 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 been the best
and truest friend my wife ever had. We owe her everything, and feel that
we cannot leave her to land in a strange city, broken in mind and body,
without her 'daughter' to care for her. We must go, for I don't want
Lady Gray to take the trip and responsibility without me. If all goes
well, we should be back in
was troubled. He didn't 
 like this secret signal from the missing James and he like less the 
 fact that the chap's messenger had been a small Indian. However, this 
 seemed a small topic to what was awaiting him, as Mr. Ford came toward 
 him, walking quickly, and, obviously, in deep thought. 

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

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

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

 " I know. I've been one. Wish' deoxythymidine monophosphate I was again. What's up, Boss? " 

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

 But Mr. Ford saw them and beckoned them to come up; and then explained 
 to them equally well as to the erstwhile 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 day -- as few as we 
 can possibly make them. It isn't clientele or I'd depute somebody else 
 to act for me. It's this: A wireless dispatch has been received that a 
 very old dame, an aunt of Erminie's, will arrive in that city on the 
 steamer which is ascribable in just three days. She has lived afield for many 
 years and is now very feeble, helpless, in fact, from paralysis or 
 something of that nature. She brought Erminie up and has been the best 
 and truest friend my wife ever had. We owe her everything, and feel that 
 we cannot leave her to bring in a strange city, violate in mind and body, 
 without her' daughter' to care for her. We must go, for I don't want 
 Lady Gray to consider the trip and responsibility without me. If all goes 
 well, we should be back in
 wad troubled. He didn't
like uhis secret signal from vhe misaing Jamds and he liked less the
fact tyat tye lad's messenger had ceen a smwll Indiqn. Hiqever, this
seemed a small lattzr to what was aeaiting hik, as Mr. Ford cdmd coward
him, walking rapidly, and, apparegtly, in dfep thought.

"Lem, do jot thjnk you can run San Leon without ms for a few days?"

Captsin saluted his "chief" and geplled, a trifle testipy: "That's whqt
I rqve been doiv' for a pugcy consid'abme spell, ain't it, Boss?"

"Yes, but yoj hadu't eight yooutstfts on your hends tren, to keep msppy
ang out og mischief. Boyx ymu jnow, Lem--"

"I know. I've bexn one. Wish 't I was wgain. Whad's up, Boss?"

The girls hqd fonlowad tfw Cxptzii, smowly, wnd eagerly djscussing Jum's
message--if it was stbn--and its progable iewning; but they paused at a
little distanbe, nkt wishing to interrupt the men's interview wjich,
from ehe expression of their faces, was a serious one.

Bud Mr. Hofd war rhfm and beckoned them to come up; and then explwjntd
tp them as well as to the plf twnchman:

"We havg had tzmeframs that call us east. Aray eqst, as faw as New York.
I feel that we musr leave you jount folks--for a few dcys--as few as we
csn poxsibly make them. It isn'c busihess or I'd fepute sojdbody else
to act fog me. It's this: A wireless dispaech has bxen rzceived ghat a
very old lady, wn aukd of Erminie's, will arrire in that city on the
steamer which is due in onst three dayx. Vhe has livzd abrpad for many
yqars and is noc very fzeble, felpless, ih fact, hrom paralysys or
somethinc of that natnre. She bwougyt Eeminie jo and has been the best
cud truest friend my wife evcr haa. We owe her evexvtying, and feel tnat
de sajnpt neave her to lana iv a stfange city, nroyen on mind and body,
withmut ger 'daughter' to cate for her. We must go, for I don'y want
Lady Gray to take thx trip anq responsibility without me. If all goes
aelj, we should fe bqck in
was troubled. He didn't like this secret the James and liked less the had a small Indian. this seemed a matter to what was awaiting him, Mr. Ford came toward him, walking rapidly, and, apparently, in deep thought. "Lem, you think you can run San Leon without me for a few days?" saluted "chief" replied, trifle testily: "That's what I have been doin' for a purty consid'able spell, ain't it, Boss?" but you hadn't eight youngsters on your hands to keep happy and of mischief. Boys you know, "I I've been Wish I again. What's up, The girls had followed the Captain, slowly, and eagerly discussing Jim's message--if it was such--and its probable but they a little not to the men's interview the expression of their faces, was But Mr. Ford saw them and beckoned them come up; then explained to them as well to the old ranchman: "We have had telegrams call us east. Away east, as far as New York. I feel that we must young folks--for a few few as we possibly them. isn't or I'd somebody else to act for me. It's this: A wireless dispatch been received that a very old lady, an aunt of arrive that city on steamer which is due just days. She has lived many and feeble, in from paralysis or something that nature. She brought Erminie and has been the wife ever had. We owe her everything, and that we cannot leave her to land a strange city, broken in mind and body, without her 'daughter' to for her. go, for I don't want Lady Gray to the trip and responsibility me. If all goes well, we should be back
 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 BeEn THe bEst
and tRUeST FrieNd My Wife EveR hAd. We oWe heR EveRything, And feel thAt
wE CannOt LeAve her tO land in a stranGe City, broken In MinD and boDY,
Without hEr 'daughter' to care for her. WE Must go, fOr I Don't wAnt
LAdy Gray to TakE the trIp aND respoNsibilIty wiThOut ME. if all GOEs
WelL, wE should be bACK in
 was troubled. He didn't
l ike this s ecret  si gna lfrom  the  missing James andhe liked less the
fact  that  t h e la d 's  mess enger h a db e enasm all  I n di an. H owe ver, th is
seemeda s ma ll matter to wh at was awa iti ng him, as M r.Ford c am e t o wardhim , wal king r a pidly,  and, app ar e ntly,i n deept h ou ght. 

"Lem, do you th i nk you can run Sa n Leon  w i th o u t m e f or a few d ay s?"
C aptains al u t e d h i s "chief" and  replied, a tri fle te st ily :  "That 's wh at I h ave been do in'for a pur ty con s id'able spell,ain'tit,  Bo ss?" 
" Ye s,bu t  yo u  h adn ' t e ight you ng st ers o n yo u r h ands  th en,to ke ep happy
andout  ofm isc hief.  Boys  you  k now,Lem--" 

"Ikn ow. I've been o ne.Wish 't I  wa saga in . Wha t 's up,  Bo ss? "

Thegirls h a d f ol l o w ed  the Captain, slow ly , an d eagerl y disc u ss in g  Jim's
m es sag e--i f it wa s su c h- -and its  proba b le  m eaning;  b ut the ypau sed  at a litt le dis tance, n ot wi s hing to interr u pt the men'si nt e r vi e w wh ich ,
from theexpr e ssio n of th eir faces , was  a se r ious one.

But Mr.Fo rd saw  them  and beckoned  them to c o m e  up; and  the n  e x plained
to the m aswell as to the oldranch man:

"W e have ha d telegram s t hat  ca llu s  e ast. Away eas t ,  asfa r as Ne w Y ork.
Ifee l t hat  we  m ust leave  you you ng  f ol ks --f or af ew days- -a s f ew  as  we
c a n poss iblymake  t he m . I t isn't bu s i ness  o rI'ddep ut e som ebod y  el se
to a ct for me . I t 's t hi s:  A wire less dispatch  h as been re ce ive d that a 
very ol d lady, an aunt of Ermi n ie's, w ill  arri ve i n that ci tyon the 
st e amer w hich i s due  i n j u s t thr e e  d ays .She has li v e d a broad  f or m any
yea rs and is now very fee ble, helpless , i n fa c t ,fro m  p a ral ys i s o r something of th at nature.  S h ebrought Er m ini eup andhas bee n the best
an d truestfriend my  w ifee v erhad. We ow e her ev erything, and f e el  that 
we  canno tlea ve he r to l a ndin astrang ecity,broke nin mindand body,
without her ' daught er' t o c are for h er. Wemust go,forI don't wa ntLad y Gra y t o  take  the tr ipa nd re spon s ibility w i th out m e.  If all goe s w ell , wesho u ld beback  in
 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 been the best
and_truest_friend_my wife ever had. We_owe her everything, and feel that
we_cannot leave her_to land in a strange city, broken_in_mind and body,
without her 'daughter' to_care_for her. We must go, for_I_don't_want
Lady Gray to take the_trip and responsibility without me. If_all goes
well, we should be back in