenly cried Cora as the Get There swerved into sight around the corner. Jack, who was at the wheel of his car, with Walter beside him, swung in close to his sister's machine. "All right?" asked Jack, looking critically at Cora as she slowed up the big car, and noting her firm grip of the steering wheel. "Fine and dandy!" exclaimed the girl, with the expression that makes that sort of slang a parody rather than a convenience. "And if there aren't Sid and Ida!" exclaimed Belle. "Seems to me we run into them wherever we go." "As long as it's only metaphorically and not mechanically speaking, it's all right," observed Walter. The yellow Streak glided smoothly along. "Quite a parade," remarked Jack. "Let's make it a race," suggested Cora, her dark eyes flashing in anticipation. Jack glanced at Walter. The relations between him and Sid were rather strained. As for Ida--well, Ida was credited with "running after Walter," and the sentiment of lads toward such girls is too well known to need describing. "Oh, yes! Do let us race!" chimed in Bess. "It would be such fun!" "All right," agreed Jack. "That is, if Sid is, willing." "Will you race, Sidney?" called Cora, before the occupants of the yellow car had had time to greet the others. "Yes, certainly," he assented. "I would like nothing better." "Then we'll have to handicap the girls," suggested Walter. "They have by far the fastest machine." "But it's brand new," objected Cora, "and isn't tuned up yet, as the two runabouts are. Besides, look who we are--girls." "Very charming ones, I'm sure," said Sid quickly, but, somehow, his voice did not ring true. "Handicap," spoke Walter. "I suppose it's right, but you see--er--we fellows could--" He was floundering about for a way of saying that the girls should not be penalized by giving the drivers of the two runabouts a start. For, in spite of their small size and less power the runabouts were speedy cars. It seemed as if Walter did not want to take the obviously fair advantage due him.