"Why, Betty," cried Amy, incredulously, "I don't see how you ever had the
courage to do it. Why, that man might have shot you!"

"He probably would have if I hadn't got him first," said Betty, half-way
between laughter and tears. "It was taking an awfully big chance, but,"
with a flash of spirit, "I wasn't going to sit there calmly and have him
take away all our money. Not if I could help it."

"Betty, I think you were simply wonderful," said Mollie in heart-felt
admiration. "Why, if he had taken our money it would have completely
spoiled our trip."

"How they talk," said Grace hysterically. "Any one would think it was only
the trip that mattered when we might very easily have been killed."

This remark served to bring Mrs. Irving to a realization of the present,
and she suggested that they start on again.

"Not that I am particularly nervous," she hastily added, as the girls
looked at her suspiciously. "Only I will feel just as well when we have
put a dozen miles between us and that highway robber, instead of only half
that. I wish there was a town handy where we could notify the
authorities."

They started on again, and as the miles slid past them they became less
nervous and even began to laugh a little at thought of the robber's
consternation when he received the contents of Betty's pepper gun full in
his face.