Produced by Roger Frank and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net THE MOTOR GIRLS AT LOOKOUT BEACH OR IN QUEST OF THE RUNAWAYS Margaret Penrose 1911 CONTENTS: CHAPTER I--SUMMER PLANS CHAPTER II--AT THE STRAWBERRY PATCH CHAPTER III--THE STRIKE CHAPTER IV--ARBITRATION CHAPTER V--TOO CONFIDENT CHAPTER VI--CORA'S QUEER PLIGHT CHAPTER VII--THE CLUE AT THE SPRING HOUSE CHAPTER VIII--A STARTLING DISCOVERY CHAPTER IX--COMPLICATIONS CHAPTER X--ALMOST--BUT NOT QUITE CHAPTER XI--ANDY'S WARNING CHAPTER XII--THE "UNPLANNED" PLANS CHAPTER XIII--GOING AND COMING CHAPTER XIV--LOST ON THE ROAD CHAPTER XV--BOYS TO THE RESCUE CHAPTER XVI--THE SHADOW IN THE HEDGE CHAPTER XVII--AT WAYSIDE INN CHAPTER XVIII--LOOKOUT BEACH CHAPTER XIX--THE MOVING PICTURE "MOVED" CHAPTER XX--THE GAIETY OF GOING CHAPTER XXI--BOYS AND GIRLS CHAPTER XXII--A STRUGGLE WITH THE WAVES CHAPTER XXIII--THE EXCURSION CHAPTER XXIV--THE TWO ORPHANS CHAPTER XXV--THE TRUTH! THE WHOLE TRUTH! CHAPTER I SUMMER PLANS Bess Robinson was so filled with enthusiasm that her sister Belle declared there was serious danger of "blowing-up," unless there was some repression. Belle herself might be equally enthusiastic, but she had a way of restraining herself, while Bess just delighted in the "utmost" of everything. The two sisters were talking on the side porch of their handsome home in Chelton, a New England town, located on the Chelton river. It was a beautiful day, late in spring. "Well, have you sufficiently quieted down, Bess?" asked Belle, after a pause, which succeeded the more quiet girl's attempt to curb her sister's enthusiasm--a pause that was filled with just the hint of pique. "Quieted down? I should think any one would quiet down after such a call-down as you gave me, if you will allow the use of such slang in your presence, Miss Prim," retorted Bess, with a little tilt to her stubby nose. "Oh, come now, Bess----" "Well, don't be so fussy, then. We have always wanted to go to a real watering place, and now, when we are really to go, Belle Robinson, you take it as solemnly as if it were a message from boarding-school, summoning us back to class. Why don't you warm up a bit? I--I feel as if I could--yell! There, that's out, and I don't care! I wish I was a boy, and then--then I could do something when I felt happy, besides sitting down, and looking pleased. Boys have a way of showing their feelings. I know what I'm going to do. I'm just going to get out the car, and run over to Cora Kimball's. She'll know how to rejoice with me about going to Lookout Beach. Oh, Belle, isn't it just perfectly--too lovely for anything! There, I was going to say scrumbunctious, but I won't in your presence--Miss Prim!"