"When?" demanded Mollie, her eyes round and black, as they always were under excitement. "If you mean, when did I get it," answered Betty, enjoying their surprise to the full, "I might tell you that up to six o'clock last evening I had no more idea of owning a car than you did. However, at six-fifteen, I owned it," and her eyes danced with the pride of ownership. Then the girls fell upon her, all demanding explanation of the miracle, till she raised her hand pleadingly. "Give me a chance," she begged. "How can I tell you anything when you're making such a noise?" The girls seemed impressed with the common sense of this. At any rate, they stopped talking for the space of a half a minute. "It was last night at dinner," explained Betty hurriedly, seizing her opportunity. "Dad came in a little late, and as he sat down he laughingly asked us how we would like a racing car in the family." "A racing car!" they echoed. "Of course we thought he was joking," continued Betty, "but when we found he was very much in earnest of course we went wild with excitement." "I should think so," breathed Amy. "But, Betty darling, how--" Mollie was beginning when Betty cut her short by hurrying on with her story. "That's what we wanted to know, of course," she said. "It seems that one of Dad's clients owed him a good deal of money, and although he, the client, that is, had plenty of money, it was all tied up in such a way that he couldn't get hold of it right away, so he offered to give Dad his almost new racing car in exchange. And," here Betty came to the most wonderful part of her story, "since mother doesn't care for that type of car--he gave it to me!" "Betty, how mar-ve-lous!" breathed Mollie, while Amy and Grace just stared. "Can we see it? Have you got it at home?" asked Amy, after a few minutes during which the girls had been getting used to the wonderful idea of Betty with a machine, and a racing machine at that. "Oh, Betty, lead us to it," added Mollie yearningly. "I don't know whether it's come yet or not," explained the Little Captain, as the girls threw aside dust rags and gingham aprons preparatory to a concerted rush upon the new acquisition. "That's why I didn't tell you about it sooner. I was going to surprise you by taking you to it," she added, as they set off at a walk that was almost a run for the pretty Nelson house; "but when Mollie spoke about another car I just couldn't hold back any longer. Oh dear, I hope it has come!" "Won't it be fun?" cried Mollie joyfully, executing a little irrepressible skip in her delight. "You can run it, Betty, of course, and take Grace or Amy with you while our car comes behind--" "With the luggage," finished Betty wickedly. "Well you needn't be so conceited," retorted Mollie, her nose in the air, while Betty looked innocent. "Wasn't that what you were going to say?" she inquired.