by Roy J. Snell
CHAPTER XXI WELCOME GUESTS
The next morning the girls waited anxiously for Jose to return from histrip to the village for the mail. They had wanted to go with him, butMiss Prudence had vetoed that plan with, "The sun's so hot today, and JoAnn's looking so pale, that I believe you'd better not take that longhorseback ride. I think I'd better begin giving her some of myiron-strychnine tonic."
Jo Ann shook her head vigorously. "Oh, no, I don't need any tonic! IndeedI don't. Don't waste any of your medicine on me. When it's gone you'dprobably have to send back to the States for some more."
"Well, I'll wait two or three days; then, if you're not looking better bythat time, you'll have to take that tonic without fail." Miss Prudence'svoice was firm.
When the family sat down to eat their lunch, Jose had not yet returnedfrom the village.
Noticing that Carlitos was not at the table, Peggy inquired of MissPrudence about him.
"He went with Jose after the mail," she replied.
No sooner had she finished her sentence than Carlitos burst into theroom, his blue eyes round and dark in his excitement. With his Spanishwords tumbling over each other in his haste he blurted out, "Ah,senoritas, your automobile--it is stolen. Terrible!"
Not being able to understand him, Miss Prudence and Peggy staredwonderingly. Jo Ann's and Florence's faces, however, flamed scarlet withembarrassment.
"The cat's out of the bag now," flashed through Jo Ann's mind. "We'llhave to tell the whole tale." She could feel Mr. Eldridge's eyes boringinto hers.
The next moment Miss Prudence ordered sternly, "Carlitos, speak English!Tell me what's happened."
In halting English Carlitos repeated that the girls' car had been stolen.
"Stolen!" ejaculated Miss Prudence. "What next?" She turned to herbrother. "Do you suppose that Luis could've stolen it?"
"No. The girls drove to the city after Luis was taken prisoner."
By this time Jo Ann had recovered her wits sufficiently to say slowly,"The car was stolen when we were in the city."
"My stars!" Miss Prudence gasped. "Why--why didn't you tell us beforethis? The idea of your not saying one word all this time! And youmight've been stolen--kidnaped--yourselves!"
"Don't get so flustered, Prue," Mr. Eldridge advised. "The girls're safeand sound if their car isn't." He looked over at Jo Ann. "Begin at thefirst and tell us exactly what happened. Florence, you and Peggy put inall the details she misses."
Thus commanded, Jo Ann took a long breath and plunged into the story,beginning at her first anxiety over the mystery man's presentiment abouthis going to be killed. From that she went on to their discovery of thesmugglers' car in the desert, their finding them in the village, and herreporting all this to the mystery man.
Other than a few exclamations and gasps Miss Prudence did not interrupt.But when Jo Ann stopped to catch her breath, she threw in, "Well, afterall this wild adventure, I'll be afraid to let you girls stick your nosesoutside the door. And here I'd thought all this time I was the perfectchaperon."
The expression of stupefied amazement on his sister's face made Mr.Eldridge smile half whimsically and say, "I've learned not to be amazedat anything this trio pulls off. There're still several points not clearin my mind, though." He began hurling question after question at thegirls, till each felt as if she were being cross-examined on the witnessstand.
Finally he was satisfied that he had gathered together all the loose endsof the story. His face was grave as he said, "I'm glad it's all turnedout as it has--so far, but hereafter don't get tangled up in any waywhatever with smugglers. They're a dangerous set, as Mr. Andrews toldyou. Most of them would as soon shoot our officers as not. Indeed, theyseem to look upon them as good targets for their practice. The next timeyou suspect anyone of being a smuggler, come tell me about it."
So earnest and emphatic had Mr. Eldridge been that for the first time JoAnn realized fully the risks she had been running. "I'm through withsmugglers and their affairs from now on," she declared. "I was more toblame for getting mixed up in this than Peggy and Florence. They'd havekept out of it if it hadn't been for me."
Florence spoke up promptly and began trying to share the blame, but JoAnn shook her head. "No, I'm the guilty one."
After this well-deserved lecture Jo Ann felt "indigo blue," as sheexpressed it to the girls afterward. "If I could only hear from Mr.Andrews that he's all right and that the smugglers were caught and thecar found!"
The next day dragged on interminably, so it seemed to Jo Ann in her lowstate of mind.
"Oh, cheer up, Jo," Peggy finally begged. "You're going to get good newstomorrow, I feel it in my bones."
"I hope your bones're trustworthy," Jo Ann returned; "but I have mydoubts about their power to prophesy."
On the morning of the fourth day Jo Ann woke in a more cheerful mood. "Ibelieve we're going to hear from Mr. Andrews today," she told the girls.
Peggy smiled. "Your bones must be getting prophetic, too."
When Jose appeared at noon with a letter from Mr. Andrews, Peggy andFlorence were quite as excited as Jo Ann.
"Hurry up!" Peggy implored, as Jo Ann began to open it.
"Read it out loud--hurry!" urged Florence.
In another moment Jo Ann had unfolded the letter. "Why, it has only threelines in it! It just says, 'All is well. Am bringing your car Saturdayafternoon to San Geronimo. Hope to get there by four o'clock.'"
Jo Ann's face was beaming by this time. "Just think! He's all right--andso's Jitters!"
"Gr-and!" chimed in Peggy, catching Jo Ann and Florence by the hands andcircling about in lively dancing steps.
While they were still whirling about, Miss Prudence entered the room.
Jo Ann checked her fast-flying feet and sang out, "We've swell, elegantnews! The mystery man's alive, and he's bringing our car to the villagethis afternoon--about four o'clock."
"Well, I'm certainly glad to hear that!" Miss Prudence exclaimed. "Let'ssee--if he reaches the village that late, he'll probably come on outhere. We must have a good dinner for him. That's fine of him, bringingyour car all that distance. Suppose you girls come to the kitchen andhelp me awhile. I'll see that he gets some good New England cooking."
Jo Ann grinned. "That lets us girls out. We're from the South."
Miss Prudence came back promptly with, "You're all good help just thesame. Come along."
The three girls followed her to the kitchen and were soon busy helpingher prepare the salad and dessert. So diligently did they work that theyhad finished before it was time for Jose to go to the village with thehorses for the two men to ride.
"Let's go with Jose," Jo Ann suggested.
"All right," agreed Peggy and Florence.
All three hurried off at once to change into their riding outfits.
When, about two hours later, they came in sight of Pedro's store, JoAnn's sharp eyes spied two cars in front of the building. "One of thecars is a brand-new one. A beauty."
"Maybe it's Mr. Andrews's," Peggy suggested.
"That other one's his, I know. I wonder where he's parked Jitters. Idon't see her."
"I hope nothing has happened to her," put in Florence.
With their faces lit by the broadest smiles, the three sprang from theirhorses and greeted Mr. Andrews, who had hurried out to meet them, Mr.Gonzales following closely behind him.
"Oh, we're so happy you're safe and sound--that you're both all right!"Jo Ann welcomed them.
"We certainly are, too, aren't we?" added Peggy.
Florence nodded. "Yes, indeed."
"Did you capture the smugglers--all of them?" Jo Ann asked eagerly in thenext breath.
Mr. Andrews smiled. "Not all of them; but the three ringleaders and thetwo whose trail you set me following are behind prison bars. That gang'sbroken to bits; I can breathe more freely now. If it hadn't been for you,I might be dead. I'm certainly grateful to you."
Jo Ann drew a long sigh of
relief, as did the other two girls. "Thatcertainly is grand news," she added the next moment.
"I hope that's the last experience you girls'll ever have of that kind,"he said earnestly.
A moment's silence fell; then Jo Ann asked, "Where's Jitters?" Suddenlyrecalling that neither man knew the name of their car, she added,smiling, "Our old Ford, I mean."
The two men exchanged smiles before Mr. Andrews answered, "Jitters is acomplete wreck--in a deep gully near the border."
A look of utter bewilderment appeared on the face of each girl.
In another moment Jo Ann recovered sufficiently to say haltingly,"But--you wrote--you were bringing our car."
"I did bring it. There it is!" Mr. Andrews gestured to the shining newcar. "It's a present for the assistance you girls have given us--to takethe place of your Jitters."
Three pairs of eyes flew open to their widest. So overwhelming was theiramazement that for once none of them could speak for a full minute.
"You have done much for us," Mr. Gonzales spoke up, smiling. "You haveprobably saved my life as well as Mr. Andrews's. _Muchas gracias_."
"But--but, Mr. Andrews--Mr. Gonzales," began Jo Ann confusedly. "We donot deserve this fine new car. You must not give us such a----"
"You have more than earned it," smiled Mr. Andrews. "It is yours byrights. We owe you more than we can ever repay you."
Convinced at last that the car was rightfully theirs, the girls began toexclaim delightedly:
"Grand!"
"Gorgeous!"
"Wonderful!"
"A thousand thanks from each one of us," added Jo Ann, shining-eyed.
With that the three of one accord ran over to the car to inspect it andrevel in its beauty.
"We'll feel so elegant--so swanky, riding about in this car!" exclaimedJo Ann.
They climbed inside then to admire the upholstery and shining gadgets.
A few minutes later Jo Ann was proudly driving out of the village, thetwo men following in the other car, and Jose with the aid of a small boybringing along the horses.
"Won't Miss Prudence and Mr. Eldridge be surprised when they hear aboutour new car?" Peggy remarked.
Jo Ann smiled broadly. "Miss Prudence was always scared of Jitters.She'll be delighted."
"What shall we name it?" Florence asked a moment later.
Peggy suddenly chuckled. "How about naming it for Miss Prudence? It's soshining and spotlessly clean. And besides, that name might help Jo to bemore prudent--less reckless."
"That name suits me," laughed Jo Ann.
"And me," added Florence. "And I believe it'll please Miss Prudence,especially when we explain why we've chosen the name."
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Transcriber's note:
--Copyright notice provided as in the original--this e-text is public domain in the country of publication.
--A Table of Contents was added for the reader's convenience.
--Obvious typographical errors were corrected without comment.
--Non-standard spellings and dialect were left unchanged.
