"Have you heard about Ella Mooney?" she cried.
Polly took a step forward.
"I heard people talking," she said anxiously. "Has anything happened to Ella?"
"Well, you know I thought there was something the matter as soon as I heard Captain Mooney didn't come to serve as a judge for the races," stated Carrie with evident enjoyment. She did so like to be the first to tell a piece of news. "Ella Mooney," went on Carrie, "has disappeared. She's gone, and no one can find her. They think she may have been kidnaped and will be held for ransom."
"Oh, my!" squeaked Artie, but Polly was too distressed to speak for a moment.
"What ever will her father do?" asked Margy. "He thinks there never was a girl like Ella."
"Is she really lost?" Polly said. "How long has she been gone?"
Carrie was now surrounded by a circle of interested faces, for her voice had carried and the mention of Ella Mooney's name always held interest for any of the Sunrise Beach folk.
"She's been missing since last night," said Carrie importantly. "That is, since yesterday afternoon, really. Her father saw her at lunch, and he hasn't laid eyes on her since. She took her pony out of the stable, and they found that tied to the post back of the post-office. But Ella has completely disappeared."