Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Beginners Projects, Mary Meehan and
the Online Distributed Proofreading Team.
1913
"The Motor Maids are off again," announced the West Haven Courier onemorning, as if every citizen in the gray old town on the coast was notalready well aware of it.
The four famous travelers and their chaperone, Miss Helen Campbell, werealways off somewhere in the red motor car. If they were not making avoyage to England with the "Comet" stored in the hold of the ship forimmediate use on arrival, or taking perilous journeys across the Americancontinent in the faithful car, they were making excursions to ShellIsland or Seven League Island, or down the coast to the Sailors' Inn.
"Where is it to be this time, Nancy-Bell?" Captain Brown had asked hisdaughter when she had broken the news to him that she must give up thespring term at High School for something far more educational than merebooks. Perhaps the sea captain had intended to be stern when he askedthat question; but Nancy had her own peculiar methods of dispellingsternness. A beaming anticipatory smile irradiated her face andscattered parental disapproval even as the warm rays of the sun scatterthe morning mists.
"Japan!" she announced solemnly; and Captain Brown, who himself had madevoyages to Japan in his youth, pricked up his ears like an old huntingdog when he hears the call of the pack. The name of High School fadedfrom his memory. It was the high seas he was thinking of—the greatdesert of waters, the fresh salt breeze and the foam track left by thelittle ship as it cut through the waves.
Without a word, he opened an old sea chest and drew out an atlas andchart. Nancy blinked her eyes and smiled happily. She wondered if theother girls were having as easy a time in breaking the amazing news totheir parents. Would Elinor Butler's father and mother consent to hertaking this long journey? Would Mrs. Price be willing to part with Maryfor many, many months while that young person