"That's for you to say," replied Hank, straightening up.

"Could we get to Ocean Cliff--Minturn's place--before dark?" asked
Mr. Bobbsey, noticing how rickety the old stagecoach was.

"Can't promise," answered Hank, "but you can just pile in and we'll
try it."

There was no choice, so the party "piled" into the carryall.

"Isn't this fun?" remarked Mrs. Manily, taking her seat up under the
front window. "It's like going on a May ride."

"I'm afraid it will be a moonlight ride at this rate," laughed
Mr. Bobbsey, as the stagecoach started to rattle on. Freddie wanted
to sit in front with Hank but Mrs. Bobbsey thought it safer inside,
for, indeed, the ride was risky enough, inside or out. As they
joggled on the noise of the wheels grew louder and louder, until our
friends could only make themselves heard by screaming at each other.

"Night is coming," called Mrs. Bobbsey, and Dinah said: "Suah 'nough
we be out in de night dis time."

It seemed as if the old horses wanted to stand still, they moved so
slowly, and the old wagon creaked and cracked until Hank, himself,
turned round, looked in the window, and shouted:

"All right there?"