The big maroon car glided along in such perfect rhythm that Cora Kimball, the fair driver of the Whirlwind, heard scarcely a sound of its mechanical workings. To her the car went noiselessly-the perfection of its motion was akin to the very music of silence. Hazel Hastings was simply sumptuous in the tonneau-she had spread every available frill and flounce, but there was still plenty of unoccupied space on the luxuriously cushioned "throne."

"Oh, Cora Isn't this perfectly splendid " exclaimed Bess Robinson. "Delightful " chimed in her twin sister, Belle. "I'm glad you like it," said Cora Kimball, the camp hostess. "I felt that you would, but one can never be sure-especially of Belle. Jack said she would fall a prey to that clump of white birches over there, and would want to paint pictures on the bark. But I fancied she would take more surely to the pines; they are so strong-and, like the big boys-always to be depended on. But not a word about camp now. Something more important is on. My new motor boat has just arrived "

Bess Robinson was so filled with enthusiasm that her sister Belle declared there was serious danger of "blowing-up," unless there was some repression. Belle herself might be equally enthusiastic, but she had a way of restraining herself, while Bess just delighted in the "utmost" of everything. The two sisters were talking on the side porch of their handsome home in Chelton, a New England town, located on the Chelton river. It was a beautiful day, late in spring.

With a crunching of the small stones in the gravel drive, the big car swung around to the side entrance of the house, and came to a stop, with a whining, screeching and, generally protesting sound of the brake-bands. A girl, bronzed by the summer sun, let her gloved hands fall from the steering wheel, for she had driven fast, and was tired. The motor ceased its humming, and, with a click, the girl locked the ignition switch as she descended.

"Look, girls There's a man " "Where?" "Just creeping under the dining-room window " "What can he want-looks suspicious " "Oh, I'm afraid to go in " "Hush We won't go in just now " "If only the boys were here " "Well, don't cry-they will be here soon." "See He's getting under the fence There he goes " "Did you get a look at him?" "Yes, a good look. I'll know him next time."

"Look where you are steering, Cora Kimball You nearly ran over a chicken that time." "Yes, and avoiding the chicken on that side, you nearly hit a child on this side. Such a dear little boy-or was it a girl? I never can tell when they're so young." "Two misses are as good as two miles," misquoted the bronzed girl at the wheel of the automobile, as she straightened the car on the long, shaded road, where the trees met in a green archway overhead, and where the golden shadows flitted in the dust like so many little chickens running to cover, away from the fat-tired wheels.