CHAPTER VI
A DISAPPEARANCE
There was an exciting conclave at Fairfields that evening. Perhaps Ishould say two. For in one room given over by the good-natured Mrs.Littell to the young folks there was a most noisy conclave while the oldermembers of the household held a more quiet if no less earnest conferencein the library.
There were eight in the young folks' meeting for Mrs. Littell insistedupon Esther's going to bed at a certain hour every evening "to get herbeauty sleep."
"And I'll say she is sure to be a raving beauty when she grows up, if shekeeps going to bed with the chickens," giggled Bobby.
"You know she can't go to Mountain Camp anyway," Louise said quietly, "forher school isn't measly and it begins again day after to-morrow."
"Poor Esther!" sighed Betty. "We must make it up to her somehow. I wasafraid she would cry at dinner this evening."
"She's a good kid," agreed Bobby. "But are you sure, Betty, that we cango to the mountains? Just think! Eight of us!"
"Some contract for Mr. Gordon," observed Tommy Tucker with unusualreflection.
"How about it's being some contract for Mr. and Mrs. Canary?" suggestedBob Henderson. "Maybe they will shy at such a crowd."
"I asked Uncle Dick about that," Betty said eagerly. "He told me all aboutMr. and Mrs. Canary. He has known them for years and years. They must beawfully nice people and they have got a great, big, rambling bungalow sortof house, all built of logs in the rough. But inside there is a heatingplant, and electric lights, and shower baths, and everything up-to-date.Mr. Canary is very wealthy; but his money could not keep him from gettingtuber--tuber----"
"'Tubers,'" said Bob with gravity, "are potatoes, or something of thatkind."
"Now, Bob! you know what I mean very well," cried Betty. "His lungs wereaffected. But they have healed and he is perfectly well as long as hestays up there in the wilderness. The air there has wonderfulcur--curative properties. There!"
"Look! Will it cure such a bad attack of poetry?" interrupted Bobby,drawing the attention of the others to Timothy Derby and Libbie who, withheads close together, were absorbed in a volume of verses the boy hadbrought with him from home.
"It might help," said Bob. "It ought to be cold enough up there atMountain Camp to freeze romance into an icicle."
"I hope we all go then," Teddy Tucker agreed. "Our folks have said wecould--haven't they, Tom?"
"With suspicious alacrity," agreed his twin. "How's that for a finephrase, Louise? Do you know, I think mother and dad were almost shockedwhen they got the telegram from Salsette and knew our vacation was to beprolonged. The idea of Mountain Camp seems to please them."
"Goodness! I know dear Mrs. Littell doesn't feel that way about it," criedBetty.
"She's got girls," said Ted dryly. "You know it is us boys who are notappreciated in this world."
"Yes," said Bob, "you fellows are terribly abused, I'll say. But, now! Arewe all sure of going? That's what I want to know."
"Timothy----" began Louise; but Bob held up his hand to stop her.
"I know from his father that Tim can go. Uncle Dick is sure to take us,Betty, isn't he?"
"He sent off a telegram to Mrs. Canary this evening. If she sends backword 'Yes' we can go day after to-morrow."
"That's all right then," said Bob, quite as eagerly. 'The thing to do thenis to plan what to take and all that. It is cold up there, but dry. Muchcolder than it was at school before we came down. Furs, overcoats, boots,mittens--not gloves, for gloves are no good when it is really cold--andunderthings that are warm and heavy. We don't want to come back with nosesand toes frozen off."
"Humph!" said Bobby scornfully, "what kind of underwear should you adviseour getting for our noses, Bob Henderson?"
"Aw--you know what I mean," said the boy, grinning. "Don't depend on a furpiece around your neck and a muff to keep the rest of you warm. Us fellowshave all got Mackinaws and boots and such things. And we'll want 'em."
And so they excitedly made their plans. At least, six of them did whileTimothy and Libbie bent their minds upon the book. One thing about thosetwo young romanticists, they agreed to the plans the others made and werequite docile.
At ten Timothy and the Tucker twins went home and the others wentcheerfully up to bed. While Betty Gordon remained at Fairfields Bobbyinsisted on sharing her own room with her. They were never separated atShadyside, so why should they be here?
When she was half undressed Betty suddenly went down on her knees beforethe tall chiffonier and opened the lower drawer. She dug under everythingin the drawer until she came to her handbag, and drew it forth.
"I declare!" chuckled Bobby, "I thought you were digging a new burrow likea homeless rabbit. What did you forget?"
"Didn't forget anything," responded Betty, smiling up at her friend. "Iremembered something."
"Oh!"
"My locket. Uncle Dick's present. I wanted to see that it was safe."
"Goodness! Do you carry it in your bag?"
"I've got a lovely chain at Shadyside, you know. I told Uncle Dick not tobuy a chain. And I don't believe Mrs. Eustice will object to a simplelittle locket like mine, will she?"
"M-m-m! I don't know," replied Bobby. "You know she is awfully opposed tous girls wearing jewelry. And your locket is lovely. Just think! Platinumand a real diamond. Why! what is the matter, Betty?"
For Betty had begun scrambling in her bag worse than she had in the bureaudrawer. Everything came out--purse, tickets, gloves, handkerchief, thetiniest little looking-glass, a letter or two, a silver thimble, twocoughdrops stuck together, a sample of ribbon which she had failed tomatch, a most disreputable looking piece of lead-pencil----
But no twist of tissue paper with the locket in it!
"What is the matter?" repeated Bobby, frightened by the expression of theother girl's face.
"I--I----Oh, Bobby! It's gone!" wailed Betty.
"Not your locket?"
"Yes, my locket!" sobbed Betty, and she sat down on the floor and wept.
"Why, it can't be! Who would take it? When did you see it last? Nobodyhere in the house would have stolen it, Betty."
"It--it must have dropped out of my bag. Oh! what shall I do? I can't tellUncle Dick."
"He won't punish you for losing it, will he?"
"But think how he'll feel! And how I'll feel!" wailed Betty. "He advisedme to put it somewhere for safe keeping until I got my chain. And Iwouldn't. I--I wanted it with me."
"You should have put it downstairs in daddy's safe," said Bobbythoughtfully.
"But that doesn't do me a bit of good now," sobbed Betty Gordon.
"Don't you remember where you had it last?" asked her friend slowly.
"In my bag, of course. And I carried my bag to town to-day. Yes! Iremember seeing the paper it was in at the bottom of my bag more thanonce while I was shopping. Oh, dear! what shall I do?"
"Then you are quite sure it was not stolen?" Bobby suggested.
"No. I don't suppose it was. It just hopped out somehow. But where? Thatis the question, Bobby. I can't answer it."
She rose finally and finished her preparations for bed. Bobby was verysympathetic; but there did not seem to be anything she could say thatwould really relieve Betty's heart, or help in any way. The locket wasgone and no trace of how it had gone had been left in Betty's mind.
When the light was out Bobby crept into Betty's bed and held her tightlyin her arms.
"Don't cry, Betty dear!" the other girl whispered. "Maybe your Uncle Dickwill know how to find the locket."
"Oh, Bobby! I can't tell him. I'm ashamed to," sighed Betty. "It looks asthough I had not cared enough about his present to be careful with it. AndI thought if I carried it about with me that there would be no chance ofmy losing it. And now----"
"Then tell Bob," suggested her chum, hugging Betty tightly.
"Bob?"
"Tell him all about it," said Bobby Littell. "Perhaps he will know whatto do. You can't really have lost that beautiful lo
cket forever, Betty!"
"Oh, I don't know! It's gone, anyway!" sobbed Betty.
"Don't give up. That isn't like you, Betty," went on Bobby. "Maybe Bob canhelp. We can ask him, at least."
"Yes, we can do that," was Betty's not very hopeful reply.