and its driver did not know which way to direct the big red machine.

"Where in the world is this?" asked Tom, noting Ned looking from one side
to the other in a puzzled sort of way.

"Well, if it is only in this world we are lucky," answered Ned. "I rather
feared we had slipped off into another planet."

"It's cold, too," murmured Joe, for as the afternoon sun slowly set the
bleak winter day hastened forward in all its penetrating bitterness.

"What time is it, anyway?" asked Roland of Ned.

"Four, and going to get dark in an hour. Jingo! I wish we had found some
greens. The girls want to get the wreaths made up to-morrow."

"Why didn't we go to Tanglewood Park?" asked Roger. "There were plenty of
nice evergreens there."

"Yes, why didn't we? That's the question. Let's try this road," and Ned
turned into a branch of the highway he was driving on. "Perhaps we may get
out there yet."

"Now, see here," interrupted Roland. "I've got a dinner date to-night.
Sort of a 'return of the prodigal,' you know. I can't be late. So please
don't go too far from Mother Earth. If necessary we can get the greens
some other day."

"All right," agreed Ned. "If we can't make the park in half an hour we'll
turn back. But I wonder some of you smart ones did not think of it before.