The Blue Grass Seminary Girls on the Water Part 4

"Seven minutes!" he said, and they were still some distance from their destination, and then the first cab stopped to let a car pa.s.s in front of it.

"Hurry!" commanded Mr. Willing of his driver. "We haven't got all day to get there. Let the street cars do the waiting after this."

The chauffeur nodded and the cab leaped forward, scattering pedestrians right and left, darting in and out among other vehicles, avoiding a collision as though by a miracle. The second cab came close behind.

At last the station was reached and all dismounted hurriedly. With Mr.

Willing in the lead they ran through the station to the train shed. Here the conductor had just called "All aboard!"

Mr. Willing heard him, and urged the others on faster. They pa.s.sed through the gate, Mr. Willing a.s.sisted the girls and Colonel Ashton up the steps, then climbed up himself. And as he did so, Shirley, who had turned to look at him, cried:

"Where's d.i.c.k?"

Mr. Willing looked around, then stood nonplussed. d.i.c.k was not here. The train began to move.

There came a shout from behind and a young man came dashing after the train. Shirley cried out in alarm. It was d.i.c.k.

The train had gathered headway now and was slipping along beneath the shed more rapidly. d.i.c.k sprinted, gained, clutched the handrail of the car and swung himself aboard just as the train gathered even greater speed.

He climbed to the platform, wiped the moisture from his brow, fanned himself vigorously and then smiled.

"Close call, that," he exclaimed.

"Young man," said Mr. Willing dryly, "hereafter let there be no loitering behind. You gave me a scare and I don't care for any more of the same."

"Daddy!" exclaimed Shirley. "I am sure d.i.c.k didn't do it intentionally."

"No, sir," agreed d.i.c.k. "As I followed after you I b.u.mped into a lady and knocked her suitcase from her hand. It came open and the contents scattered about. For a moment I forgot all about the train and stopped to help her pick them up. Then I happened to remember we were late, and ran after you."

"Your gallantry is bound to get you in trouble if you are not careful,"

commented Mr. Willing.

They went inside.

Mr. Willing had engaged the two drawing rooms, one at either end of the car. d.i.c.k and the two older men were to occupy one and the two girls the other.

It was almost eight o'clock when the train pulled into Pittsburgh. They had just finished dinner, so d.i.c.k stepped off to look about for a few moments.

As he stood beside the steps of the Pullman, another man, probably several years his senior, approached and engaged him in conversation. He was an agreeable sort of a chap. He spoke English with the faintest of accents, however, and this d.i.c.k was not slow to notice.

It appeared that the man had a berth on the same car, and they climbed aboard together. In the smoking compartment was Mr. Willing, to whom d.i.c.k introduced the newcomer. Mr. Ashton came in a few moments later, and all sat talking.

The stranger, who introduced himself as Henry Bristow, made himself very agreeable and Mr. Willing took an instant liking to him.

During the course of the conversation, d.i.c.k chanced to mention that they would sail from New York for San Francisco on the fifteenth.

"On what ship?" demanded Bristow eagerly.

"_Yucatan_," was the reply.

"Is that so?" exclaimed the other. "I shall sail on the same vessel."

"For San Francisco?" asked d.i.c.k in surprise.

"That all depends," was the answer. "I shall only take pa.s.sage as far as Colon. Whether I shall go further depends upon my-upon circ.u.mstances."

"We shall be glad to have you as a fellow pa.s.senger," declared Mr.

Willing. "As you are going to be such, you must meet my daughter, and the daughter of the colonel here."

"I shall be pleased," was the reply.

He accompanied the others to the drawing room, where introductions followed.

Young Bristow conversed fluently upon many topics and the others were delighted with him. From his remarks it was gathered that he had traveled considerably.

He spoke familiarly of New York, Chicago, San Francisco, and apparently had a personal knowledge of London, Paris, Berlin and other European cities. He was equally as well acquainted with the larger southern cities.

The two girls were eager listeners to the tales of his travels, and even Mr. Willing and Colonel Ashton gave an attentive ear to these stories.

"And where do you live?" asked Mr. Willing suddenly. "What did you say your business is?"

The young man's face suddenly turned red.

"My home is in New York," he replied quietly, "and as for my business, I fear that must remain a secret for the present."

"Daddy, you shouldn't be so inquisitive," said Shirley with a smile.

"I'm sure I'm sorry," apologized her father. "I didn't mean-"

"Say no more about it," replied the young man with a pleasant smile.

"For certain reasons, I am not now able to reveal the nature of my business."

d.i.c.k had been thinking rapidly. Suspicions had entered his head, and he could not shake them off. And still he knew that they would sound foolish to another.

"I'll keep them to myself," he said, "but I'll keep an eye open."

The train was just pulling into North Philadelphia when Shirley and Mabel opened their eyes the next morning. Mabel glanced at her watch.

"Seven o'clock," she exclaimed. "We'll have to hurry, Shirley. You know these fast trains don't take long to reach New York from here. Besides, we want to get breakfast on the train."

They dressed as rapidly as possible, and emerged from their drawing room just in time to see young Bristow stride down the aisle.

He gave them a cheery "good morning" and turned as Mr. Willing came up.

"I hope you will join us at breakfast, sir," said Mr. Willing.

The young man accepted, and as d.i.c.k and Colonel Ashton appeared at this moment, all made their way to the diner together.

"Where shall you stay in New York, sir?" asked Bristow of Mr. Willing.