CHAPTER XV
“CARLITOS—GONE!”
Before Jo Ann could ask any more questions Florence and Peggy came flying out.
“What is the matter, Pepito?” Florence asked quickly. “Why were you running so hard?”
“Car—li—tos—gone!” he panted, his eyes filled with tears.
“Gone!” Florence repeated. She wheeled about. “Girls, he says Carlitos is gone—lost!”
She turned back. “How could he be lost? What’s happened?”
Realizing how exhausted Pepito was from running, Florence led him up to the porch and made him sit down. “Rest a few minutes, then tell me what’s happened,” she ordered.
After he had partially regained his breath, he began telling between sobs that Carlitos and the burro had been stolen. Carlitos, he said, had begged José to let him go to town to help sell the charcoal and that while there both he and the burro had disappeared.
Florence rapidly translated his broken story to the impatient girls.
“Carlitos stolen!” Jo Ann repeated, puzzled. “Does he mean kidnaped?”