When they went out to the two automobiles the chauffeurs were missing.  A man was trimming a hedge nearby and Dick asked him if he had seen the pair.

“Must be over to the barroom,” said the gardener.  “That Hellig loves his liquor, and Snall likes a glass, too.”

“Was Hellig the driver of this first car?”

“Yes, and Snall ran the second.”

Just then Tom came up, having placed Nellie in the second car.

“What’s the trouble, Dick?” he questioned.

“I am afraid both our men have gone off to drink.  This man says they both love their liquor.”

“They do, and both of ’em have been locked up for reckless driving but don’t say I told you,” said the gardener.

“Humph!  This is serious,” murmured Tom.  “I don’t like to trust a chauffeur who drinks.”

“Come with me,” said his brother, in a low tone.  “Just wait for us,” he shouted to the others, who were now in the two cars.

He walked behind the ice cream pavillion, Tom at his side, and then the pair reached a side door, connecting with the hotel barroom.  They looked in and at a small table saw the two chauffeurs drinking liquor from a bottle set before them.  Both were rather noisy and had evidently been imbibing freely.

“I won’t let no boy run me and tell me what I shall take,” they heard Hellig say thickly.

“I’ll drink what I please and when I please,” answered Snall.  “Let us have another, Nat.”

“Sure.”

“This is the worst ever!” murmured Tom.  “They are in no fit condition to run the cars.  I wouldn’t trust my neck with either of them.”

“And I am not going to trust the lives of the girls in their care,” answered Dick, firmly.

“What are you going to do?”

“I don’t know yet.  But one thing is settled—­, they shan’t take us back.”

“I think I could run one car—­if we didn’t go too fast,” suggested Tom, who had run several machines at various times in his lively career.

“I could run the other.”

“Then let us do it, Dick.  Those fellows don’t own the cars, and we didn’t hire from them, we hired from the owner of the garage.  I guess we have a right to run them under the circumstances.”

The two boys walked back to the automobiles.  All of the others were now anxious to know what was wrong and they had to give the particulars.

“Oh, Dick, you must not let them run the cars!” cried Grace, turning pale.

“I’d rather have you and Tom run them ten times over,” declared Dora.

While the party was talking the two chauffeurs came from the hotel and walked unsteadily towards the automobiles.  Their faces were red and their eyes blinked unsteadily.

“Stop!” called Dick, when they were some distance away, and the gardener and some guests of the hotel gathered around to see what was the matter.

“What yer want?” growled Hellig, thickly.