Nancy was thunderstruck. Bess and George gasped. Before any of them could speak, the lunchroom woman cried out, "She's one of the gang! Arrest her!"

For the first time the station attendant spoke up. "Take it easy, Liz. These girls don't exactly look like counterfeiters."

Liz sniffed. "People don't usually go around paying for sundaes with twenty-dollar bills!" she said tartly.

"My father gave me the money because I was going on a vacation."

"A likely story!" the woman sneered.

"It's the truth!" George spoke up indignantly. "The idea of accusing my friend of passing bad money on purpose! It's ridiculous!"

"Ridiculous, is it?" the woman retorted angrily. "You'll sing a different tune when you're in jail!"

"You can't have Nancy arrested. She didn't realize it was counterfeit money!" Bess protested. "George and I have some cash. We'll pay you twenty good dollars to make up for the bad one."

As the cousins pooled their funds and handed over the money, the woman quieted down.

"Maybe I was a little hasty," she admitted. But she was not entirely cowed. "How about your father?" she asked Nancy. "How come he had counterfeit bills?"

Nancy said she did not know, hut certainly he had not acquired them dishonestly. One of the Secret Service men said, "Suppose you tell us who you are, and-"

"I'll tell you who she is!" came an authoritative voice from the doorway.

CHAPTER XIIIA Hesitant Hitchhiker

Unobserved by the girls, an automobile had driven up and parked near the filling station. A tall young man had alighted and started for the lunchroom. Upon hearing the amazing conversation inside, he had halted. Then, realizing Nancy was in need of help, he had stepped inside.

"Karl!" Nancy cried out. She had never before been so glad to see anyone!