out and vainly tried to impress people who
came in and asked questions which invariably had to be referred to his
repair boy, the precocious expert stripped the wheel down to something
that looked to Claire distressingly like an empty milk-pan. Then the boy
didn't seem to know exactly what to do. He scratched his ear a good
deal, and thought deeply. The older man could only scratch.

So for two hours Claire and her father experienced that most distressing
of motor experiences--waiting, while the afternoon that would have been
so good for driving went by them. Every fifteen minutes they came in
from sitting on a dry-goods box in front of the garage, and never did
the repair appear to be any farther along. The boy seemed to be giving
all his time to getting the wrong wrench, and scolding the older man for
having hidden the right one.

When she had left Brooklyn Heights, Claire had not expected to have such
authoritative knowledge of the Kalifornia Kandy Kitchen, Saddle Back,
Montana, across from Tubbs' Garage, that she could tell whether they
were selling more Atharva Cigarettes or Polutropons. She prowled about
the garage till she knew every pool of dripped water in the tin pail of
soft soap in the iron sink.

She was worried by an overheard remark of the boy wonder, "Gosh, we
haven't any more of that decent brake lining. Have to use this piece of
mush." But when the car was actually done, nothing like a dubious brake
could have kept her from the glory of starting. The first miles seemed
miracles of ease and speed.

She came through the mountains into Livingston.

Kicking his heels on a fence near town, and fondling a gray cat, sat
Milt Daggett, and he yelped at her with earnestness and much noise.

CHAPTER XII

THE WONDERS OF NATURE WITH ALL MODERN IMPROVEMENTS

"Hello!" said Milt.

"Hel-lo!" said Claire.

"How dee do," said Mr. Boltwood.

"This is so nice! Where's your car? I hope nothing's happened," glowed
Claire.

"No. It's back here from the road a piece. Camp there tonight. Reason I
stopped---- Struck me you've never done any mountain driving, and
there's some pretty good climbs in the Park; slick road, but we go up to
almost nine thousand feet. And cold mornings. Thought I'd tip you off to
some driving tricks--if you'd like me to."

"Oh, of course. Very grateful----"

"Then I'll tag after you tomorrow, and speak my piece."

"So jolly you're going through the Park."

"Yes, thought migh