en Helena smiled, but Alfy simply pouted.

"Huh! Well, then if Jim won't do, call her Jiminetta--that'd be after me
and him, too, same's I'm Alfaretta."

Dorothy laughed, too, now, and stopped studying the rude letters traced
on the cover and the stone. They but deepened the mystery of Jim's
disappearance and present whereabouts. She remarked:

"We don't often enough take time to say your whole name, child. It's
generally 'Alfy.' Let's compromise and call our lamb Netty."

"Good enough! And if the little creatur' takes after most Colorady folks
or flocks, she won't care a mite what name she has so she ain't called
late to dinner. Haw, haw, haw!"

Laughing at his own ancient witticism, Captain Lem started houseward
with "Netty" in his arms, the little thing nestling down in them as if
it knew it had found a friend. But his face was troubled. He didn't
like this secret signal from the missing James and he liked less the
fact that the lad's messenger had been a small Indian. However, this
seemed a small matter to what was awaiting him, as Mr. Ford came toward
him, walking rapidly, and, apparently, in deep thought.

"Lem, do you think you can run San Leon without me for a few days?"

Captain saluted his "chief" and replied, a trifle testily: "That's what
I have been doin' for a purty consid'able spell, ain't it, Boss?"

"Yes, but you hadn't eight youngsters on your hands then, to keep happy
and out of mischief. Boys you know, Lem--"

"I know. I've been one. Wish 't I was again. What's up, Boss?"

The girls had followed the Captain, slowly, and eagerly discussing Jim's
message--if it was such--and its probable meaning; but they paused at a
little distance, not wishing to interrupt the men's interview which,
from the expression of their faces, was a serious one.

But Mr. Ford saw them and beckoned them to come up; and then explained
to them as well as to the old ranchman:

"We have had telegrams that call us east. Away east, as far as New York.
I feel that we must leave you young folks--for a few days--as few as we
can possibly make them. It isn't business or I'd depute somebody else
to act for me. It's this: A wireless dispatch has been received that a
very old lady, an aunt of Erminie's, will arrive in that city on the
steamer which is due in just three days. She has lived abroad for many
years and is now very feeble, helpless, in fact, from paralysis or
something of that nature. She brought Erminie up and has b