tractor
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?"

CHAPTER VI

AN APPEAL FOR HELP

For one of the very few times in her life when confronted by an
emergency the "Little Captain" did not know quite what to do. Grace
clung to Betty, murmuring over and over again:

"What shall I say? What shall I do?"

Amy and Mollie stared uncomprehendingly at one another. Grace still held
the telegram that had brought more bad news.

Then Betty got her senses in working order.

"In the first place," she said, "you mustn't let your mother know about
this, Grace. You must keep it from her. In the second place your father
must be told at once. Now you go in and act as if nothing had happened.
I'll go see your father."

"But I can't act as if nothing had happened," protested Grace, with a
wailing tone in her voice. "I'd be sure to act so strangely that mamma
would suspect at once, and begin to question me."

"Then Mollie or Amy must go in with you, and help to keep up
appearances. Amy, you go in and talk--play--sing--dance--do anything to
keep Grace from feeling bad, and giving away the secret. As soon as Mr.
Ford comes he can decide whether or not to tell his wife. Mollie, you
and I will go down to his office. This is the night he gets home late;
isn't it, Grace?"

"Yes. Oh, how I wish he were here now! Poor Will!"

"Well, we'll soon have him home," declared Betty. "Now you two do as I
tell you. Talk about Florida--anything but what has happened. Mr. Ford
will know what to do when he comes. Now, Mollie, let's hurry. Gracious!
I believe it's going to snow. Well, we won't have any of that in
Florida, that's a blessing for you, Grace," and Betty smiled bravely.

"We may never go now--if Will isn't found."

"Oh, he'll be all right," declared Betty, with more confidence than she
felt. "Come along, Mollie."

The two set off through the gathering storm, while Grace and Amy turned
into the former's house. They were under a strain, and afterward they
hardly remembered what they did. But Grace did not betray the secret, at
any rate. The two girls talked of many things, and when Mrs. Ford
referred to the home-coming of her son Amy changed the subject as s