The original lake party might have served as an excellent illustration of the history of many principalities and nations. Having suffered a division and then a subdivision and finally a breaking up into fractional groups, it became as a weakened and shattered government, powerless to help itself. It soon became evident that Mary Price was too weary to take the long walk back to the lake. She was left therefore by the roadside with Percy and Elinor, while Dr. Hume, Nancy and Billie went on. "It will probably be no time at all before we pick them up," said the doctor cheerfully, but they made the entire walk to the lake house and there was no "Comet" to be seen. "It left here two hours ago," the boatman informed them. "Maybe they went on to the second bridge. That's half a mile beyond the first one. They'll tell a person anything, these people here will." "I suppose that's exactly what happened," Billie exclaimed, much relieved. "They have been waiting at the second bridge and will be on their way back by this time. But I think they will have to come all the way. Nancy has a blister on her heel." "Now, don't blame it all on me, Billie," said Nancy. "You know you are dead tired yourself." Billie smiled guiltily. "I am played out," she said. "I wouldn't think of allowing either of you young ladies to start on another tramp," put in Dr. Hume. "I am too good a doctor for that. You must stay right here and rest and I'll start back. I may meet the whole party any time, now." Billie and Nancy, therefore, settled themselves to rest on two benches near the lake while the good doctor trudged off along the dusty road. In the meantime, Mary, who had more than overtaxed her strength that day, gave Percy and Elinor a bad fright by toppling over in a faint. They brought her to with water which Percy carried from a brook in his hat, and then carried her into the wood a bit where she could lie on the pine needles and rest her head in Elinor's lap. But Percy hurried back to the road to keep watch, and seeing a motor car broken down in the distance hastened to catch up with it. It was a strange car, however, and the chauffeur had not seen the "Comet." And all this while, Ben and Miss Campbell, having waited an incalculable time at the second bridge, had gone on for half a mile. Few people can stand the test of being kept waiting. Their patience may be inexhaustible but their judgments are apt to take a bad twist and bring them right about face in the wrong direction. It is true that Ben had yielded to Miss Campbell in going beyond the supposed meeting place, and now to make matters worse, the "Comet" came to an inexplicable standstill. Poor Ben, with small knowledge of what to do, began a long and wearisome investigation of unfamiliar machinery. There was something of the dumb driven animal in Ben when he entered unfamiliar territory, and his slow plodding methods had been known to irritate Miss Campbell profoundly.