ff so clean--simply peeled.

"And it's five o'clock," said Belle, with her usual unfortunate way of
saying something to make things worse.

"But it isn't midnight," almost snapped Cora.

"Let's try to call the boys," suggested Belle. "Aren't they dreadful
to get so far away?"

"Very rude," and Cora showed some sarcasm. "But the thing to do right
now is not to wait for anybody, but to get to work. Bess, can you help
me slip in a tube and put on a shoe?"

"I never have, but, of course, I'll try," and she, too, pulled off her
gloves.

Cora quickly opened up the tool box, got out the jack, and then she
unbuckled the shoe that was fast at the side of the _Whirlwind_.

"I always thought folks carried them to ornament the cars," said Hazel,
with an attempt at good nature, "but it seems that a cobbler is the
thing we ought to carry for an ornament. We really don't need him, but
we do need new shoes."

"How long will it take?" asked Belle.

"There's no telling," replied Cora. "It isn't exactly like putting a
belt on a sewing machine."

She handled the inner tube freely enough, and soon had it in the big
rubber shoe, partly inflated.

"Easy as putting tape in a jelly bag," remarked Hazel.

"But we must get it on now and blow it up," said Cora. "Bess, get the
pump."

The pump was gotten, after which, with much exertion, the shoe was on
the rim, and then the blowing began. This was not so easily
accomplished as had been the other parts of the mechanical operation.
First Bess pumped, then Belle tried it. Hazel was sure she could do
it, for she often blew up Paul's bicycle, but this tire would not blow
full.

The girls were rapidly losing their complexions. Such strenuous
efforts!

"Oh, that's hard enough," declared Bess, trying to push her pretty
fingers into the rubber.

"Yes," answered Cora, pressing on the tire, which sank with the
pressure, "it's about as hard as rice pudding!"

"How many pounds?" insisted Bess.

Cora looked at the gauge. "Sixty. I have got to have a full ninety
for this car."

"Then I don't see how we are going to get it!"

Cora did not heed the discouragement. She was pumping now, and the
shoe was becoming rigid. "If I get it a little harder I'll call it
done!" she panted, "though we may ditch the car next time."

CHAPTER XIII

A DELAY AND A SCARE

It was an hour later when the boys came back. They had discovered the
loss of the girls when they had gone so f