“Oh, what a grand Ourday, Father!” cried Midget, giving him one of her most ferocious “bear hugs.”  “We have so much vacation down here, I thought we wouldn’t catch any Ourdays!”

“Well, this is an extra thrown in for good measure.  I suppose you don’t care, Midget, which car you ride in?”

“Not a bit!  We keep together, don’t we?”

“Yes, as much as possible.  Cousin Jack will drive his own car, and Pompton, of course, will drive ours.”

“It all happened so swift I can hardly realize it,” said Kitty.  “Only a minute or two ago I was making cake in the kitchen, and now here I am!”

“Making what?” asked King, teasingly, but when he saw Kitty look red and embarrassed he turned the subject.

Kitty had told her mother about the cake episode, but Mrs. Maynard said it was an accident due to inexperience, and nothing further need be said about it.

“I’ll divide up the passengers,” said Cousin Jack as, with the two cars standing in front of the door, no one knew just which to get in.

“Ethel and I will take Marjorie and King with us, for I think Kitty will want to ride with her mother, and Babykins, too.”

“All right,” agreed Mr. Maynard, and then he packed Uncle Steve and Mrs. Maynard and Kitty on the back seat, Nannie and Rosamond next in front, and he climbed up beside Pompton.

Some suitcases and a basket of light luncheon were stowed away, and off they started, Ellen and Sarah waving to them from the steps as they flew down the drive.  It was a perfect day for motoring.  Not too hot, not too breezy, and no dust.

Their destination was Lakewood, but for quite a distance their road lay along by the shore before they turned inland.

Marjorie sat back, beside Cousin Ethel, and King sat in front with Cousin Jack.

“Let’s play Roadside Euchre,” said Midget.

“We go too fast for that,” said King.  “We couldn’t see the things to count them.”

“What is it, Mehitabel?” asked Cousin Jack.  “We aren’t going so very fast.”

“Why, you count the things on each side of the road.  You and I are on the right, you know, Cousin Jack, so we count all on this side.  Then Cousin Ethel and King count all on their side.”

“All what?”

“Well, a horse and vehicle counts one; a vehicle with two horses counts two; and a horse without any wagon or carriage counts five.  An automobile counts ten; a herd of cows, fifteen; and a load of hay, twenty.  A cat in a window counts twenty-five, and people count five apiece.  Any animal, not a horse counts ten.”

“But, as I am driving,” said Cousin Jack, “I can turn either side, and so make them count as I like.”

“No, you must turn just as you would, anyway.  Of course, as you turn to the right, King and Cousin Ethel will count most of the vehicles we pass; but we’ll make up some other way.  Oh, here’s a flock of chickens!  I forgot to tell you, chickens count one each.”