The Outdoor Girls in Florida; Or, Wintering in the Sunny South Read online

  THE OUTDOOR GIRLS IN FLORIDA

  Or

  Wintering in the Sunny South

  by

  LAURA LEE HOPE

  Author of "The Outdoor Girls of Deepdale," "The Outdoor Girls in a MotorCar," "The Bobbsey Twins," "The Bobbsey Twins at School," Etc.

  Illustrated

  New YorkGrosset & DunlapPublishers

  * * * * *

  BOOKS FOR GIRLSBY LAURA LEE HOPE

  12mo. Cloth. Illustrated. Price per volume, 40 cents, postpaid.

  THE OUTDOOR GIRLS SERIES

  THE OUTDOOR GIRLS OF DEEPDALE THE OUTDOOR GIRLS AT RAINBOW LAKE THE OUTDOOR GIRLS IN A MOTOR CAR THE OUTDOOR GIRLS IN A WINTER CAMP THE OUTDOOR GIRLS IN FLORIDA

  THE BOBBSEY TWINS BOOKS

  For Little Men and Women

  THE BOBBSEY TWINS THE BOBBSEY TWINS IN THE COUNTRY THE BOBBSEY TWINS AT THE SEASHORE THE BOBBSEY TWINS AT SCHOOL THE BOBBSEY TWINS AT SNOW LODGE

  * * * * *

  Grosset & Dunlap, Publishers, New YorkCopyright, 1913, by Grosset & Dunlap.

  THE OUTDOOR GIRLS IN FLORIDA

  "THAT'S A MANATEE--A SEA-COW SOME FOLKS CALL 'EM,"ANSWERED THE YOUTH.--_Page 126._

  _The Outdoor Girls in Florida._]

  CONTENTS

  CHAPTER PAGE I BAD NEWS 1 II GOOD NEWS 14 III WILL'S LETTER 25 IV "COME HOME!" 33 V MISSING AGAIN 41 VI AN APPEAL FOR HELP 50 VII OFF FOR FLORIDA 59 VIII LAUNCHING THE BOAT 68 IX ON A SAND BAR 75 X DOUBTFUL HELP 82 XI INTO THE INTERIOR 93 XII A WARNING 103 XIII A STRANGE TOW 108 XIV THE TATTERED YOUTH 118 XV THE TWO MEN 126 XVI SUSPICIOUS CHARACTERS 132 XVII IN DANGER 139 XVIII BETWEEN TWO PERILS 147 XIX LOST 154 XX THE LOON 163 XXI TO THE RESCUE 169 XXII THE EVERGLADE CAMP 177 XXIII THE ESCAPE 185 XXIV THE YOUTH ON THE RAFT 189 XXV WILL FORD 196

  THE OUTDOOR GIRLS IN FLORIDA

  CHAPTER I

  BAD NEWS

  "Why, Grace, what in the world is the matter? You've been crying!"

  "Yes, I have, Betty. But don't mind me. It's all so sudden. Come in. Ishall be all right presently. Don't mind!"

  Grace Ford tried to repress her emotion, but the cause of her tears wasevidently too recent, or the effort at self-control too much for her,for she gave way to another outburst, sobbing this time on the shoulderof Betty Nelson, who patted her sympathetically, and murmured soothinglyto her chum.

  "But what is it, Grace?" Betty asked, after waiting a minute.

  "I--I'll tell you in a moment or two, Betty. Just--just wait," and thetall, graceful girl made a more successful effort to master herfeelings.

  "Here come Amy and Mollie," went on Betty, as she glanced from thelibrary window and saw two girls walking up the path opened across thelawn through the mass of newly fallen snow. "Do you want to meet them,Grace; or shall I say you don't feel well--have a headache? They'llunderstand. And perhaps in a little while----"

  "No--no, Betty. It's sweet of you to want to help me; but Amy and Molliemight just as well know now as later. I'll be able to see them--in alittle while. It--it's all so sudden."

  "But what does it all mean, Grace? I can't understand. Is anyonedead--or--or hurt?" and Betty Nelson, who had called at the house ofGrace to talk over plans for a dance they were going to attend thefollowing week, looked anxiously at her chum. Only the day before Gracehad seemed like her nearly-always jolly self. She and her three chums,including Betty, had been down town shopping, and Grace, as usual, hadindulged in chocolates--her one failing, if such it can be called.

  "Surely she can't be ill," thought Betty. "Ill from too many chocolates?I've seen her take twice as many as she did yesterday, and she doesn'tlook ill."

  With this half-formed thought in her mind Betty looked more criticallyat her chum. Aside from the tears--which seldom add to a girl'sbeauty--there was no change in Grace Ford.

  That is, no change except one caused by something rather mysterious,Betty thought--something that was hard for Grace to tell, but which haddeeply affected her.

  There came a ring at the door. Betty started toward it from the library,where she and Grace had gone when Grace let her chum in a short timebefore.

  "Shall I answer, Grace?" inquired Betty, hesitating.

  "Yes, do, please. I think Katy is with mamma. She took the news verymuch to heart. Let Amy and Mollie in, and then I'll tell you all aboutit. Oh, but I don't know what to do!"

  "Now look here, Grace Ford!" exclaimed Betty briskly, pausing a momenton her way to the door. "You just stop this! If no one is dead, and noone is hurt, then it can't be so very dreadful. You just stop now, andwhen we all get together we'll help you in whatever trouble you have.You know that; don't you?"

  "Oh, yes, Betty, I do. You aren't the 'Little Captain' to all of us fornothing. I'll try and not cry any more."

  "Do. It--it isn't at all becoming. Your nose is positively likea--lobster!"

  "It is not, Betty Nelson!" Grace flared.

  "It certainly is. Look in the glass if you don't believe me. There--takemy chamois and give it a little rub before I let in Amy and Mollie. It'sonly nice, clean talcum--you needn't think it's powder."

  "All right--as if talcum wasn't powder, though," and Grace smiledthrough the traces of her recent tears.

  "That's better," decided Betty, with a nod of her shapely head and abright look from her sparkling eyes. "Yes, I'll be there in a moment,"she called as there came another ring at the bell.

  "Shall I bring them right in, Grace?" she called over her shoulder, asshe neared the door.

  "Yes--yes. I might as well--have it over with," faltered the weepingone.

  "Gracious, you'd think someone was going to be hanged, or beheaded, orsent to the galleys for life--or some other dreadful thing such as weread of in our ancient histories," commented Betty. "Cheer up, Grace.There may be worse to come."

  "It's awfully good of you, Betty, to try and cheer me, only, if youunderstood--but there--let them in. They must be perishing!"

  "Oh, it isn't so cold. You don't feel well, that's all. Hello,Amy--Mollie. Come in!" she greeted the other girls, at the same timeendeavoring by nods and winks to convey some idea that all was not wellwith Grace.

  But if Betty hoped to convey a quiet intimation that something out ofthe ordinary had happened she did not succeed. In her eagerness to warnthe newcomers not to ask questions she overdid it, and succeeded only inmaking them alarmed.

  "What--what is it?" asked Mollie, in a sort of stage whisper.

  "Oh, nothing like that," said Betty, seeing that she was only makingmatters worse.

  "Who--who is----" began Amy.

  "No one!" said Betty, half-sharply. "Don't put on such a mournful look,Amy. But Grace has had some bad news, I expect, so I let you in."

  "Bad news!" echoed Mollie.

  "What kind?" inquired Amy.

  "I don't know--yet. She's going to tell us."

  The two newcomers, divesting themselves of their rubbers, walked ontiptoe toward the library, preceded by Betty. The latter heard theircautious approach and turned on them quickly.

  "Nobody's asleep!" she exclaimed. "Why don't you act--naturally?"
/>   "Why don't you, yourself, Betty Nelson?" demanded Mollie Billette,quickly, her dark eyes flashing. "You meet us as if--as if somethingterrible had happened, and because we live up to the part, and behaveourselves, you----"

  "Hush, please," begged gentle Amy, for well she knew Mollie'sfailing--an exceedingly quick temper.

  "I beg your pardon," spoke Mollie, contritely. "I forgot myself."

  "That's all right," said Betty, with a smile. "I don't blame you. But wemust all help Grace now. She feels very bad."

  As the three entered the library they saw their chum standing near awindow, looking out over the snow-covered lawn. Grace did not turn atthe approach of her friends.

  Then Amy stole softly up to her, and, reaching up her arms, tried to putthem around Grace's neck. But Grace was tall, while Amy was rathershort, so the little act of kindness could not be carried out.

  Mollie laughed a little. She could not help it.

  Amy flushed. She was rather sensitive on the point of her stature.

  "Don't mind them, Amy," said Grace quickly, as she turned about, placingher own arms around the other. "I know I am too tall, and I seem tokeep on growing. Hello, Mollie dear. I'm so glad you came," and shekissed the two newcomers.

  Her eyes filled with tears again, seeing which Betty called out:

  "Now, Grace, remember you promised not to do that any more. Just bebrave, and tell us all about it; that is, if we can help you in anymanner."

  "I--I don't know whether you can or not," spoke Grace slowly, "but I'lltell you just the same. It's--it's about my brother Will!"

  She paused a moment, catching her breath as she gave this piece ofinformation.

  "Has he--has he----" began Betty, hoping to make it easier for Grace totell.

  "No, he hasn't done anything to attract public attention this time,"went on Grace. "But he has run away."

  "Run away!"

  It was a surprised chorus from the three visitors.

  "Yes he has left Uncle Isaac's home--stopped work in the cotton mill,and gone--no one knows where."

  "Why, Grace!" exclaimed Mollie. "Do you really mean it?"

  Grace nodded. She could not speak for a moment.

  "How did it happen?" asked Betty.

  "Who told you?" Amy wanted to know.

  "Uncle Isaac himself told us," resumed Grace, after a pause. "As for howit happened we don't know yet. Uncle Isaac is on his way now to give ussome particulars. He just telephoned to mamma, and that is what upset usall. I have sent for papa to come home from the office. He will be hereto meet Uncle Isaac I hope. Oh, isn't it dreadful!"

  "But perhaps it is only some boyish prank," suggested Betty hopefully."What are the particulars? Perhaps he has only gone off with somefriends, and will come back again, just as he did the--other time."

  "The other time," as Betty called it was rather a delicate subject withthe Ford family, for Will with some chums had gotten into a littledifficulty not long before this story opens, and the presentcomplication was an outcome of that. I shall describe them in orderpresently.

  "No, I don't believe it is a prank this time," went on Grace. "He hasbeen gone some time, and we never knew it until Uncle Isaac mentioned itcasually over the telephone. Oh, I wish he would come! We can't do athing until we hear the particulars. Then papa will start an inquiry, Ithink. Poor Will! I hope he is not--not hurt!" and again Grace showedsymptoms of tears.

  "Now stop that!" commanded the Little Captain sharply. "You know it doesno good to worry. Wait until you have some real facts to go on."

  "Yes, do," urged Mollie.

  "But he isn't your brother," said Grace in retort. "How would you likeit, Mollie Billette, if Paul should be missing some day?"

  "Oh, I'd feel dreadful, of course. But Paul and Dodo get into so manyscrapes," she added, with a curious shrug of her shoulders, in which shebetrayed her French ancestry--"so very many scrapes, my dears, that weare past being shocked."

  But, for all Mollie spoke so lightly, she knew--and so did herchums--that should anything happen to the twins Mollie would be thefirst to show emotion.

  "Have you heard no word from Will himself?" asked Betty, after a pause.

  "Not a word, and that makes it seem all the worse. If we only had someword--something to go by, we might not feel so bad. But it came like abolt out of a blue sky--what Uncle Isaac telephoned about an hour ago.He is down town attending to business, and he said he'd come up as soonas he could. He was surprised himself, to know that Will was not home."

  "Then he knew that he had left Atlanta?" asked Mollie.

  "Yes, but he supposed Will had started back home."

  "I'm afraid I don't exactly understand it all," said Amy in a low voice."You know I've been away, and----"

  "Oh, of course!" exclaimed Grace. "I forgot that you had been off withthat newly-found brother of yours. Well, you see, Amy, Will disgracedhimself a while ago----"

  "I don't call it much of a disgrace," said Betty in defense of theabsent one.

  "Well, papa did," said Grace. "I thought perhaps he was a little toosevere on Will, but mamma said it was best to be severe at the start."

  "What did he do?" asked Amy.

  "I didn't hear all the particulars," went on Grace. "But you know thatnew Latin teacher the High School boys have--Professor Cark, his nameis."

  Amy nodded.

  "Well, the boys didn't like him from the very start," proceeded Grace,"and I guess he didn't like the boys any too well. They played sometricks on him, and he retaliated by doubling up on their lessons. Thenone night he was kidnapped--taken from his boarding place and hazed. Itwas nothing very bad, but the faculty held a meeting, and voted to expelall the boys concerned in it. Will was one, and papa was so angry thathe said he would punish Will in a way he wouldn't forget. He said he'dtake him out of school, before he'd have him expelled, and make him losea term.

  "So poor Will was given his choice of starting the study of law inpapa's office, or going to work for Uncle Isaac Ford--papa's brother.Uncle Isaac has a big cotton mill down in Atlanta, Georgia, you know.Papa thought it would be a good thing for Will to see what hard workmeant. At the same time it would take him away from Deepdale, and out ofthe influence of some of the boys who were responsible for the hazing. Idon'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 asudden, he disappears."

  "But how?" asked Mollie.

  "We don't know the particulars," said Grace. "We supposed up to about anhour ago, that Will was in Atlanta, though we wondered why he didn'twrite. But then he never was very good at sending letters. Then camethis 'phone message. I answered and I was surprised to hear Uncle Isaacspeaking.

  "At first I thought he was talking from Atlanta, and I was afraidsomething 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 wasnot--that Will had not come to work one morning, and had left a notesaying that he was going to quit. Of course Uncle Isaac thought Will hadcome 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 hereand 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," saidBetty.

  "There he is now!" cried Grace, glancing out of a window. "And he haspapa with him. He must have stopped at the office. Oh, I'm so glad papais 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. Hardlya greeting did she give to Uncle Isaac, but perhaps this was on accountof having spoken to him over the telephone shortly before. "Oh, f
ather!Where is poor Will?"

  "I don't know, Grace," answered Mr. Ford gently. "But don't worry. Weshall 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 aftertelephoning the news to you."

  "Yes, I allowed that was the best procedure," said Mr. Ford Sr., hebeing the elder brother of the father of Grace. Uncle Isaac spoke with aslight Southern accent, but not very pronounced, since he had lived mostof his life in the North.

  "I'll see your mother first, Grace, and then we'll discuss what's bestto 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 Isaacsharply. "He had a good place with me, and he could have stayed thereand learned the business. Instead of that he chose to act like a----"

  "Never mind, Isaac," spoke Mr. Ford quickly. "The thing is done, andwe'll have to make the best of it. Perhaps I acted a bit hastily insending him to you."

  "It would have done him good if he had stayed with me. But boys are sofoolish."

  "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 someonehere?" 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."