ollowed by Mollie. "It seems hard lines
to get a thunder storm after all the rain we've had, but it is
threatening. Let's get busy."

"I think that suggestion very practical," said Mrs. Mackson. "Girls, you
had better do as Betty says and try to find out what is the matter with
the car. I don't know anything about such things or I'd help. If a
hairpin will be of any use I have an extra paper of them with me."

"Hairpins! Oh, dear!" laughed Amy half hysterically. "A hairpin to mend
a broken auto!"

"I have known one to be of service on a motor boat," spoke Betty. "I
bent it in the shape of a spring, and used it on a valve in the _Gem_."

"I'm afraid there's more than that the matter here," spoke Mollie, as
she raised the hood of her car. "That one cylinder must have affected
the others, in some way."

"Gracious!" exclaimed Amy, "I didn't know auto diseases were catching in
that way. We must be careful, girls."

"It's getting darker," observed Betty. "We must be quick Mollie, if
we're to get to shelter before the storm breaks."

It was growing dark and gloomy, and though it was not yet seven o'clock
the lowering clouds had added to the dusk of approaching night.
Occasionally, in the distance, could be heard the low rumbling of
thunder.

"Oh dear!" exclaimed Grace. "We are in for a drenching, that's sure."

"Not necessarily!" said Mollie, a bit sharply. "I'd remind you that my
car has a top, and we can put it up."

"That's all right," spoke Betty, soothingly, for she noted that Mollie's
temper might get the best of her under the stress of the trouble.
"Let's look at the engine first. Shall I light the lamps, Mollie?"

"Yes, do. I didn't think of them. Light the oil ones as well as switch
on the electrics. We may need both, and I am not sure of that storage
battery. The last place I had it looked at the man said it would need
re-charging soon."

While Betty, with the aid of Grace, set the oil and electric head lamps
aglow, and saw that the tail light was also in service, Mollie was
peering at the motor.

"Just push the self-starter button," she directed Betty after a moment,
during which she had primed the cylinders with gasoline, and changed the
adjustment of the carburetor slightly. She had really made quite a study
of the troubles that might beset a motor, and the garage man had added
some further instructions.

Mollie watched while Betty pushed the lever, and set the electric
starter in motion, but whe