"No BOYS, eh?" shouted Ed from his "perch" in the hay. "Aren't they dreadful?" exclaimed Daisy with doubtful sincerity. "Hope mother doesn't hear of it," replied Maud. "She would be sure to worry." Cora laughed, and Bess fairly panted. Belle tossed something into the hay wagon as it passed--it made a practice of passing each machine in turn, and then doing it all over again. Every one in Chelton and the near-by places rushed out as the procession went along. It was like a circus--many folks really did believe that a "railroad show" had come to town unannounced. The girls had planned to have dinner at a pretty little tea-house on the outskirts of Hollyville. But the boys had no intention of turning back, it seemed, and imagine those boys in the tea-house, kept by a couple of enterprising college girls! "Hey there!" called Jack. "When do we eat? There's the noon whistles." "Yon don't eat," replied Cora. "Don't, eh? Well, look out for your commissary department," answered Jack. "We came prepared to fight." "Oh," sighed Daisy, "do you suppose they will spoil all our boxes?" "I'm sure I don't know," replied the noncommital Maud. But Hazel said: "What do you suppose they are up to?" "Trust them for fun," answered Cora. "I will simply trounce Jack if he attempts to overhaul our stores." Hazel laughed merrily. "If only Paul were along," she ventured. "And, Cora, do you know that mailbag business is not by any means settled?" she asked. "I know that, girlie," said Cora with polite seriousness, "but all troubles are tabooed on this ride, you know. Gertrude," to the girl who had been looking and listening, "I appoint you monitor of this car. The first girl to bring in troubles is to be fined." "Very well," replied Gertrude, "I shall be glad to have something to do. I feel like a stranger with those boys." "That's because you do not know them," ventured Ray. "They are perfectly splendid boys." "Make a note of that," called Cora. "Gertrude, that is one mark in favor of Ray." The procession was winding along a pretty country road. Trees closed in from side to side, and deep gutters outlined the driveway from the footpath. The boys had actually ceased their antics for the time, and it occurred to more than one girl that this respite might have been more advantageous if it had been put into operation in the city streets--the decorum was wasted in the woods. But boys have a queer reasoning code--where girls are concerned. "Don't you suppose they will turn back before we reach the Glen?" called Bess to Cora. Their machines were running quite close together. "If they don't leave us we will drive past the teahouse, and come back later," said Cora. "But what will the college girls think? They will be sure to have a nice lunch ready." "When Tillie sees Ed Foster she will cease to think. She knows Ed," and Cora laughed significantly. "Oh, look!" shouted Hazel. "A flock of sheep. And directly in the track. The boys--"