Madison decided to
set off in search of this flower--if an orchid is a flower?" and the
clerk looked questioningly at the girls.

"Oh, indeed it is a flower, and a most beautiful one," Ruth assured him.

"Well, Mr. Madison was about to start off on a little expedition, when he
was taken ill. He was much disappointed, as some naturalist society had
offered him a big prize for a specimen of this particular plant.

"Then the girls, wishing to help their father, said they would go in
search of it. They owned a good-sized motor boat, and had often gone off
before, remaining several days at a time. They know how to take care of
themselves."

"That's the kind of girls I like," declared Alice. "It seems doubly hard
on them, though, that they should be lost."

"And lost they are," concluded the clerk. "Not a word has been heard of
them since they set off into the wilds. When they did not come back,
after several days, Mr. Madison organized a searching party. But, beyond
a few traces of the girls, nothing could be found."

"We read about it in a newspaper," said Ruth.

"Yes, there were some items, but not many," the clerk said. "There wasn't
much to print, I guess. So I just thought I'd warn you folks not to go
too far off into the swamps or bayous."

"And you may depend upon it--we won't!" exclaimed Miss Pennington.

"Our party will probably keep together," explained Ruth, "as we will all
be needed in the moving pictures."

"That's a good idea," the clerk said. "Take no chances."

It was not long before the entire moving picture company had heard the
story of the lost girls, and there was universal sympathy for them, and
for their grief-stricken parents.

"I only wish we could do something!" said Ruth, and there were tears in
her eyes as she looked toward her sister. "Suppose it should be us?" she
added.

"I don't like to suppose any such horrible thing!" returned Alice,
brightly. "It's terrible, to be sure; but let's not think too much about
it. It may get on our nerves."

"But if we could only help find them," went on Ruth, on whom the story
seemed to have made a profound impression.

"I don't see how we can," remarked Alice, thoughtfully. "We know nothing
about the country, or conditions, here. Those who have lived here all
their lives are better qualified to make a search."

"Say, wouldn't it be great if we could find them!" cried Russ, as he
listened to the story. "What a film it would make!"

"Oh, Rus