MISSING AGAIN
"And to think that in a few more days we'll leave all this behind
us--all the cold, the icicles, the snow, the biting winds--leave it all,
and sail into a land of sunshine and oranges and Spanish moss and
magnolias and----"
"Alligators!" finished Betty for Grace, who was thus going into raptures
over the prospect before them, as she looked over the wintry landscape
that was in full view just outside the window of Amy's home. I say Amy's
home, for, though it had developed that she was no relative of Mr. and
Mrs. Stonington, still they insisted that she call their home hers as
long as she liked. So it was at Amy's home, then, that her chums had
gathered to talk over the trip to Florida.
It was the day after the somewhat startling developments regarding Will
Ford, and Mr. Ford, true to his determination, had telegraphed his son
twenty-five dollars.
"Well, of course Florida will be lovely!" exclaimed Mollie, "and I love
oranges----"
"To say nothing of orange blossoms," interjected Grace.
"I said oranges!" went on Mollie, putting emphasis on the word. "I like
them as well as anyone, but I love winter and skating and ice boating,
too."
"Oh, I just can't bear cold weather!" said Grace, with a shiver, and a
look toward the chair on which, in a fluffy pile, rested her furs--and
Grace looked handsome in the sable set that her father had given to her
at Christmas.
"You didn't seem so cold when we were up in the old lumber camp,"
remarked Betty. "You skated and ice-boated with the rest of us, and
seemed to enjoy it."
"I know, but it was a different sort of cold up there--so dry, and not
so penetrating as down here. The wind seems to go right through me," and
again the tall girl shivered.
"It doesn't take long----" began Mollie, and then she stopped short and
bit her lips to keep back a smile.
"Long to do what?" asked Grace, curiously.
"Never mind," spoke Mollie. "You might get angry."
"I will not. I haven't your----"
This time it was Grace who caught herself in time.
"Go on--say it. You may as well as think it!" snapped Mollie, with some
asperity. "You were going to say you hadn't my temper, weren't you,
now?"
"Well, yes, I was," said Grace, slowly. "And you were going to say I was
so thin that the wind didn't take long to go through me; weren't you?"
challenged Grace.
"Yes, I was, and----"
"Girls--Mollie--Grace!" cried Betty, anxious not to see a quarrel. "What
can I do to pour oil on troubled waters? Let's talk about--Florida."
"Don't pour cod liver oil, whatever you do," said Grace, quickly. "I had
to take some of the horrid stuff the last cough I had, and I can taste
it yet. Where are my chocolates? Oh, thank you, Amy," as the latter
passed them over. "Have some. These have maraschino cherries inside."
"Leave it to Grace to discover something luxurious in the candy line,"
observed Mollie.
"Well, I notice that you're only too glad to eat them," and Grace fairly
snapped out the words.
"Oh, dear! It seems hopeless to keep peace between you two to-day,"
sighed Betty. "Can't you be nice? Especially after Amy has asked us
over here to talk about the trip. Let's talk about----"
"What to wear!" exclaimed Amy, with a bright thought. "You see we'll
have to take two sets of clothing. One to wear until we get to Florida,
and the other after we arrive at the orange grove. We'll need thin
things there. Aunt Stonington is making me up some pretty voile and
white muslin dresses."
"I was wondering whether I ought to take my furs," said Grace.
"Furs in Florida!" cried Mollie. "Never!"
"But it will be cold going down," said Grace. "It's cold even in
Washington, now. I think I'll wear them. I may not get another chance
this winter if we stay there very long."
"We can stay as long as we like," said Amy. "Uncle Stonington says he'll
remain until Spring, anyhow, for the business will take until then to
get going properly. Then, too, he is anxious about Aunty's health. The
doctor says the longer she stays in a mild climate the better she will
be."
"She doesn't look very well," spoke Betty in a low voice. Mrs.
Stonington had greeted the girls as they came to call on Amy, and had
then gone to lie down. The callers had all noticed how frail and worn
she seemed. Perhaps the shock of almost losing Amy had something to do
with it. But there also appeared to be the seeds of some deep-seated
malady present in her system. And a look at Mr. Stonington's face told
that he, too, was worrying. But the trip to Florida might work wonders.
They all hoped so, at any rate.
"If we're going to take Bet's boat we ought to wear our sailor suits
part of the time," suggested Mollie. "Are you going to take the _Gem_?"
"What about that, Amy?" questioned Betty. "Did you inquire whether there
are navigable waters near the orange grove?"
"There are. The grove is near the town of Bentonville, on the Mayfair
River, which empties into Lake Chad, so I think there will be plenty of
chance to go boating. The grove is in the Indian River section, where
some of the finest oranges grow."
"Then the _Gem_ goes along," decided Betty. "I'm going to stop at the
freight office on my way home, and see about having it crated and
shipped."
Discussing what they would take in the way of dresses, and other
feminine accessories, talking over prospective trips in the motor boat,
speculating as to whether Will or any of his boy chums would go to
Florida for a brief visit, made the winter afternoon pass quickly.
"It would be nice if Will and some of the other boys could come down,"
said Mollie, reflectively.
"By 'some of the others' meaning Allen Washburn, I suppose," said
Mollie, slyly, for Betty's liking for the young lawyer was no secret,
nor was his for her.
"Speak for yourself, please," said the "Little Captain," a flush
mounting to her already rosy cheeks. "Though of course if Will is coming
home he won't want to go back again," she concluded.
"Hardly, I fancy," agreed Grace. "That's the last chocolate. I must get
some more for to-night. Who's going downtown?"
They all were, it developed, and on the way Betty stopped at the
railroad freight office and arranged to have a man sent to the boathouse
to crate the _Gem_. Then it could be taken to the railroad on a truck.
"And what will we do with it when we get to Bentonville?" asked Amy. "It
does look so big out of the water," for, after the visit to the freight
office they had gone to where the _Gem_ was stored in winter quarters.
"Oh, we can manage it there," said Betty.
"There must be plenty of men and trucks down there."
"Uncle Stonington says there are other motor boats on the river, so
there must be ways of getting them on and off," put in Amy.
Grace got her chocolates, and also insisted on buying hot drinks for her
chums.
"For I simply can't seem to get warm," she declared, as she sipped hers.
"And with all those furs," remarked Betty. "I guess you'll have to live
in the South in Winter, Grace."
"I wish I could."
As the girls walked with Grace toward her house, the Ford home being the
first on their way, they saw a messenger boy with his little
black-covered book and a bunch of telegrams just turning into the gate.
"There's a message!" exclaimed Grace, breaking into a run. "I want to
take it from him before he rings the bell. Mamma is so nervous at the
sight of a telegram. She always thinks the worst thing has happened. I
suppose this is from Will, saying he is on his way home. Poor boy! he
has had a lesson."
"I feel sorry for him, too," said Betty.
"I'll take the message," spoke Grace to the boy, as she signed the
extended book. "Prepaid? Yes. Here is a dime for yourself. Get a hot
chocolate; you must be cold."
"T'anks!" was the reply. "I kin git two for dat!"
"I hope he won't buy cigarettes," ventured Mollie.
"Nonsense!" answered Grace, as she tore open the message, which was
addressed to her father. She felt she had a right to do this, as, had it
been some business communication, she argued, it would have gone to Mr.
Ford's office. Grace felt sure it was from her brother.
Quickly she read the brief message in the waning light of the winter
day. Then she swayed and her face paled.
"What is it--bad news?" asked Betty quickly, as she put her arms around
her chum.
"Yes--yes. It's about--Will. Read it. Poor mother! How can I tell her?
And she has been expecting him so!"
Betty glanced at the few words. They were:
"Cannot locate Will Ford at Jacksonville address
given. Am holding the twenty-five dollars subject
to your order. Party was at address noted, but
information to our agent here is to effect that
young man left in company with a labor contractor
who does not bear a very good reputation. Young
man's boarding mistress worried. What shall we
do?"
The message was to Mr. Ford. It was from Jacksonville, and was signed by
the telegraph operator there.
"Will is missing again!" sobbed Grace. "Oh, what shall I do? What shall
I do?"