Chapter XX

THE END OF THE TERM

“I am personally going to buy White Star a whole box of sugar for his very own,” Carol said positively. “The horse is a hero.”

“And he speaks a language all his own,” added Janet. “Gale understood him but we didn’t.”

“It is lucky for me that Gale did understand him,” Phyllis said lazily.

It was the last day of classes, weeks after the fire at the stables. The girls were gathered on the campus after their last classroom session, discussing the high points of their college term. The miraculous way White Star had summoned help for Phyllis never ceased to be a thing of wonder to them. Neither Phyllis nor Gale had suffered other than a slight sickness from smoke. New stables had been erected and riding classes had gone on as before, with the exception of White Star’s sensational rise in popularity.

“All the girls want to ride him,” Madge laughed, “but he seems to prefer Phyllis.”

“Ah, yes, brothers under the skin,” Carol giggled daringly. “What is this power you have over horses, Phyl?”

“The same you have over Chemistry professors,” Phyllis retorted. “What I want to know is, why did Professor Lukens pass you?”

“Because I’m brilliant,” Carol said modestly.

“More likely because he wanted to be rid of you,” Janet put in. “You asked more questions in class than——”

“Let’s go down to the village and get a soda at the drug store,” Madge proposed peacefully.

“An excellent suggestion,” Carol said immediately. “Why don’t you think of things like that?” she asked Janet.

“Because walking doesn’t appeal to me,” Janet said promptly. “Now if—behold!” she said in astonishment.

The girls were at the edge of the college grounds. Mounting the hill to the gate was a new, shiny bus which declared in broad white letters on the side “Briarhurst College.” At the wheel was the same old fellow who had met them in his dilapidated contraption when they arrived at Briarhurst and who had been so against the new Dean because she wanted to buy him a new bus.

“Say, did somebody leave you money?” Janet shouted.

He stopped the bus and opened the door. “Want a ride to the village? Ain’t she a beauty?” he asked next when the girls had accepted his invitation with alacrity and tumbled into the vehicle. “The new Dean’s responsible. Course,” he added condescendingly, “she ain’t as good as old Lizzie but she’s sure spiffy!”

Janet and Carol chortled with glee.

“Spiffy is exactly the word!” Carol declared.

At the foot of the hill he let them out and went on his way.

“Miracle number two,” Carol laughed. “Remember how fond of his old bus he was?”

“Now he is even more proud of this one,” Madge agreed.

“Lead me to the drug store,” Janet said firmly.

“What are we going to do this summer?” Valerie asked over her chocolate soda.

“Let’s go camping,” Madge proposed. “We can have a lot of adventures that way.”

“Hm,” Janet agreed unenthusiastically.

“My dad,” Phyllis said slowly, “has offered to let us use his boat—if we want to.”

“If we want to,” Janet echoed gleefully.

“Carol Carter! Did you suggest it to Doctor Elton?” Gale asked, trying to be stern but failing.

“Well,” Carol murmured, “it might have slipped out in my conversation with him. You see I——”

“We see,” Valerie laughed.

Suppose we leave the Adventure Girls here, discussing their plans for the summer. We shall join them again for more excitement in The Adventure Girls on Vacation.