And then she forgot all about the stranger and Marty and everybody else for something that she caught sight of on the freight deck of the _Constance Colfax_. That ugly, blundering old craft was almost at the dock, and Janice could see this startling object plainly. Something within told her that this was the joyful surprise Daddy had prepared for her. Big girl that she was, Janice broke into a run. She could not get to the dock quickly enough, so eager was she to make sure about the expected gift. CHAPTER III SOMETHING NEW The usual loiterers on the dock were amused to see Janice Day’s eagerness; but she did not care. Walky Dexter hailed her cheerfully: “I say, Janice, ye won’t miss the boat; don’t be in such a ’tarnal hurry. She’s going to stop long enough to take you aboard, I guess.” “I don’t want to go aboard, Walky,” she declared, stopping breathlessly beside his wagon, and laying a kind hand on the bony hip of Josephus. “But I believe there is something aboard that belongs to me--Oh! I can hardly wait to find out if it’s mine.” “If what’s yours, Janice?” asked the man, with waking interest. “That! Right there on the deck! It’s partly covered with canvas, but you can see what it is,” cried Janice. “Jefers pelters!” ejaculated the astonished Walkworthy, tipping back his cap and scratching his head to stir his slow wits. “You don’t mean that contraption with all the shiny brass and leather, and them other dinguses--lamps, d’ye call ’em?--down front, with an in-gine cowcatcher, into the bargain?” “You know very well that’s a four-passenger automobile, Walky!” she cried. “And they’ve got it ready to run ashore here. It must be for me! And Daddy sent it!” “Well, Ma’am!” exclaimed the driver of Josephus, “it’ll be sure something new in Polktown. We ain’t never had one o’ them things here before--not to stop, at any rate. Us’ally,” added Mr. Dexter, with a wink, “they go through Polktown like what the Chinaman said about his ’sperience slidin’ down hill on the bobsled: ‘Whiz-z-z! Walkee back!’ “I don’t s’pose some o’ them ortermobilists even see Polktown as they go through. Sometimes I meet one o’ them--there’s a cloud of dust--somethin’ squawks like a frightened hen--Josephus gits up on his hind legs--and it’s all over! Some day I ’spect Josephus is goin’ to ditch me because of one of ’em. And if this one is going to be right here in town----” He had climbed lazily down from his seat while he rambled on. Now Janice seized his arm and shook it a little. “Oh, Talkworthy!” she said, giving him the nickname she often used when he was more than usually garrulous. “Do, do find out if that’s for me!” The man on the dock had already caught and fastened the two hawsers. The old _Constance Colfax_ snuggled in close to the dock. The broad gangplank was being run ashore and the deckhands stood ready with laden trucks to run freight and express over it.