might
know something of the labor contractor who has Will in the toils. I wish
I had thought to ask."

"That's so!" cried Mollie. "But we can find him again. It will give us
something to do, Betty. We can come up the river again."

"And I'll be sure to keep away from that sand bar," declared the Little
Captain.

Mr. and Mrs. Stonington were quite alarmed when the girls told of their
adventure.

"They weren't in any real danger," declared Mr. Hammond, the overseer.
"The river isn't deep nor swift, and there are boats going up and down
quite often."

"But what about those rough men?" asked Mrs. Stonington.

"Oh, rough is the worst thing you can say against them. They aren't
really bad. Belton has the best supply of laborers around here. Probably
he was taking those men down to Hanson's grove. We will need pickers
ourselves next week, Mr. Stonington, and I don't believe we can do any
better than to get them from Belton."

"Very well, Mr. Hammond; whatever you say."

"And that will be a chance to repay him for his kindness to us," added
Betty.

"And perhaps we can get some news of my brother," spoke Grace,
wistfully, for there had come no word from those who were searching for
the missing youth.

"I'd like to go and ask myself," went on Grace.

"Well, there's no reason why you shouldn't," said Mr. Hammond. "I'll be
going up the river in a day or so, and if you think we'll hire of Belton
I'll tell him so," he said to Mr. Stonington.

"Yes, if you like, Mr. Hammond."

"All right, then I'll pilot the girls to his camp if their boat will
hold me."

"Indeed it will!" exclaimed Betty, "and you can tell me how to avoid
sand bars."

"Belton's place is a little way into the interior from the river," went
on Mr. Hammond, "but it's a safe road."

"Then we'll go," decided Betty.

The next few days were filled with small incidents of little interest.
The girls motored about, and did some fishing in the river, catching a
variety of specimens, few of which were pronounced fit for the table.
But they enjoyed themselves very much.

They wandered about in the orange grove, eating as much of the delicious
fruit as they chose. Sometimes they took walks with Mrs. Stonington, who
was slowly regaining her health. Mr. Stonington was kept busy seeing to
the details of the business, that was new to him.

One night Mr. Hammond said:

"I think we'll need those pickers to-morrow, or next day, Mr.
Stonington."

"Very well