right hand wound up the brake as though she had practiced the work.
Fast as the car was speeding, the pressure on the wheels made
itself felt almost at once. Nan wished to help, but realized that
in her ignorance she might blunder, so held herself in.

"What's happened to John?" demanded the conductor. "My goodness!"
he added to Rhoda, "you're a smart girl."

But he took her place at the brake. The car did not halt at once.
It ran down almost to the turn in the road before it came to a
jarring halt.

Some of the frightened girls had gathered around Miss March. The
others crowded forward. Nan was holding Rhoda Hammond tight about
the neck, and she kissed her warmly.

"You are a splendid girl, Rhoda!" Nan cried. "You stopped the car."

"I didn't see that you showed any white feather, Nan," urged Bess
Harley.

"Ah, but Rhoda was more than brave. She knew what to do. We'd have
gone off the track and pitched over that wall probably, if it had
depended on me to stop this old car," declared Nan generously.




CHAPTER VIII