CHAPTER XVI A PLEASANT ADVENTURE
The next morning when Doris and Kitty came downstairs for breakfast, theywere relieved to see that the Misses Gates were there ahead of them.However, they noticed at once that for the first time since their arrivalat the mansion, the two ladies were dressed differently.
"That means they've been quarrelling," Doris told herself.
Iris and Azalea spoke pleasantly to the girls but their faces were wanand strained. They avoided speaking to each other and scarcely glanced atone another. Kitty and Doris, distressed at the situation, were very gladthat they had accepted Dave's invitation to go for a ride in his plane.It would be a relief to get away from the mansion. The place wasbeginning to get on their nerves.
Azalea and Iris ate very little, making the girls feel somewhat guiltyconcerning their own hearty appetites. All mention of the ruby ring wascarefully avoided, but the subject was uppermost in the minds of thefour. Conversation languished and the Misses Gates obviously wererelieved when breakfast was finished.
During the night Doris had tried to make up her mind what was the bestthing to do in regard to the loan which the Misses Gates had requested,but she had been unable to reach a decision. Now, as she saw how veryunhappy the two ladies were and how strained was the relationship betweenthem, she wished that she might do something to help the situation beforeshe and Kitty left on their outing.
"I'll lend them the money," she thought. "Perhaps the news will cheerthem a bit."
Accordingly, as they were leaving the dining room, she turned to Azaleaand Iris.
"Yesterday when Kitty and I were in Rumson, I telephoned my bank," shetold them, "and I found that I have more money in my account than I hadanticipated. So I've been thinking it over and have decided to let youhave some of it."
"Oh!" Azalea exclaimed, her face lighting up. "How very kind of you."
"You're sure you can spare the money?" Iris asked.
"The bookkeeper said that I had six thousand dollars," Doris admitted,"so I can let you have only five hundred. If that will be of any help--"
"Indeed it will," Azalea declared. "I cannot tell you how grateful weare."
"And Ronald will appreciate it, too," Iris added. "It means so much to usjust at this time. Of course, in the end you will get it all back."
"I am glad to do what I can to help," Doris told them.
Already she was pleased to see that the tension between Iris and Azaleawas somewhat relaxed. She hoped that before the day was over they wouldhave forgotten their foolish quarrel.
As Dave had stated that he would call for the girls about one o'clock,they began to watch for him soon after luncheon. As the airport was somedistance from the mansion, they expected him to come for them in a car,and accordingly kept close watch of the road.
Presently an automobile drove up, and Doris and Kitty, thinking it mustbe Dave, snatched up their wraps and started for the gate. Halfway downthe path they saw they had made a mistake. Ronald Trent was getting outof his roadster.
"Hello, girlies," he greeted with a sickening smile as he opened thegate. "Coming to meet me, eh?"
"No, we weren't," Doris returned. "We are waiting for a friend of ours."
"We're going for an airplane ride," Kitty added.
"High fliers, eh?" Ronald smirked, and then laughed loudly at his owninane joke.
Doris and Kitty did not even smile. They wished that he would go on intothe house and leave them alone.
"Who is that flying sweetheart of yours?" he teased.
"He isn't a sweetheart and you don't know him," Doris replied somewhatcoldly. "Come on, Kitty."
They started to walk to the gate but the man called them back.
"Just a minute. Aren't you forgetting something?"
The girls paused and looked at him in surprise. Ronald came over to Dorisand leaned unpleasantly close.
"Haven't you forgotten to give Cousin Ronald a goodbye kiss?"
Indignantly, Doris recoiled.
"I'm not in the habit of kissing strangers!" she snapped. "That remarkwas entirely uncalled for!"
"Come now, don't be bashful," Ronald cajoled.
He edged nearer and caught her by the hand. Doris jerked away and facedhim with blazing eyes.
"Don't you dare touch me!"
Undoubtedly, Ronald would have pressed his unwelcome attentions, but justat that instant an automobile drove up to the gate.
"Oh, well, we'll save it until the next time," he said with a shrug.
Chuckling gleefully to himself, he went on up the path toward the house.
"Oh, how I hate that man!" Doris muttered in an undertone to her chum. "Iwanted to slap his face!"
"I wish you had!"
They said no more, for turning toward the gate they saw that Dave hadarrived. Eagerly he sprang from the taxicab and came to meet them.Noticing Doris's flushed and angry face he asked what was the matter.
"Oh, it was that horrid cousin of mine," she told him. "He tried to getfresh."
"He did?" Dave demanded sharply. "Say, I'll just go after him and tellhim a thing or two!"
Doris placed a restraining hand on his sleeve.
"No, you mustn't do that. Iris and Azalea would never forgive us forcreating a scene. I don't doubt but that it's just his way."
"Well, he'd better change it if he doesn't want to get into trouble withme!"
With a scowl directed at the back of the retreating Cousin Ronald, Daveopened the gate for the girls and helped them into the taxi.
"I thought perhaps you wouldn't entirely trust me as a pilot," hedeclared as they were speeding rapidly toward the airfield, "so I broughtalong an expert. There isn't a better pilot to be had than Don Everts.He's waiting for us at the field."
"You know we'd trust you," Doris protested quickly.
Dave grinned.
"Well, anyway, I thought it would give me a better chance to talk withyou girls."
A few minutes later the cab turned in at the flying field and came to astandstill near a row of hangars. Dave helped the girls to alight andpaid the driver.
"This way," he directed, leading them toward a monoplane at the far endof the runway.
Quickly he introduced Don Everts, the pilot, a lean chap in helmet anddungarees. The girls found him very quiet and self-contained, but likedhim at once.
They took their places in the cockpit and Dave smiled at themreassuringly. The pilot carefully examined the controls and then noddedto the mechanic who stood waiting to swing the propeller.
"Switch off?"
"Switch off!" the pilot confirmed tersely.
"Contact?"
"Contact!"
The mechanic gave the propeller a mighty swing and the engine began toroar. To Doris and Kitty it was all very thrilling.
"All set?" Dave questioned after the engine had warmed up.
Kitty and Doris nodded grimly.
The monoplane had headed into the wind, and as Don Everts opened thethrottle, it moved rapidly across the field. The girls held their breath,but almost before they were aware of it, the plane had taken to the airand leveled off.
It no longer seemed to Kitty and Doris that they were traveling swiftly,for the plane appeared to be almost stationary in the sky.
"Not going very fast, are we?" Doris asked Dave.
"Ninety-eight miles per!" he shouted back.
Glancing down, the girls saw the earth pass slowly in review before them.They made out a few buildings but it was difficult to believe that theminiature structures comprised the town of Rumson.
The day was an ideal one for flying, with very few clouds visible. Thatthe girls might enjoy the novelty of their ride to the utmost, the pilotpresently zoomed up above a small bank of mist and permitted them to lookdown upon the fleece-like floor.
For Doris and Kitty, who were having the thrill of their lives, the timepassed all too swiftly. When Dave told them that they had been in the airnearly two hours they w
ere amazed.
"I haven't had so much fun in ages," Doris declared enthusiastically,after they had landed safely at the air field.
"I'll take you up again," Dave promised, "and now that I know you won'tbe afraid, I'll pilot you myself some time. I should have my license in alittle while."
Leaving the monoplane to the care of an attendant, the two young menescorted the girls to a taxicab and took seats beside them.
"You know, I was thinking perhaps we could get up a picnic one of thesedays," Dave suggested as they drove toward the mansion. "Marshmallow hasbeen hinting that he wants to be included."
"I think a picnic would be lots of fun," Doris declared, "and by allmeans let's have Marshmallow. He always brings the best things to eat! Ofcourse that isn't my reason for wanting him," she added hastily, as theothers began to laugh.
During the flight Dave had chanced to remark that Don Everts had formerlypiloted an air mail plane and had a flying acquaintance with nearly everytown and city in the east. Doris had been longing to ask him if he hadever passed over Cloudy Cove and now she broached the subject.
"My cousin comes from there," she explained.
"Cloudy Cove?" the pilot repeated thoughtfully. "Sure, I remember theplace. It's in Massachusetts. City of about thirty or forty thousand, I'dsay."
The taxicab drew up at the rear gate of the old mansion, and the fouralighted. Doris noticed that Ronald Trent's red roadster was still parkednearby.
"Won't you come in?" she asked the two young men. "It isn't late yet."
They accepted with alacrity and the girls led the way to the house.
"I hope Cousin Ronald doesn't try any more of his foolishness," Dorissaid in an undertone to Kitty.
Entering the house they found the Gates twins and Ronald in closeconference. Doris thought Azalea and Iris looked somewhat relieved as thegroup came into the living room and wondered what her cousin had beensaying to disturb them.
The twins were delighted that the girls had brought their friends intothe house, and at once made them feel at ease, but Ronald frowned asthough he considered it an intrusion. He spoke agreeably enough to Davewhen introduced, but it was apparent to the girls that they took aninstant dislike to each other.
While the Misses Gates chatted pleasantly with Doris and her friends,Ronald fidgeted in his chair and kept glancing at his watch. After a fewminutes he abruptly arose and, with only a few words spoken quietly toAzalea and Iris, departed.
After that, Doris sang a number of songs which met with enthusiasticapproval. Azalea rang for the tea things and, as the hour grew late, Daveand his friend regretfully took their departure.
"Don't forget the picnic," the girls were reminded by Dave as he saidgoodbye. "We can decide upon the date and the place later on."
"We will watch for your message," assured Kitty.
"A summer without a picnic wouldn't be a summer at all," sang Doris, asthe two girls waved goodbye and opened the back gate.
Doris Force at Locked Gates; Or, Saving a Mysterious Fortune Page 16