roine, but which
one nobody knows," and Lance Darby went off laughing.

Meanwhile the twins themselves walked briskly home from the schoolhouse
where the party of young folk had separated. On the way they met a girl
a little older than themselves, hurrying in the opposite direction.

"Here's Billy Long's sister, Alice," whispered Dora to Dorothy.

"Oh, dear me!" replied Dorothy. "I suppose she has had to work late at
the paper box factory. And how she must feel----"

Her twin seized the factory girl's arm as she was hurrying past with
just a little nod to the Lockwood twins.

"Alice Long!" ejaculated Dora. "You're crying. What's the matter?"

"Oh, girls! you know about Billy, don't you?" cried Short and Long's
sister.

"They haven't caught him?" cried Dorothy.

"No, no! I almost wish they would," sobbed Alice Long. "We don't know
where he is. I've just been down to Mr. Norman's to see if the boat has
been found."

"And it hasn't?" demanded one of the twins.

"No. It was an old boat that Mr. Norman thought he was going fishing in,
same as usual. Billy often brings home a mess of fish, or sells them.
You know, he has always been a helpful boy."

"We want to tell you, Alice dear," said Dorothy with a glance at her
sister, "that we don't believe a word of what they say about Billy."

"Thank you, Miss," said Alice, eagerly. "I was sure his schoolmates
would stand by him. But he was very foolish to run away--if he has run
away."

"Otherwise, what has happened to him?"

"That is what is worrying father and me. The boat was old. Something
might have happened. He might be drowned," sobbed the sister.

"Oh, no, Alice! Billy was a good swimmer."

"I know that. But often good swimmers are taken with cramps. And if the
boat overturned, or sank, out in the middle of Lake Luna----"

"That's too dreadful a thing to think of!" cried Dora. "I believe he ran
away because he was afraid of being arrested. Everybody was talking
about his having a hand in that robbery."

"Well, he never did it. I could testify that he wasn't out of his bed
Tuesday night when the robbery took place. I told the policemen so. But,
of course, Billy could have gone out of the window and down the shed
roof--and got back again, too--without our knowing it. He has more than
once, I suppose," admitted the troubled sister.

"You see, on Wednesday Stresch & Potter sent their store detective to
see Billy, and he bulldozed him and threatened him. I