"Mother, you better let me help you back here," said her son leaning forward and almost lifting his mother into the back seat, then stepping over to take her place beside Ruth.
"Better turn out your back lights!" he said in a quiet, steady voice. "They might follow, you know. They're in an ugly mood. They've been drinking."
"Then the car isn't really out of commission?"
"Not seriously."
"We're not on the right road, did you know? This road goes to The Pine Tree Inn and Singleton!"
Cameron gave a low exclamation: "Then they're headed for more liquor. I thought something was up."
"Is there a cross road back to the Pike?"
"I'm not sure. Probably. I know there is about three miles farther on, almost to the Inn. This is an awful mess to have got you into! I'd rather have been in the guard house than have this happen to you!"
"Please don't!" said Ruth earnestly. "It's an adventure! I'm enjoying it. I'm not a doll to be kept in cotton wool!"
"I should say not!" said Cameron with deep admiration in his tone. "You haven't shown yourself much of a doll to-night. Some doll, to run a car the way you did in the face of all that. I'll tell you better what I think when we get out of this!"
"They are coming, I believe!" said Ruth glancing back. "Don't you see a light? Look!"
Mrs. Cameron was looking, too, through the little back window. Now she spoke quietly: "Wouldn't it be better to get out and slip up in the woods till they have gone by?"
"No, mother!" said Cameron quickly, "just you sit quiet where you are and trust us."
"Something awful might happen, John!"
"No, mother! Don't you worry!" he said in his gentle, manly tone. Then to Ruth: "There's a big barn ahead there on your left. Keep your eye out for a road around behind it. If we could disappear it's too dark for them to know where we are. Would you care to turn out all the lights and let me run the car? I don't want to boast but there isn't much of anything I can't do with a car when I have to."
Instantly Ruth switched out every light and with a relieved "Please!" gave up the wheel to him. They made the change swiftly and silently, and Ruth took the post of lookout.