Patty's Summer Days Part 15

Patty and Elise shared a large room whose twin beds were covered with spreads of gaily-flowered chintz. Curtains of the same material hung at the windows, and draped the dressing-table.

"What a pleasant, homelike room," said Patty, as she looked about.

"Yes," said Elise, "this is a nice old country hotel. We've been here before. Hurry, Patty, let's dress for dinner quickly."

But Patty was surveying herself in the long piergla.s.s that hung between two windows.

Nan had selected her motoring outfit, and she had donned it that morning so hastily that she hadn't really had an opportunity to observe herself.

But now, as she looked at the rather shapeless figure in the long pongee coat, and the queer s.h.i.+rred hood of the same material, and as she noted the voluminous chiffon veil with its funny little front window of mica, she concluded that she looked more like a goblin in a fairy play than a human being.

"Do stop admiring your new clothes, Patty, and get dressed," said Elise, who was on her knees before an open suitcase, shaking out Patty's skirt and bodice. "Get off those togs, and get ready to put these on. This is a sweet little Dresden silk; I didn't know you had it. Is it new?"

"Yes," said Patty, "Nan bought it for me. She said it wouldn't take much room in the suitcase, and would be useful for a dinner dress."

"It's lovely," said Elise. "Now get into it, and I'll hook you up."

So Patty got out of what she called her goblin clothes, but was still giggling at them as she hung them away in the wardrobe.

Less than half an hour later the two girls, spick and span in their dainty dresses, and with fresh white bows on their hair, went together down the staircase. They found Mr. and Mrs. Farrington awaiting them, and soon Roger appeared, and they went to the dining-room for a late dinner.

Then Patty discovered what automobile hunger was.

"I'm simply ravenous," she declared, "but I didn't know it until this minute."

"That's part of the experience," said Mrs. Farrington, "the appet.i.te caused by motoring is the largest known variety, and that's why I wanted to push on here, where we could get a good dinner, instead of taking our chances at some farmhouse."

They were the only guests in the dining-room at that late hour, and so they made a merry meal of it, and after dinner went back to the large parlours, to sit for a while listening to the music. But they did not tarry long, for as Patty discovered, another consequence of a motor ride was a strong inclination to go to bed early.

CHAPTER XI

d.i.c.k PHELPS

The travellers did not rise early the next morning, and ten o'clock found them still seated at the breakfast table.

"I do hate to hurry," said Mrs. Farrington, comfortably sipping her coffee. "So many people think that an automobile tour means getting up early, and hustling off at daybreak."

"I'm glad those are your sentiments," said Patty, "for I quite agree with you. I've done enough hustling the last month or two, and I'm delighted to take things more slowly for a change."

"I think," said Mr. Farrington, "that as it is such a pleasant day, it would be a good plan to take some luncheon with us and picnic by the roadside. We could then get to the Warners'in time for dinner, though perhaps a little late."

"Lovely!" cried Elise, "I'm perfectly crazy to use that new luncheon-kit.

It's great, Patty! It has the cunningest alcohol stove, and every little contraption you could possibly think of."

"I know it," said Patty. "I peeped inside yesterday, and the array of forks and spoons and plates and bottles was perfectly fascinating."

"Very well," said Mrs. Farrington to her husband, "ask them to fill the kit properly, and I think myself we will enjoy a little picnic."

So Mr. Farrington went to see about the provisions, and Roger to get the car ready, while the ladies sauntered about the piazza.

The route of their journey lay along the sh.o.r.e of Long Island Sound, and the hotel where they had stayed over night was not far from New Haven, and quite near the water's edge.

Patty was very fond of the water, and gazed with delight at the sparkling Sound, dotted with white steamers and various sorts of fis.h.i.+ng-craft. For her part she would have been glad to stay longer at this hotel, but the Warners, whom they were going to visit, were expecting them to dinner that evening. These people, Patty knew, lived in a beautiful country place called "Pine Branches," which was near Springfield in Ma.s.sachusetts. Patty did not know the Warners, but Elise had a.s.sured her that they were delightful people and were prepared to give her a warm welcome.

When the car came to the door the ladies were all ready to continue the journey. They had again donned their queer-looking motor-clothes, and though Patty was beginning to get used to their appearance, they still seemed to her like a trio of brownies or other queer beings as they took their seats in the car.

Roger climbed to his place, touched a lever by his side, and swung the car down the drive with an air of what seemed to Patty justifiable pride.

The freshly cleaned car was so daintily spick and span, the day was so perfect, and the merry-hearted pa.s.sengers in such a gay and festive mood, that there was indeed reason for a feeling of general satisfaction.

Away they went at a rapid speed, which Patty thought must be beyond the allowed limit, but Roger a.s.sured her to the contrary.

For many miles their course lay along a fine road which followed the sh.o.r.e of the Sound. This delighted Patty, as she was still able to gaze out over the blue water, and at the same time enjoy the wonderful motion of the car.

But soon their course changed and they turned inland, on the road to Hartford. Patty was surprised at Roger's knowledge of the way, but the young man was well provided with road maps and guidebooks, of which he had made careful study.

"How beautifully the car goes," said Patty. "It doesn't make the least fuss, even on the upgrades."

"You must learn the vocabulary, Patty," said Roger. "When a machine goes smoothly as The Fact is doing now, the proper expression is that it runs sweetly."

"Sweetly!" exclaimed Patty. "How silly. It sounds like a gus.h.i.+ng girl."

"That doesn't matter," said Roger, serenely. "If you go on motor trips, you must learn to talk motor-jargon."

"All right," said Patty, "I'm willing to learn, and I do think the way this car goes it is just too sweet for anything!"

They all laughed at this, but their gaiety was short-lived, for just then there was a peculiar crunching sound that seemed to mean disaster, judging from the expressions of dismay on the faces of the Farrington family.

"What is it?" asked Patty, forgetting that she had been told never to ask questions on such occasions.

"Patty," said Roger, making a comical face at her, "my countenance now presents an expression typical of disgust, irritation, and impatience. I now wave my right hand thus, which is a Delsarte gesture expressing exasperation with a trace of anger. I next give voice to my sentiments, merely to remark in my usual calm and disinterested way, that a belt has broken and the mending thereof will consume a portion of time, the length of which may be estimated only after it has elapsed."

Patty laughed heartily at this harangue, but gathered from Roger's nonsense the interesting fact that an accident had occurred, and that a delay was inevitable. n.o.body seemed especially surprised. Indeed, they took it quite as a matter of course, and Mrs. Farrington opened a new magazine which she had brought with her, and calmly settled herself to read.

But Elise said, "Well, I'm already starving with hunger, and I think we may as well open that kit of provisions, and have our picnic right here, while Roger is mending the belt."

"Elise," said her father jestingly, "you sometimes show signs of almost human intelligence! Your plan is a positive inspiration, for I confess that I myself feel the gnawings of hunger. Let us eat the hard-boiled eggs and ham sandwiches that we have with us, and then if we like, we can stop at Hartford this afternoon for a more satisfying lunch, as I begin to think we will not reach Pine Branches until sometime later than their usual dinner hour."

They all agreed to this plan, and Roger, with his peculiar sensitiveness toward being discovered with his car at a disadvantage, said seriously: "I see a racing machine coming, and when it pa.s.ses us I hope you people will act as if we had stopped here only to lunch, and not because this ridiculous belt chose to break itself just now."

This trait of Roger's amused Patty very much, but she was quite ready to humour her friend, and agreed to do her part.

She looked where Roger had indicated, and though she could see what looked like a black speck on a distant road, she wondered how Roger could know it was a racing machine that was approaching. However, she realised that there were many details of motoring of which she had as yet no idea, and she turned her attention to helping the others spread out the luncheon. The beautifully furnished basket was a delight to Patty. She was amazed to see how cleverly a large amount of paraphernalia could be stowed in a small amount of s.p.a.ce. The kit was arranged for six persons, and contained half-dozens of knives, forks, spoons, and even egg-spoons; also plates, cups, napkins, and everything with which to serve a comfortable meal. There were sandwich-boxes, salad-boxes, b.u.t.ter-jars, tea and coffee cans, salt, pepper, and all necessary condiments. Then there was the alcohol stove, with its water-kettle and chafing dish. At the sight of all these things, which seemed to come out of the kit as out of a magician's hat, Patty's eyes danced.

"Let me cook," she begged, and Mrs. Farrington and Elise were only too glad to be relieved of this duty.

There wasn't much cooking to do, as sandwiches, cold meats, salad, and sweets were lavishly provided, but Patty made tea, and then boiled a few eggs just for the fun of doing it.