Chapter XII: The "unplanned" Plans

Cora was always a pretty girl, but in her corn-colored, empire gown, that morning at the breakfast table, even her own brother was forced to express openly his admiration for her.

"Whew, Cora!" he exclaimed, "but you do look like a--tea-rose in that wrapper."

"Jack, dear, this is not a wrapper, but the very best design in empire," and she smoothed out the fullness that lay about her.

"Well, it's all right, anyway," declared Jack. "Makes me think of rose leaves, the way it clings about you."

"What a pretty speech, brother. Now, if that had only been saved up for Bess, or Belle or Hazel! By the way, we haven't seen Hazel this summer. I suppose she is studying as hard as ever. What a pity a bright girl like Hazel is not bright enough to save her health by taking the regulation vacation."

"Well, with Paul away I suppose Hazel thinks there is nothing left to do but study. I never saw brother and sister more attached," remarked Jack, taking his fruit from the dainty leaves in which, when Cora "kept house," she always insisted that fruit be served.

Paul and Hazel Hastings were indeed devoted brother and sister. Paul was also a devotee of the motor, and more than the amateur chauffeur, yet not quite the professional. He had an interesting part to play in the story "The Motor Girls On a Tour." But Cora had just remarked, Hazel had not been with them during the summer in which this story took place, and, as Jack further explained, this was due to the fact that Paul Hastings, after a severe illness, had taken a position to operate a car abroad, Mr. Robinson having arranged the "business end," in recognition of Paul's heroic work for Mr. Robinson in a mysterious robbery.

"But Belle had a letter from Hazel," said Jack, after some thought, the trick of which was not lost on Cora. "Yes, she said Hazel might go away with them. And now, sis, where are they going, anyway? Come, haven't I waited long enough for that secret?"

"It really isn't any secret, Jack, but the girls have a baby way of wanting to keep things to themselves until all the preparations are made. I find it convenient to--keep my affairs to myself, so you see, dear, I have a selfish motive in humoring the others."

Cora's cheeks lighted under the cascade of shadows that fell from her splendid black hair. Jack saw, too, that his "little sister" was growing up, and even in her summer plans there were things other than flounces and frills to be considered.

The lighter vein of their conversation had been taken up after Cora had told her brother all that she felt it was prudent to tell about Andy's early morning call. And now----

"Well, I suppose you are determined to see the detective fellows," said Jack, moving Cora's chair out so that she might more easily leave the table.

"What else can I do?" she asked, and answered at once, with her decisive tone of voice.

"I think with Andy--you ought to 'git away,'" and Jack smiled in imitating the earnest youngster.

"And make matters look as if I were more deeply involved than I really am? Now, Jack, dear, that is not like you."

"No matter what you make matters look like, so long as you don't make them look like themselves," replied the boy. "That's my brand of logic in a case like this. Don't you see, sis, you may throw them off the track, and by getting a chance to talk with you, they are bound to find out something, or lose their badges."

Cora's face was bent in the roses that stood on the serving table. "But what could I do?" she asked, this time with less decision.

"Anything. Just take a run to--the beach--or anywhere. Leave me to see the officers."

The rapid tooting of horn of the _Flyaway_ interrupted them.

"My!" exclaimed Cora, "more early morning callers? There's Bess!"

And, true enough, there was Bess, guiding her car up the drive, her veil flying in the breeze, and her cheeks like the very roses that outlined the path.

"Why the where-for-ness?" demanded Jack. "I am startled--collapsed--I might say, by the suddenness of this--pleasure----"

"Now, Jack," and Bess had alighted from her car, "you are not to make jokes, we haven't time. I am almost dead from hurrying. Mother decided, about midnight last night, that we should go to----"

Then she stopped. How silly it would be to blurt out in one mouthful all the story of their secret planning!

"Oh, go ahead," said Jack with a light laugh. "I am deaf and dumb, also blind and halt. I have no idea where you are going. A trip over the Rockies----"

"Come in, Bess dear," said Cora, "and leave the boy to himself. You are certainly out of breath, and----"

Cora drew the arm of her friend within her own, and with all sorts of glances at Jack, who was actually seated in the _Flyaway_ to make sure that the girls would not get away without his knowledge, Bess and Cora passed into the house.

"We are going to-day," went on Bess. "Mother wants our Western friends to have an outing at the beach--they have never been to salt water--and, as they must start back in a few days, we have to go to-day. Can you come?"

"How could I--go, this very day?"

"Why, we won't start until afternoon. And you have everything ready," urged Bess. "It will be fun. We'll stop over night at a hotel and reach the shore next day."

It seemed to Cora that all the powers were conspiring to get her out of Chelton that day, and it also seemed as if it might be rash to oppose such a force. True, she did have everything ready, and her household matters were always in such shape she could leave the servants on an hour's warning. Bess saw that Cora was uncertain, and she hurried to take advantage of the possible favorable opportunity.

"Oh, Cora, do come! What a perfectly stupid time we would have on that long run with just mama and the others. We wanted to go in the _Flyaway_ and let them go by train, but, of course, mama would not hear to that. So now papa has hired a big machine and a chauffeur from the garage and Belle and I will go in our '_Bird_,' while the others travel near us in the hired car. Don't you see, if you go along with the _Whirlwind_ what a splendid time we shall have?"

"Let's tell Jack--or ask him," said Cora finally. "He knows we are getting ready for some trip, and I guess we can trust him not to tell the other boys."

"Don't you want the other boys to know?" asked Bess, a tone of disappointment in her voice.

"Do you?" asked Cora, mischievously.

"Oh, I suppose they will find it out. And besides, Cora, honestly, don't you think we would be--lonely without--the boys?"

Cora burst into a merry laugh. "There, Bess, my dear, you have broken the watchword--you are to be responsible for the boys. We pledged ourselves, as we always do, to 'keep them out' this time."

When Jack heard the news he hugged Cora in the very presence of Bess. The sister knew what he meant (it was getting away from the detectives), although Bess was somewhat embarrassed at the extravagant show of affection. Then Jack did what a boy does "when in doubt," he started a series of somersaults and sofa pillow turns, until Cora declared he quite forgot that he was in the company of ladies.

With profuse apologies he assumed an unwonted show of dignity, and without another word went upstairs and called up first Ed and then Walter on the telephone, telling each all he knew, and all he could guess about the trip to Lookout Beach, and fairly begged the boys to go along!

"I am afraid the girls will have to spoil their trip if we don't go," he said to Ed, who had made a half excuse, "for they really couldn't travel along that road without us!"

And this in the very face of the fact that the elders were going along, and that the girls had declared that no boys _could_ go!

"Won't there be high jinks!" Jack asked, and he told himself, with a jolly chuckle, as he hung up the receiver and went down to the girls, that if any "jinks" were lacking, it would not be his fault.

"Too bad we fellows can't take you out a little way," he said, innocently, as he came downstairs, "but the fact is, we have made plans--our plans are still secret!" and Jack ran down the walk like the big boy that he was in spite of his few years of good record at college.

Turning as he reached the street, he shouted:

"Oh you--secrets!" then Cora and Bess were left alone.

"Well, I suppose I can go," said Cora, finally, "although it does seem strange to leave town in such haste. But after all, if I remain longer, I shall only find more things to be attended to, and I will be just as well off to--escape from them."

Bess was delighted, of course. She knew Cora so well, and she had grave fears that the methodical young girl would not run away at such short notice, but, now that she had gained her chum's consent, Bess had need to hurry back and finish up her own preparations.

Jack was on his way to the post-office, when he saw the now familiar figure of little Andy. He hailed him pleasantly, and the boy lost no time in hurrying up to the tall young man who waited for him.

"Now, Andy," began Jack, "suppose you tell me about those women--those who are after my sister. When did they say they were coming to Chelton?"

"I heard them tell the--the men that they would come in on the two o'clock trolley," said Andy, "and that was the reason I thought it would be better fer your sister to be--out of town. Is she goin'?"

"I guess she is," replied Jack, much amused at the boy's earnestness. "But she has no reason, you know, to want to avoid any one."

Andy hung his head. Then he thrust his hands into his pockets. This latter gesture Jack knew was equivalent to preparing for a sudden shot of information.

"It looks bad," said the boy, timidly.

"What looks bad?" demanded Jack.

"Well," said Andy, "maybe you won't believe me, but it was just this way. I was under the window listening, when all of a sudden old Ramsy took out of her pocketbook a slip of paper. She handed it to the man, and said that she had found it in the girls' room, and that she was sure that your sister gave it to Rose, for she saw her slip something into her hand as Rose went out from the shed. The man read what was on the paper and then put it on the window sill. A nice little breeze came along----"

"And blew it right out to you," finished Jack, not attempting to hide his surprise at the boy's astuteness.

"Yep, and I've got it right here," Andy declared, jabbing his hand into his torn blouse, and then from the depths of what might have been a handkerchief, had it not been beyond identification, he produced a card.

"That's my sister's card," said Jack, still showing surprise. Then he turned to the reverse side. He read the words, written in pencil: Clover Cottage--Lookout Beach. "That's nothing," he added, "that's the cottage where my sister is going to spend the summer. She wrote it on the card for a memorandum, I suppose, and forgot about it."

"But Nellie and Rose had it in their room," persisted Andy.

"Perhaps my sister asked them to write to her," went on Jack, wondering why he bothered so much with the idle chat of an ignorant urchin.

"Well, Mrs. Ramsy said if she could get hold of the girl that gave that card to her girls, she would not wait for judge or justice but she would--well, she said she would do lots of things."

Jack laughed outright. "Now, see here," he went on, finally, "you had better take this car back to Squaton, Andy. You have been away from home for a long time, and the first thing you know they will have detectives looking for you. Or, maybe, they will say--you ran after the girls!"

It was not like Jack to joke in that strain, but the lad looked so comical, and he said such serious things in contrast to his appearance, that for the life of him, Jack could not resist the temptation to tease him.

"Nope. I'm not goin' home," declared Andy. "Mom knows where I am, and I am goin' to stay in town till the two o'clock trolley comes in."

"To meet the Ram and the Schenk?" asked Jack, laughing. "Then at least take this change, and look the town over. Buy some ice cream and--a brick bat or two to have ready when----"

"There's a fellow I know," interrupted Andy, and taking the proffered coin, he was soon lost to Jack, and to the business of detecting the detectives.