face was flushed when she confronted the girls again.

"The boys have a half holiday--it's Saturday, you know," she told them,
while they regarded her mischievously. "And they want us to pick them up
in the car, get some lunch somewhere, and make a day of it. I told him
we would."

"By 'him' I suppose you mean Allen," said Mollie, to which Betty ducked
her a bow and the other girls giggled. "I like their nerve wanting us to
pick them up. Why doesn't Frank come for us in his big car?"

"Allen figured it would take too long for them to come home and get it."

"My, they must be in a hurry to see us," said Grace, with a simper that
sent the girls off into gales of laughter.

"Well," said Betty finally, "are you coming, or are you not?"

For answer Mollie jumped up, pressed a hat upon Grace's indignant head,
handed Amy her coat, and crushed her own sport hat down on her dark
hair.

"Be this our answer," she said dramatically.

CHAPTER III

ENTER PETER LEVINE

It is to be feared that the boys did not have as pleasant a time on that
Saturday afternoon motor drive as they had hoped to have. For, whereas
the girls should have showered their attentions upon them, the boys,
they insisted upon talking about nothing but Gold Run Ranch, which was
the name of the property left to Mrs. Nelson by her great uncle.

"You aren't very complimentary to us," Frank grumbled, as he hunched
himself over the wheel of Mollie's car. "You seem mighty glad to go out
to this forsaken old ranch where you won't see us for the whole summer."

"I guess we can stand it if you can," Mollie responded lightly, which
only caused him to glower the more.

"Now I'll say Allen knew what he was doing when he studied law,"
remarked Roy Anderson gloomily, as he glanced over his shoulder at young
Allen Washburn, who was driving Betty's neat little roadster with Betty
herself beside him. "He sure falls in soft on this job."

"Meaning, I suppose," drawled Grace, "that he will have the pleasure of
our company at Gold Run Ranch. Never mind, old boy, you needn't look so
dreadfully gloomy. Have a chocolate and brace up."

"You give it to me," said Roy, laughing. Grace obediently popped a large
juicy one into his mouth. It may be remarked that after this performance
he really did look more cheerful.

"Anyway, we'll be back sometime, I suppose," said Mollie, continuing on
the subject that was uppermost in her mind.

"Yes, if we don't run away with