antly.

"Well," said Betty speaking slowly to add to the effect of her
announcement, "I have a car!"

"A car!" they echoed, and Grace added: "Now I know she's crazy!"

"When?" demanded Mollie, her eyes round and black, as they always were
under excitement.

"If you mean, when did I get it," answered Betty, enjoying their
surprise to the full, "I might tell you that up to six o'clock last
evening I had no more idea of owning a car than you did. However, at
six-fifteen, I owned it," and her eyes danced with the pride of
ownership.

Then the girls fell upon her, all demanding explanation of the miracle,
till she raised her hand pleadingly.

"Give me a chance," she begged. "How can I tell you anything when you're
making such a noise?"

The girls seemed impressed with the common sense of this. At any rate,
they stopped talking for the space of a half a minute.

"It was last night at dinner," explained Betty hurriedly, seizing her
opportunity. "Dad came in a little late, and as he sat down he
laughingly asked us how we would like a racing car in the family."

"A racing car!" they echoed.

"Of course we thought he was joking," continued Betty, "but when we
found he was very much in earnest of course we went wild with
excitement."

"I should think so," breathed Amy.

"But, Betty darling, how--" Mollie was beginning when Betty cut her
short by hurrying on with her story.

"That's what we wanted to know, of course," she said. "It seems that one
of Dad's clients owed him a good deal of money, and although he, the
client, that is, had plenty of money, it was all tied up in such a way
that he couldn't get hold of it right away, so he offered to give Dad
his almost new racing car in exchange. And," here Betty came to the most
wonderful part of her story, "since mother doesn't care for that type of
car--he gave it to me!"

"Betty, how mar-ve-lous!" breathed Mollie, while Amy and Grace just
stared.

"Can we see it? Have you got it at home?" asked Amy, after a few minutes
during which the girls had been getting used to the wonderful idea of
Betty with a machine, and a racing machine at that.

"Oh, Betty, lead us to it," added Mollie yearningly.

"I don't know whether it's come yet or not," explained the Little
Captain, as the girls threw aside dust rags and gingham aprons
preparatory to a concerted rush upon the new acquisition. "That's why I
didn't tell you about it sooner. I was going to surprise you by taking