Blue Grass Seminary Girls on the Water Page 3

  CHAPTER III.--OFF FOR NEW YORK.

  It was the morning of the twelfth of June that the party of five wentearly to Paris to catch the eight o'clock train for Cincinnati. Dick hadarrived the night before, and in spite of the fact that they would haveto be up very early in the morning, all sat up talking, for the youngpeople were too excited to go to sleep.

  All through the long hours of the night the girls tossed about, scarcelyclosing their eyes. They were up with the break of day, which was soonafter four o'clock.

  At last the time for departure came, and they jumped gaily into thelarge automobile which was to take them to town.

  "What time shall we leave Cincinnati, sir?" Dick asked of Mr. Willing,as the train pulled out from the station.

  "Twelve o'clock," was the reply. "We'll get there a little after eleven,which will give us time to get across town to the Pennsylvania station.I have made reservations on the New York train."

  Nevertheless it lacked only twenty minutes of the noon hour when thetrain pulled into Cincinnati.

  "Hurry girls," ordered Mr. Willing. "We have no time to lose. We canjust about make it."

  They dashed through the station and out the Third street entrance, whereMr. Willing immediately engaged two taxicabs.

  "Pennsylvania Station!" he ordered, and they were off at a good gait.

  Through the narrow streets congested with traffic they were forced to gomore slowly, and Mr. Willing looked at his watch impatiently from timeto time.

  "Seven minutes!" he said, and they were still some distance from theirdestination, and then the first cab stopped to let a car pass in frontof it.

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

  The chauffeur nodded and the cab leaped forward, scattering pedestriansright and left, darting in and out among other vehicles, avoiding acollision 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. Herethe conductor had just called "All aboard!"

  Mr. Willing heard him, and urged the others on faster. They passedthrough the gate, Mr. Willing assisted the girls and Colonel Ashton upthe steps, then climbed up himself. And as he did so, Shirley, who hadturned to look at him, cried:

  "Where's Dick?"

  Mr. Willing looked around, then stood nonplussed. Dick was not here. Thetrain began to move.

  There came a shout from behind and a young man came dashing after thetrain. Shirley cried out in alarm. It was Dick.

  The train had gathered headway now and was slipping along beneath theshed more rapidly. Dick sprinted, gained, clutched the handrail of thecar and swung himself aboard just as the train gathered even greaterspeed.

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

  "Close call, that," he exclaimed.

  "Young man," said Mr. Willing dryly, "hereafter let there be noloitering behind. You gave me a scare and I don't care for any more ofthe same."

  "Daddy!" exclaimed Shirley. "I am sure Dick didn't do it intentionally."

  "No, sir," agreed Dick. "As I followed after you I bumped into a ladyand knocked her suitcase from her hand. It came open and the contentsscattered about. For a moment I forgot all about the train and stoppedto help her pick them up. Then I happened to remember we were late, andran 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 thecar. Dick and the two older men were to occupy one and the two girls theother.

  It was almost eight o'clock when the train pulled into Pittsburgh. Theyhad just finished dinner, so Dick stepped off to look about for a fewmoments.

  As he stood beside the steps of the Pullman, another man, probablyseveral years his senior, approached and engaged him in conversation. Hewas an agreeable sort of a chap. He spoke English with the faintest ofaccents, however, and this Dick was not slow to notice.

  It appeared that the man had a berth on the same car, and they climbedaboard together. In the smoking compartment was Mr. Willing, to whomDick 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 veryagreeable and Mr. Willing took an instant liking to him.

  During the course of the conversation, Dick chanced to mention that theywould 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 Dick in surprise.

  "That all depends," was the answer. "I shall only take passage as far asColon. Whether I shall go further depends upon my--upon circumstances."

  "We shall be glad to have you as a fellow passenger," declared Mr.Willing. "As you are going to be such, you must meet my daughter, andthe daughter of the colonel here."

  "I shall be pleased," was the reply.

  He accompanied the others to the drawing room, where introductionsfollowed.

  Young Bristow conversed fluently upon many topics and the others weredelighted with him. From his remarks it was gathered that he hadtraveled considerably.

  He spoke familiarly of New York, Chicago, San Francisco, and apparentlyhad a personal knowledge of London, Paris, Berlin and other Europeancities. He was equally as well acquainted with the larger southerncities.

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

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

  The young man's face suddenly turned red.

  "My home is in New York," he replied quietly, "and as for my business, Ifear 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 mybusiness."

  Dick had been thinking rapidly. Suspicions had entered his head, and hecould not shake them off. And still he knew that they would soundfoolish 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 andMabel opened their eyes the next morning. Mabel glanced at her watch.

  "Seven o'clock," she exclaimed. "We'll have to hurry, Shirley. You knowthese 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 roomjust 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 Dick and Colonel Ashton appeared at thismoment, all made their way to the diner together.

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

  "At the McAlpin," was the reply. "We shall spend the two days lookingabout the city, going aboard the _Yucatan_ a couple of hours before timefor her departure."

  Bristow turned to Dick.

  "I shall look you up either this afternoon or to-morrow, and we'll takea stroll," he said.

  "I'll be glad to walk with you," Dick replied.

  Breakfast over, they returned to the Pullman, where they began to gettheir things together, for they were close to New York.

  Half an hour later the train plunged into th
e tunnel under the Hudsonriver. Mr. Willing, who had been to New York before, explained how thetunnel had been constructed and gave other interesting information.

  "You wouldn't think we were in a tunnel," exclaimed Shirley. "There isno smoke."

  "Electric engine," replied Mr. Willing.

  "And we go right under the river?"

  "Yes."

  "My goodness!" exclaimed Mabel. "Just to think that there is a riverrunning right over the top of us. Suppose it would come through."

  Mr. Willing smiled.

  "It won't," he said quietly.

  And now the porter came for their baggage, and carried it to thevestibule. The conductor poked his head in the door and called out:

  "New York!"

  "Here we are," exclaimed Shirley eagerly. "The city I have always wantedto see. The greatest city in the world!"