th much confidence.

They talked of the Florida possibilities at some length, and Betty was a
bit anxious as to how she could get her motor boat down to the Land of
the Everglades.

"You'll have to consult that sea-going uncle of yours," suggested
Mollie.

"Perhaps I shall," Betty agreed, with a smile.

"Papa and Uncle Isaac are rather long," complained Grace. "I wonder what
they are going to do?"

"If your father has to go South I'm sure Uncle Stonington would be glad
to have him stop at the orange grove," said Amy.

"I don't know that he'd have time," remarked Grace. "If he has to search
for poor Will----"

She was interrupted by the footsteps of her father and uncle as they
came from the private library. Mr. Ford--as I shall indicate Grace's
father--was speaking.

"Well, I don't see anything to do but to take a trip down there," he
said. "When I'm on the ground I can decide what course to take. Writing
is only nervous work. And yet I don't see how I can spare the time now."

"Perhaps I could manage for you," said Uncle Isaac. "If I find Will I
can bring him back to the mill, and make him work harder than ever. Hard
work----"

"No, no!" exclaimed Mr. Ford, quickly. "I think Will has been punished
enough. I want to get him home, and then we'll map out a course of
procedure. Perhaps I gave him too heavy a sentence," and, almost
unconsciously, he glanced at his brother.

Certainly Mr. Ford, Sr., looked like an inexorable judge who would exact
the last farthing of a debt, or the final round of punishment. Will had
evidently had no easy time.

"Well, I must think about this Southern trip," went on Will's father.
"Why, you girls look as though you had been talking secrets!" he
exclaimed, not wanting to inflict too much of his family troubles on the
visitors.

"We have!" cried Betty. "You are not the only one going South, Mr.
Ford. We may go too."

"Go South? What do you mean?" he asked.

"Mr. Stonington has purchased an orange grove in Florida," Betty went
on, "and Amy has asked us all down there. Do, please, say that Grace can
go!" and she blew him a kiss, for the four chums shared their parents
and friends as they did their--well, let us say--chocolates.

"Florida," spoke Mr. Ford, musingly. "I wonder if, by any chance, Will
could have gone there? Many young men go down South in the winter to
work as waiters in the big hotels. But I hardly think he would be so
foolish. Well, of course if Grace wants