h, I know it!" and Mollie's voice trembled. "It was horribly mean of
me to answer you as I did. I beg your pardon, but I am _so_ bothered!
Isn't it mean to have things go wrong this way, and at such an
inconvenient time and place?"

"Never mind," spoke Betty, laughing. "To-morrow we will only think this
was fun. And now I suggest that we go down the road a bit, and look for
a garage. It's true that this isn't a main highway, but nowadays even
the country blacksmiths are calling themselves auto repairers. We may
come upon one unexpectedly, and if his shop is closed he may live near
enough so that we can get him out here. Let's try, anyhow."

"Betty, dear, you're such a comfort!" exclaimed Mollie, putting her arms
around her chum. "Come, we'll go on a hunting expedition."

"All of us?" asked Grace.

"No, there's no need for all of us to go," said Betty. "Mollie and I
will take a lantern--one of the oil ones--and walk down the road. The
rest of you can stay here."

"And I think you'd better put the top up while we are gone," suggested
Mollie. "It may rain suddenly, and with the top and the side curtains
and wind-shield in front, we can at least keep dry until morning."

"What! Stay here all night?" cried Amy.

"Why not? Where else can we go?"

"I'll not stay," declared Grace. "I'll walk anywhere--even in the
rain--to get away from--this place," and she could not repress a shudder
as she looked back over her shoulder at the entrance to gloomy Shadow
Valley.

Betty again took her position at the wheel--why, she hardly knew. Mollie
had closed the bonnet over the motor, evidently giving up trying to
discover the trouble. Idly Betty pushed on the button and lever of the
self-starter, and then she exclaimed:

"I have it!"

"What! Have you found the trouble?" asked Mollie, excitedly.

"No, but I have a plan. We can run the car down to the foot of the
slope. It's more sheltered there--bigger trees, you know--and we'll be
that much nearer where we want to go."

"But how can you make the car go--when it won't?" asked Mollie.

"The self-starter! It's guaranteed to run the car under electric power
for nearly a mile, without the motor being operated. All we'll have to
do will be to set the starter going--that turns the fly wheel, you know.
Then we can put in low gear, slip in the clutch, just as if the motor
was in operation, and get the car to the top of the hill. We're really
at the top now, for it's level here. But