14
III WILL'S LETTER 25
IV "COME HOME!" 33
V MISSING AGAIN 41
VI AN APPEAL FOR HELP 50
VII OFF FOR FLORIDA 59
VIII LAUNCHING THE BOAT 68
IX ON A SAND BAR 75
X DOUBTFUL HELP 82
XI INTO THE INTERIOR 93
XII A WARNING 103
XIII A STRANGE TOW 108
XIV THE TATTERED YOUTH 118
XV THE TWO MEN 126
XVI SUSPICIOUS CHARACTERS 132
XVII IN DANGER 139
XVIII BETWEEN TWO PERILS 147
XIX LOST 154
XX THE LOON 163
XXI TO THE RESCUE 169
XXII THE EVERGLADE CAMP 177
XXIII THE ESCAPE 185
XXIV THE YOUTH ON THE RAFT 189
XXV WILL FORD 196

THE OUTDOOR GIRLS IN FLORIDA

CHAPTER I

BAD NEWS

"Why, Grace, what in the world is the matter? You've been crying!"

"Yes, I have, Betty. But don't mind me. It's all so sudden. Come in. I
shall be all right presently. Don't mind!"

Grace Ford tried to repress her emotion, but the cause of her tears was
evidently too recent, or the effort at self-control too much for her,
for she gave way to another outburst, sobbing this time on the shoulder
of Betty Nelson, who patted her sympathetically, and murmured soothingly
to her chum.

"But what is it, Grace?" Betty asked, after waiting a minute.

"I--I'll tell you in a moment or two, Betty. Just--just wait," and the
tall, graceful girl made a more successful effort to master her
feelings.

"Here come Amy and Mollie," went on Betty, as she glanced from the
library window and saw two girls walking up the path opened across the
lawn through the mass of newly fallen snow. "Do you want to meet them,
Grace; or shall I say you don't feel well--have a headache? They'll
understand. And perhaps in a little while----"

"No--no, Betty. It's sweet of you to want to help me; but Amy and Mollie
might just as well know now as later. I'll be able to see them--in a
little while. It--it's all so sudden."

"But what does it all mean, Grace? I can't understand. Is anyone
dead--or--or hurt?" and Betty Nelson, who had called at the house of
Grace to talk over plans for a dance they were going to attend the
following week, looked anxiously at her chum. Only the day bef