came panting along the road, his lunch under his arm.
"If I only had my roadster I wouldn't be late," he said, as he came up to them. "I've been so used to it that I've forgotten how long it takes to walk this far."
"Well, are we all set?" asked Frank.
"Everybody's here. Where are we going?"
"What do you say to Willow Grove?"
"All those in favor say 'Aye'," demanded Chet, and there was a chorus of "Aye" from the crowd.
"It's unanimous," Chet decided. "Willow Grove it shall be. Let's go."
Willow Grove was about a mile farther on. It was some distance in from the road, and was on the banks of Willow River, from which it got its name. It was an ideal place for a picnic, and as it was somewhat early in the season it was hardly likely that other parties from the city would be in the grove that day.
Frank told the other boys about Chet's adventure with the auto horn and the story was greeted with shouts of laughter, which were redoubled when Chet told how he had later jumped down from the wagon and run along a shouting to Lem Billers to give him a ride.
"It was a shame!" he confessed. "The poor old chap reined in his horses and made me
