The Motor Girls at Lookout Beach; Or, In Quest of the Runaways Read online

  CHAPTER II

  AT THE STRAWBERRY PATCH

  "Yes, I promised mother I would go for a crate of strawberries," Corasaid, by way of explanation. "Would you like to come along, Bess? Itis a lovely ride to the berry patch."

  "Then, I think I will run back for Belle, and we, too, may fetch homea crate. Mother will be delighted to get them fresh from the pickers."

  "Suppose we meet in an hour at Smith's Crossing?" suggested Cora. "Ihave some little things to attend to, and that will just about giveyou time to get Belle, and her belongings."

  This was agreed upon, and the girls parted for the short time. Jackinsisted upon keeping his wonderful good news secret, for, try as hedid, he could not coax Cora to divulge the news which he knew Bessmust have brought.

  "I could see it in her cheeks," Jack insisted, "and I can almost readthat signal code you two have arranged."

  "Well, when it is all settled I may--tell you," replied his sister."But you boys imagine that girls cannot keep anything to themselves----"

  "Wrong there, sis," he answered, picking up his cap. "We all knowperfectly well that you all can keep to yourselves exactly what wewant to know," and in leaving the room he tossed a sofa cushion atCora's head, hitting her squarely, and knocking her hair awry. Sheretaliated, however, with a floor cushion over the banister, whichJack failed to dodge.

  At the appointed time, three o'clock, on a lovely June afternoon, Coraand Bess met as arranged with their autos at the cross-roads, Belledainty as ever in her flimsy veils and airy silk coat, Bess, with herhand on the wheel, her eyes on the road ahead, and her jolly self doneup simply in pongee, while Cora, correct as ever, and equallydistinctive in her true green auto hood, and cloak that matched, madeup a very attractive trio of auto maids.

  "It's only six miles out," called Cora, "and this road runs straightinto Squaton. They have quite a big strawberry farm out there."

  "Yes," called back Bess, turning on more gasolene and throwing inthird speed, "mother was just delighted when I told her we were goingthere for berries."

  Over the smooth, shaded road the cars sped, the _Whirlwind_, Cora'smachine, exactly attuned to the hum of the _Flyaway_, the car occupiedby the twins. Just as two clocks, placed side by side, will soon tickin harmony, so two good engines may match each other in the hum ofspeed.

  "I can smell the berries," exclaimed Belle, as they neared a group oftall elms.

  "We are almost there," remarked Cora, "and I think I, too, smellsomething good."

  Under the trees by the roadside they espied some boys eating from apail of berries.

  "There," said Bess, "that was what you scented. Those youngsters havebeen picking, I suppose, and that is their own personal allowance."

  "Berries! Five cents a quart!" called out one of the urchins, who atthe same time stepped out into the road close to the slackened autos.

  "Not to-day," replied Cora, as she passed on, followed by the_Flyaway_.

  "Wouldn't you think they would want to take those home," said Bess. "Ishould think they would be satisfied with their earnings at thepatch."

  "Maybe they have not been picking--except for their own use," respondedCora. "But here we are. Get out now, and we will walk over to theshanty where they crate the fruit."

  "What an ocean of green!" exclaimed Belle, the aesthetic one, lookingover the strawberry patch.

  "An ocean of dust, I think," said Bess, as from the afternoon sun andbreeze the grind of the picker's feet in the dusty rows between thecountless lines of green vines just reached her eyes.

  "There are plenty of them," remarked Cora, wending her way along thenarrow path, toward the shanty.

  "And so many people picking," added Belle. "Just look at those boys!They are as brown as--their clothes. And see that poor old woman!"

  "Yes, her back must ache," replied Cora. "What a shame for her to beout in this sun."

  "She looks as if she could never bend again if she should straightenup," said Bess. "See how she stares at us from under her own arms."

  This peculiar remark caused the other girls to smile, but Bess meantexactly what she said--that the old woman was looking up from an anglelower than her elbows.

  Just then the autoists faced two of the pickers--two girls.

  Both stopped their work and looked up almost insolently. Then theyspoke under their breath to each other and "tittered" audibly.

  "They're rude," said Belle to Bess, picking her skirts as she steppedby.

  "Oh, that's just their way," exclaimed Cora. "I am going to speak tothem."

  So saying she turned in between the rows.

  "Is it hard work?" she asked pleasantly.

  "No cinch," replied the older-looking of the girls, with a toss of avery good head of auburn hair.

  "Have you been out long?" persisted Cora.

  "Oh, we're always out," said the younger girl with a sneer. Her voicesaid plainly that she had "no use" for talking with the motor girls.

  "Do you work all day?" asked Bess, a little timidly. Bess was alwaysready to admit that she could talk to boys, but that she was afraid ofstrange girls.

  "All day, and all night," replied the younger girl. She had hair justa tint lighter than the other, and it was evident that the pair weresisters.

  "But you cannot see to work at night," Belle deigned to say.

  "We have lamps--indoors," said the girl, "and Aunt Delia keepsboarders."

  "Oh, you help with the housework too?" said Cora. "I should think----"then she checked herself. Why should she say what she thought--justthen?

  Perhaps it was the unmistakable kindness shown so plainly in themanner of the motor girls, that convinced the two little berry-pickersthat the visitors would be friends--if they might. At any rate, bothgirls dropped the vines they were overhauling, and stood straight up,with evident stiffness of their young muscles.

  "But we are not going to do this all our lives," declared the oldergirl. "Aunt Delia has made enough out of us."

  "Have you no parents?" ventured Cora.

  "No, we're orphans," replied the girl, and, as she spoke the word"orphans," the ring of sadness touched the hearts of the older girls.Cora instantly decided to know more about the girls. Their youthfulfaces were already serious with cares, and they each assumed thataggressive manner peculiar to those who have been oppressed. Theyseemed, as they looked up, and squarely faced Cora, like girls capableof better work than that in which they were engaged, and they gave theimpression of belonging to the distinctive middle class--those "whohave not had a chance."

  "Can't you come over in the shade and rest awhile?" asked Cora. "Youmust have picked almost enough for to-day."

  "Oh, to-day won't count, anyway," said the younger girl, with hiddenmeaning.

  "Nellie!" called her sister, in angry tones. "What are you talkingabout!"

  "Well, I'm not afraid to tell," she replied.

  "You had better be," snapped the other.

  "Oh, Rose, you're a coward," and Nellie laughed, as she kicked asidethe vines. "I'm not going to work another minute, and you can go andtell Aunt Delia Ramsy if you've a mind to."

  At that moment a figure emerged from the shed at the end of the longline of green rows.

  "There she is now, Nellie," said Rose. "You can tell her yourself ifyou like."

  Without another word the girls both again began the task so latelyleft off, and berry after berry fell into the little baskets. Rose hadalmost filled her tray, and Nellie had hers about half full of thequart boxes.

  "Rose!" called the woman's shrill voice, from under the big bluesunbonnet. "Come up here and count these tally sticks. Some of thosekids are snibbying."

  With a sigh Rose picked up her tray, and made her way through thenarrow paths. Cora saw that the woman had noticed her talking to Bessand Belle, and while wishing for a chance to talk to Nellie alone, shebeckoned to her companions to go along up to the shed.

  "Maybe I'll see you soon again," almost whispered Nellie, in the waywhich so plainly betrays the h
ope of youth.

  "I am sure you will," replied Cora, smiling reassuringly.

  "What strange girls," remarked Belle.

  "Aren't they?" added Bess, turning back to get another look at littleNellie in her big-brimmed hat.

  "They are surely going to do something desperate," declared Cora, "andI think now that we have found them, as the boys would say, 'it is upto us' to keep track of them."