"Mercy, goodness! Five minutes to eleven, and I can't find my hat," and poor Jerry darted from one closet to another in her search. "Where do you suppose it is?"

"It's just where you left it," answered Mary, who had arrived ten minutes before and had been helping Jerry hunt for the missing hat. "Now stop running around and try to think a minute."

Jerry stood still and thought very hard."Why, I believe it's—it's in my hat box, you dear thing! Why didn't you tell me to do that before?" and Jerry darted up the stairs to her room, and in another minute called out:

"Yes, here it is, safe and sound," at which Mary burst into laughter.

"Honk, honk!" sounded from without.

"Here they are,—here they come," and both girls flew to meet Beth, who had just stepped out of the car as it stopped before the house.

Mrs. White followed the girls down the path and Uncle Billy smilingly promised her to have the girls home before dark.

"Jerry, you sit in front for a while with Uncle Billy," suggested Beth. "I think it will be nice if we take turns riding beside him."

"Fine idea," laughed Uncle Billy, "then I can get acquainted with all of you."

Jerry climbed in the front seat while Mary and Beth sat in the wide seat behind, with a large wicker lunch basket on the floor before them.

"Good-bye," they called as the car started, and Mrs. White waved her handkerchief until they were out of sight.

It was the beautiful month of September and the leaves were turning to red and gold. The air was soft and cool against their faces and the sky was dotted here and there with tiny white clouds that looked like little ships sailing on an ocean of blue.

Uncle Billy had headed the car toward the west and it sped down the country road, leaving the town of Merryvale far behind. Past fields and farms they flew, through woodlands and over little bridges under which ran tiny, bubbling brooks.

"It's like being in fairyland," whispered Mary. "Look, the leaves have made a gold and crimson carpet."

"Yes, and at night the fairies dance in the moonlight," answered Beth, "and drink honey from the blue bells. Wouldn't that soft mossy bank make a lovely throne for the queen?"

"What are you two talking about?" demanded Jerry, turning around in her seat and facing them. "I don't believe you know that Beth's Uncle Billy let me drive this car for a long way and he hardly helped at all."

"Well, I should say we didn't, or we'd have been scared to death," laughed Beth.

"Well, it's not half as dangerous as driving an airship, and I'm going to do that some day. I'd love to go away up above the clouds."

"And talk to the man in the moon, I suppose," teased Mary.

"That would be fun, if you didn't have any engine trouble," chuckled Uncle Billy, joining in the fun.

"What's engine trouble?" demanded Jerry. "Do you mean something happening to the works of it?"

"That's it," declared Uncle Billy, "and when it happens down you come faster than even you would like."

"Just down right side up or head over heels," insisted Jerry.

"Well, it needn't make any difference to you, because you are not going to do it, Geraldine White," interrupted Beth, looking at Mary, who hastened to agree with her.

"Lots of times I've wished I were a boy," sighed Jerry. "Nobody ever seems to mind what they do."

"What's the surprise, Uncle Billy?" asked Beth. "Why are you stopping?"

"I don't know myself," said Uncle Billy with a frown on his forehead, as the car gradually came to a stop, "but I'll have to find out."

"Whatever's the matter?" cried Jerry. "Do you think we're having engine trouble?" and she hopped out and stood by the roadside gazing at the car.

"Nothing so easy as that," answered Uncle Billy, in great disgust; "it's gas. We have run out of it. Looks as though they didn't fill up the tank in the garage before we started, as I told them to do."

"Gasoline!" gasped Beth, "and that's what makes it go."