“Yes, we had better have her,” declared Cora, putting down Ida’s name on the long list.  “Ida is not really mean—­she is rather unfortunate—­and I think, as she has been in Chelton so long it would be unkind to leave her out.”

“I hardly think she will come,” commented Belle.  “She has been so—­so snippy lately.”

“Well, we’ll ask her, at any rate.  And, now, don’t forget, we are all to keep our costumes secret.”

“Oh, won’t it be jolly!” sang out Bess.  “I can scarcely wait.”

“And to think of having it after dark, without chaperons to look after us!” exclaimed Belle.  “I doubt if some of the stiff girls will be allowed to come on that account.”

“Then we’ll have a better time without the stiffs,” declared the young hostess.  “I’m sure our patronesses are protection enough, and mother is going to delay her trip a few days on purpose to be on hand.”

“Oh, of course,” Belle hurried to explain, “I think it is just perfectly all right and delicious, but I was just speculating on the kind who may be jealous.”

“And is Paul coming?” asked Bess.  She was always so self-conscious when she asked a question like that.

“Why, of course,” answered Cora, “and also his sister Hazel.  I particularly like them both, and Jack, who has met Paul, agrees that he is a very nice young man.”

“Expert opinion, I suppose,” murmured Belle.

They talked in jolly mood for some time longer, and the twins were about to leave for home when a shout out in the street attracted their attention.

“What’s that?” asked Cora, starting up.

“Runaway!  Look out for the runaway!” the girls heard several persons shout.

“It’s a horse running `away,” declared Belle.  “Let’s stay where it’s safe—­up here.”

But Cora had started down the path, and Bess followed her.

“It’s a runaway motor—­a car!” exclaimed Cora as she caught sight of something flashing through the trees.  It was a runabout, dashing along the avenue without a hand to guide it, and as it gathered speed it swerved from side to side.

“Why, it’s Jack’s car!” cried Cora as the auto flashed past her.  “Can he be hurt?  Where is he?  ’Oh, Jack!”

She started to run, leaving Bess on the path.

“I must stop it!” thought Cora.  “It may run into a person or a team and kill some one.”

Before she thought of the uselessness of her act she found herself running down the street, along with a shouting crowd of men and boys.  As if she could catch up to an auto!

She hardly knew what she was doing.

“Oh, can’t some one stop it?” she cried.  “Turn off the power!  It must be stopped!”

“By Jove!  That’s a plucky chap!” exclaimed a stranger.  “There!  He’s lost his hold!  He’ll be run over!”

A young man, who had made a daring attempt to stop the runabout, was seen to be slipping beneath the wheels.  But as the car sped on he pulled himself up to the seat.  He grasped the wheel just in time to prevent the car from running up on the sidewalk, and an instant later he had shut off the, power and applied the brakes.