reshen yourselves up a bit, and have some luncheon. The other is, to
take a carriage and drive around the city. Hartford is a beautiful place,
and if Patty has never seen it, I am sure she will enjoy it."

"It doesn't matter to me," said Mrs. Farrington, "which we do; but I'm
quite sure I don't care to eat anything more just at present. We had our
picnic not so very long ago, you know."

"I know," said Mr. Farrington, "but consider this. When we start from
here with the car in good order, I hope to run straight through to
Warner's. But at best we cannot reach there before ten o'clock to-night.
So it's really advisable that you should fortify yourselves against the
long ride, for I should hate to delay matters further by stopping again
for dinner."

"Ten o'clock!" exclaimed Mrs. Farrington, "why, they expect us by seven,
at latest. It is too bad to keep them waiting like that. Can't we
telephone to them?"

"Yes," said Mr. Farrington, "and I will attend to that while I am waiting
for the car to be fixed. Now what would you people rather do?"

Both the girls declared they could not eat another luncheon at present,
and they thought it would be delightful to drive around and see the town.

So Mrs. Farrington settled the matter by deciding to take the drive. And
then she said, "We can leave the luncheon-kit at some hotel to be filled,
then we can pick it up again, and take it along with us, and when we get
hungry we can eat a light supper in the car."

"Great head, Mother!" cried Roger, "you are truly a genius!"

An open landau was engaged, and Roger and the three ladies started for
the drive. They spent a delightful hour viewing the points of interest in
the city, which the obliging driver pointed out to them.

They smiled when they came to the Insane Asylum, and though the grounds
looked attractive, they concluded not to go there to stay, even though
their old farmer friend had seemed to think it an appropriate place for
them.

"It's a strange thing," said Roger, "that people who do not ride in
automobiles always think that people who do are crazy. I'm sure I don't
know why."

"I wouldn't blame anybody for thinking Mr. Phelps crazy, if they had seen
him this morning," said Patty.

"That's only because you're not accustomed to seeing men in racing
costume," said Roger. "After you've seen a few more rigs like that, you
won't think anything of them."

"That's so," said Patty thoughtfully, "and if I had never bef