by Clair Blank
Chapter XXI
ADIOS
Their fears were confirmed. About ten o'clock the next morning Gale andValerie managed to leave their beds for breakfast. But when theyappeared in the dining room they discovered that they were the first andonly ones to make their appearance. Mrs. Wilson despatched Valerie tobestir Phyllis and Madge and Gale departed to rouse Carol and Janet.
She knocked loudly on their door but all remained blissfully quiet. Shepeeped around the corner of the door and beheld her two friends curledlike kittens, enjoying their nap.
"Hey!" she yelled. "Last call for breakfast."
"Huh?" Carol cocked one sleepy eye in her direction while Janet remainedin dreamland.
"I said," Gale repeated painstakingly, "it is the last call forbreakfast."
"I don't want any," Carol said, turning over and burying her head in thecovers.
"Come on, get up," Gale urged, shaking her friend, "we want to get anearly start."
"Let's go home tomorrow," Carol begged. "I wanta sleep."
"We have to leave today," Gale insisted. "There can be no more puttingit off. Come on, turn out, or I'll pour cold water on you!" shethreatened.
At that declaration Carol managed to sit up, but she was half asleep asshe tried to struggle out of her pajamas.
"Lazy bones, get out of there," Gale demanded of Janet.
The latter squinted frowningly at Gale. "Must you bother me?" shedemanded. "Go away!"
"Not until you get up and dress," Gale said calmly. "We've got to getstarted."
"I want my breakfast," Janet said.
"Well, you won't get a bite unless you get up this minute!" Galedeclared vigorously.
"In that case," Janet yawned, "I reckon I'll do without it. Good night."
Gale went to the door. "Virginia," she called, "bring me a bucket ofcold water. The colder the better!"
"What's that for?" Janet demanded.
"To pour on you," Gale said calmly.
"I'm up!" Janet declared, tossing back the covers and jumping out ofbed.
She was up, but it took her and Carol at least another half an hour tocomplete their dressing. When finally they appeared for breakfast, itwas lunch time. After lunch there was frantic last minute scrambling tocollect baggage.
The old car in which they had arrived at the K Bar O was brought to thefront of the ranch house and there the girls viewed it with frowns.
"That tire is certainly flat," Carol declared. "It looks like a deflatedpancake."
"Jim and I'll have it fixed in no time," Tom offered.
"Brothers are good for something," Janet murmured satisfactorily toVirginia.
"Where's Phyllis?" Gale asked.
"I don't know," Janet said. "Isn't she in the house with Val?"
Gale went into the living room and called but neither Phyllis norValerie answered.
"Perhaps she is down at the corral kissing her horse goodbye," suggestedCarol brightly.
"Go see," Janet said.
"Go yourself," Carol murmured lazily.
"I have it," Janet said. "We'll both go. Maybe Loo Wong has an extrapiece of cake," she whispered in Carol's ear.
"The way those two departed I'll bet they were thinking of food," Madgecommented.
"Phyllis isn't down at the corral and neither is Val," Janet informedthem when, after a lengthy absence, she and Carol returned.
"Were you eating anything?" Madge demanded suspiciously.
"Of course not," Carol said with dignity. "Didn't we just have lunch?"
"Then wipe that chocolate icing off your tie," Madge said laughingly.
"Look. Here they come. What in the world is Phyllis carrying?" Caroldemanded wonderingly.
"A cactus," Janet giggled. "What are you going to do with that?" sheasked.
"Take it home with me," Phyllis grinned, "for a souvenir. You can sit onit in the car," she invited.
"Thoughtful of you," Janet grimaced.
"There's your tire all fixed," Tom said, dusting himself off as hestraightened up from his work.
"Gee, I'm glad it went flat here and not ten miles away," Phyllissighed. "Just think, we might have had to fix it."
"I hope the old thing holds together until we reach Phoenix," Janetsaid, looking the car over. "I wouldn't want to walk."
"Why that car is good for years yet," Carol declared, a twinkle in hereye.
"Sure, if it just sits in the garage," agreed Phyllis.
"It's getting rusty already," Janet said.
"Well, there is one consolation," Carol murmured, "the horn can neverrust away."
"Why not?" Janet wanted to know.
"Because it'll break up in honks!" Carol answered.
Carol had been sitting on the porch step with Janet, but suddenly shefound herself catapulted into the dust.
"That's for that terrible joke," Janet said firmly. "Another one likethat and we will make you ride on the rear bumper."
"We better get going," Madge put in. "It is getting late."
The girls had had such a good time and they had grown fond of Virginia.It was hard to say goodbye.
"I wish you were coming East with us," Gale said sadly.
"Couldn't you?" Phyllis asked eagerly.
Virginia shook her head. "No can do. But maybe I can visit you sometime. I hope you can come out here again, too."
"You will let us know how Bobby gets along in school?" Val asked. "We'llwant to know."
"Of course," Virginia assured them. "I want you all to write to me, too.Don't forget."
After their goodbyes were over the girls piled into the car, Gale at thewheel. Ineffectively she pressed her foot on the starter. There was awhirr but the engine refused to break into the longed-for roar. Thegirls exchanged exasperated glances.
"I suppose we'll have to get out and push," Carol groaned.
"Nothing doing!" Janet balked at the suggestion. "What's the matter withthe old thing anyway, Gale?"
Gale replied with a shrug of her shoulders and climbed out. She openedthe engine hood and looked at the complicated array of gadgets. She knewa little, not much, about an automobile engine.
"Everything looks all right," Tom declared. "I'll get under and seewhat's what."
"How's it?" Phyllis asked, leaning over the door.
"A couple bolts loose," Tom yelled back.
Several minutes later Tom reappeared, streaked with grease buttriumphant.
"Try it now," he suggested.
But the car refused to obey the summons to action.
"Lizzie certainly isn't a lady!" Janet declared impatiently. "Maybe shewants to be coaxed."
"I've got it!" Gale said suddenly with a snap of her fingers.
"Goodness, hold onto it whatever it is," Phyllis begged.
Gale grinned sheepishly. "We should have thought of it, sooner. I'llwager we haven't any gas."
Tom looked at the tank and laughed. "Dry as the desert," he declared."But there is a five-gallon can in the bunkhouse. I'll get it."
The gas tank was filled and the engine responded readily now to Gale'spressure on the starter. They said their goodbyes again.
"Goodbye, goodbye, parting is such sweet sorrow," Janet saidsorrowfully, clinging to Virginia's hand.
"Now I know it is time to go," Carol said. "When Janet quotesShakespeare things will begin to happen."
The car rattled and wheezed as it began to move.
"Hey, hold everything," Phyllis called to Gale. "Here comes Loo Wong."
Once more their departure was halted. Loo Wong had packed a lunch and heproceeded to present it to Janet with a low bow and a wide grin.
"Loo Wong wish many happiness. Bid all tloubles goodbye fo'lever."
"Same to you, Loo Wong, and many of 'em," Janet declared. "Girls, whatwould we have done without Loo Wong?"
"We couldn't do without him," Carol declared. "He makes the bestpancakes I've ever eaten."
"Don't forget how to make fud
ge, Loo Wong," Valerie called.
The Chinaman bobbed up and down, hands hidden in wide sleeves and hisface wreathed in smiles.
"This time it is really goodbye," Gale called. "Don't forget to write,Virginia!"
The car wheezed and rattled out of the ranch yard onto the dusty road.Handkerchiefs fluttered until the car was swallowed up in a cloud ofdust and the ranch house was hidden from view. They had a long tripahead of them and they settled down comfortably for their last glimpseof Arizona scenery.
"Ah, now let's eat," proposed Janet. "Ouch!" Unwittingly she had leanedagainst the cactus plant Phyllis had stored in with the baggage.
"Get along, Liza," Gale said, patting the steering wheel encouraginglyas the engine coughed. "Don't let us down now," she pleaded.
So, with the girls hoping that the old car would hold together untilthey reached Phoenix where they would take the train to the East, let usleave the Adventure Girls. Those who have enjoyed the six girls'adventures may join them again in "The Adventure Girls in the Air," whenthey have some exciting times with airplanes and find themselves in newand surprising situations.