"Hurrah for Jack Tiverton!" some one cried again, and this time they were given with a will.
Mrs. Tiverton, returning from a long drive, wondered what all the excitement meant, and why they were cheering her little son.
Jack, with his silver dollar tightly clasped, hung his head, and looked as if overpowered by his conspicuous position.
Dorothy, now bright and happy, since Floretta was safe, saw that Jack hesitated.
"Oh, Mrs. Tiverton," she said, "Jack has been truly the best boy in the world, but he can't speak just now. When he tells you what he's done, you won't wonder why they cheered him!"
Mrs. Barnet and Flossie, with Uncle Harry and his wife, now arrived in their big automobile from a three-days' trip that they had been enjoying.
Of course Dorothy and Nancy tried to tell Flossie all about Floretta and Jack, and they were both so excited that Flossie got a very twisted idea of the affair.
Uncle Harry, not dreaming that the matter was at all serious, turned, after greeting the children, to enter the house.
"Oh, Uncle Harry!" cried Flossie, "you ought to hear about it. There were ever so many big boys, and only one little girl, and they tied her so she couldn't get away, and Jack wrote a note, and when they found her,—"
"Now, Flossie, dear, I'm perfectly willing to be scared half out of my wits, but I must know what I'm being scared about. You're getting me so mixed up that I've not the least idea what this is all about. Have you?" he asked.