The Outdoor Girls in Florida | Page 4

would take him away from Deepdale, and out of the influence of some of the boys who were responsible for the hazing. I don't believe Will was one of the ringleaders."
"And did he go South?" asked Amy.
"He did. He chose to work for Uncle Isaac instead of studying law here. And for the past month or so he has been in the mill. Then, all of a sudden, he disappears."
"But how?" asked Mollie.
"We don't know the particulars," said Grace. "We supposed up to about an hour ago, that Will was in Atlanta, though we wondered why he didn't write. But then he never was very good at sending letters. Then came this 'phone message. I answered and I was surprised to hear Uncle Isaac speaking.
"At first I thought he was talking from Atlanta, and I was afraid something had happened. But Uncle Isaac said he was here--in Deepdale, and then he startled me by asking how Will was.
"'Why, isn't he down in your mill?' I asked. Uncle Isaac said he was not--that Will had not come to work one morning, and had left a note saying that he was going to quit. Of course Uncle Isaac thought Will had come back home. But when I told him we had not seen my brother, why, Uncle Isaac was as startled as I was. He said he'd come right up here and tell us all he knew."
Grace paused. She had spoken rather at length.
"Well, that is rather strange," murmured Mollie.
"But of course it may be easily explained when your Uncle comes," said Betty.
"There he is now!" cried Grace, glancing out of a window. "And he has papa with him. He must have stopped at the office. Oh, I'm so glad papa is here!" and she hurried to the front door to let them in.
CHAPTER II
GOOD NEWS
"Oh, father!" gasped Grace, as she slipped into his waiting arms. Hardly a greeting did she give to Uncle Isaac, but perhaps this was on account of having spoken to him over the telephone shortly before. "Oh, father! Where is poor Will?"
"I don't know, Grace," answered Mr. Ford gently. "But don't worry. We shall find him. How is your mother?"
"Oh, she feels it dreadfully of course. She's been wanting you so much."
"I came as soon as I could. Your Uncle Isaac stopped for me after telephoning the news to you."
"Yes, I allowed that was the best procedure," said Mr. Ford Sr., he being the elder brother of the father of Grace. Uncle Isaac spoke with a slight Southern accent, but not very pronounced, since he had lived most of his life in the North.
"I'll see your mother first, Grace, and then we'll discuss what's best to be done," went on Mr. Ford. "It was rather a shock to me."
"Oh, father! I hope nothing has happened to poor Will!" sighed Grace.
"Well, if there has, he brought it on himself," said Uncle Isaac sharply. "He had a good place with me, and he could have stayed there and learned the business. Instead of that he chose to act like a----"
"Never mind, Isaac," spoke Mr. Ford quickly. "The thing is done, and we'll have to make the best of it. Perhaps I acted a bit hastily in sending him to you."
"It would have done him good if he had stayed with me. But boys are so foolish."
"And I presume you and I were--at Will's age," said the father. "Well, I'll go see your mother, Grace, and then I'll be down again. Is someone here?" and he looked at the rubbers in the hall.
"Yes, Betty, Mollie and Amy."
"Oh, that's all right. You can stay with them until I come down. Isaac, if you are hungry I'll have some lunch sent up."
"Not for me. I never eat between meals," and Uncle Isaac spoke with firmness.
As Betty looked out of a crack in the library door she made up her mind that Mr. Ford's brother seldom did anything "between meals." He seemed to be a man who lived by hard and fast rules, and he had not the most kindly face and manner in the world. He was quite a contrast to Grace's father.
"Maybe that's why Will left him," mused Betty. "I'm sure he looks as if he would be a hard master. Poor Will!"
"I'll just sit in here and look at the paper," went on Uncle Isaac, starting toward the library.
"The girls--my chums--are in there," said Grace quickly. "Of course, if you----"
"Excuse me!" interrupted Uncle Isaac. "I'll meet them later, after your father and I have straightened out this tangle--if it can be done. I'll sit in the parlor, though I'm not used to it. No use wearing out the best carpet. Is anyone in the dining room?"
"They are getting ready for dinner," said Grace with a smile, to which the elderly