to this needed friend, and the boys started
their car after the policeman, the girls following in their damaged car
that bumped and jolted on one side.
When the inspector learned that not one of the five girls had a license
to drive a car in New York State, and that the car belonged to someone
else, he fined Dodo and gave her a good scolding to boot.
"This time I'll let you off easy, as you are green in the East. But don't
let it happen again, or you'll be sorry. Apply for a permit to drive, as
soon as you get home, young lady, and then get a book of rules on
traffic, and learn it by heart."
Dodo meekly paid the fine, and the young people left the room with
lighter hearts than they had entered it. Both cars had to be taken to a
garage and put into running shape again. Meantime there would be two
hours of waiting on their hands, and seven young folks with impatient
blood in their veins to kill that time.
"I'm sorry you ladies have been deprived of your pleasure drive, but I
might suggest a little consolation if you ever deign to go to the
Movies," said John Baxter, politely.
"There's a good show up the street in that large Picture Theatre," added
his friend Andrews.
"We love movies--when they are good," ventured Eleanor.
"What do you think, Nan? Shall we go?" asked Polly.
"Oh yes! it will be awful--waiting about this place with nowhere to go
other than the Movies, as you say," returned Nancy.
So the two young men escorted the five girls to the show where they
forgot their recent troubles in watching Harold Lloyd do his best to
break his neck.
Dodo paid the bill at the garage for both cars, even though the boys
insisted that they pay for their own damages. But she replied: "No, the
insurance company will have to settle eventually."
The good-natured way in which Dodo accepted the situation more than
convinced the boys that these girls were "bricks" all right! It was now
past five, and the cars were ready to go again, but the "collectors"
found they had to go back to the city for that time, without having seen
as much as a shadow of an antique.
"What will you girls do about getting home?" asked Andrews.
"Why, drive, of course!" returned Dodo.
"But you can't--you haven't a license. Neither has any one of the other
girls," explained Jack.
"Oh, we never thought of that!" exclaimed Polly, perplexed.
"I have one," suggested Andrews. "I can get in your car, and one of you
girls can drive with
|