Mr. Hamlin was a small man, with iron gray hair, a square jaw and thin,
tightly closed lips. He seldom talked, and the "Automobile Girls" felt
secretly afraid of him.

"Uncle is dreadfully angry with Harriet," Ruth explained to Bab, after
Mr. Hamlin was out of hearing. "But he is awfully strict and I do not
think he is exactly fair. He does not give Harriet credit for what she
does, but he gets awfully cross if she makes any mistakes. Harriet is
upstairs, in her own sitting-room, talking to a great friend of hers. He
is a man Uncle hates, although he has known Charlie Meyers since
childhood. He is immensely rich, but he is very ill-bred, and that is why
Uncle dislikes him. I don't think Harriet cares a bit more for this young
man than she does for half a dozen others. But if Uncle doesn't look out
Harriet will marry him for spite. Harriet hates being poor. She is not
poor, really. But I am afraid she is terribly extravagant. Promise not to
laugh when you see Charlie Meyers. He looks a little like a pig, he is so
pink and fat."

"Girls!" called Harriet's voice. "Are you still in here? Mr. Meyers has
just gone, and I wanted you to meet him. He is going to have a motor
party and take you to see Mount Vernon. We can drive along the Potomac
and have our supper somewhere in the country."

"I'm going to drive Mr. A. Bubble, Harriet," Ruth replied. "As long as I
brought my car to Washington I must use it. But I suppose we can get up
guests enough to fill two automobiles, can't we?"

"Where's Father?" Harriet inquired, trying to conceal a tremor in her
voice. "Did he know I was upstairs?"