"I was thinking of Allen," she explained in response to their rather
startled glances, "and the time when we thought he was missing. If this
thing is true about Professor Dempsey's sons I think I shall be able to
sympathize with him, almost better than any of you."

"I guess you will, honey," said Mollie soberly, putting an arm about her
chum. "It was a terrible time for us all--there at Bluff Point. But it was
almost worth the suffering when we found out that Allen was alive and well
and never had been missing at all Do you remember how happy we all were
then?"

"Happy," Betty repeated, shaking off her depression and smiling at the
memory. "I'll say we were the happiest girls on earth--especially after we
recovered the twins. But what," she said, coming back to the present
subject, "are we going to do about Professor Dempsey? We ought to do
something, you know."

"I suppose we ought," said Grace, a little vaguely, "but I'm sure I don't
know just what."

"I think," suggested Amy practically, "that the best thing would be to try
to find out first of all whether these poor boys who were killed are
really Professor Dempsey's sons or not."

"Humph, that sounds all right," observed Mollie. "But has any one here any
suggestion as to just how we will go about it? I'm sure I don't know any
one who is acquainted with Professor Dempsey--or his family either."

"I've got it," said Betty, leaning forward eagerly. "It may not be much of
an idea, but then again it may."