Her twin seized the factory girl's arm as she was hurrying past with just a little nod to the Lockwood twins.
"Alice Long!" ejaculated Dora. "You're crying. What's the matter?"
"Oh, girls! you know about Billy, don't you?" cried Short and Long's sister.
"They haven't caught him?" cried Dorothy.
"No, no! I almost wish they would," sobbed Alice Long. "We don't know where he is. I've just been down to Mr. Norman's to see if the boat has been found."
"And it hasn't?" demanded one of the twins.
"No. It was an old boat that Mr. Norman thought he was going fishing in, same as usual. Billy often brings home a mess of fish, or sells them. You know, he has always been a helpful boy."
"We want to tell you, Alice dear," said Dorothy with a glance at her sister, "that we don't believe a word of what they say about Billy."
"Thank you, Miss," said Alice, eagerly. "I was sure his schoolmates would stand by him. But he was very foolish to run away—if he has run away."
"Otherwise, what has happened to him?"