," said Roger. "Nothing adds to the good effect of a motor-car
like having a few fine horses attached to it. Jump in, girls."

The girls jumped in, and the caravan started. It was at a decidedly
different rate of speed from the way they had travelled before. But Patty
soon learned that Roger had found it impossible to fix the belt without
going to a repair shop, and there was none nearer than Hartford. With
some difficulty, and at considerable expense, he had persuaded the gruff
old farmer to tow them over the intervening ten miles.

Patty would have supposed that this would greatly humiliate the proud and
sensitive boy, but, to her surprise, Roger treated the affair as a good
joke. He leaned back in his seat, apparently pleased with his enforced
idleness, and chatted merrily as they slowly crawled along. Occasionally
he would plead with the old farmer to urge his horses a trifle faster,
and even hint at certain rewards if they should reach Hartford in a given
time. But the grumpy old man was proof against coaxing or even bribing,
and they jogged along, almost at a snail's pace.

Perceiving that there was no way of improving the situation, Roger gave
up trying, and turning partly around in his seat, proceeded to entertain
the girls to the best of his ability.

Patty hadn't known before what a jolly, good-natured boy Elise's brother
was, and she came to the conclusion that he had a good sense of
proportion, to be able to take things so easily, and to keep his temper
under such trying circumstances.

Only once did the surly old farmer address himself to his employers.
Turning around to face the occupants of the motor-car he bawled out:

"Whar do ye wanter go in Hartford?"

"To the largest repair shop for automobiles," answered Roger.

"Thought ye wanted ter go ter the State Insane Asylum," was the response
to this, and a suppressed chuckle could be heard, as the old man again
turned his attention to his not over-speedy steeds.

Though not a very subtle jest, this greatly amused the motor party, and
soon they entered the outskirts of the beautiful city of Hartford.

Mr. Farrington looked at his watch. "I suppose," he said, "it will take
the best part of an hour to have the machine attended to, for there are
two or three little matters which I want to have put in order, besides
the belt. I will stay and look after it, and the rest of you can take
your choice of two proceedings. One is, to go to a hotel, rest and
f