The great shaggy creature extended its muzzle toward the man's face, touching his cheek. "Excuse--please," said the bear-trainer, smiling. "Come on girls," suggested Amy. The place was rather a lonely one, though there were houses just beyond, and the two men, in spite of their bows, did not seem very prepossessing. With hearts that beat rapidly from their recent flight and excitement, the girls passed the bears, the men both taking off their hats and bowing. Then the strange company was lost to sight down a turn in the road, the notes of the bugles coming faintly to the girls. "Gracious! That _was_ an adventure!" exclaimed Mollie. "I thought I should faint," breathed Amy. "Have a chocolate--do," urged Grace. "They're nourishing," and she held out some. "Girls, we must hurry," spoke Betty, "or we'll never get to Broxton before the rain. Hurry along!" They walked fast, passing through the little village of Chanceford, where they attracted considerable attention. It was not every day that four such pretty, and smartly-attired, girls were seen on the village main street--the only thoroughfare, by the way. Then they came to the open country again. They had been going along at a good pace, and were practically certain of reaching Grace's sister's house in time for supper. "It's raining!" suddenly exclaimed Betty, holding up her hand to make sure. A drop splashed on it. Then another. Amy looked up into the clouds overhead. "Oh!" she cried. "A drop fell in my eye." Then with a suddenness that was surprising, the shower came down hard. Little dark spots mottled the white dust of the road. "Run!" cried Mollie. "There's a house. We can stay on the porch until the rain passes. The people won't mind." A little in advance, enclosed with a neat red fence, and setting back some distance from the road was a large, white house, with green shutters. The windows in front were open, as was the front door, and from one casement a lace curtain flapped in the wind. "Run! Run! We'll be drenched!" cried Grace, thinking of her new walking suit. Without more ado the girls hurried through the gate, up the gravel walk and got to the porch just as the rain reached its maximum. It was coming down now in a veritable torrent. "Queer the people here don't shut their door," remarked Betty. "And see, the rain is coming in the parlor window," added Amy. "Maybe they don't know it," suggested Grace. "Oh, the wind is blowing the rain right in on us!" she cried. "I wonder if it would be impertinent to walk in?" suggested Mollie. "We at least can knock and ask--they won't refuse," said Betty. "And really, with the wind this way, the porch is no protection at all." She rapped on the open door. There was no response and she tapped again--louder, to make it heard above the noise of the storm. "That's queer--maybe no one is at home," said Grace.