CHAPTER III
THE TELEGRAM
Rick’s mother was waiting for him. With a wondering look on her face she took the letter he held out to her, and the boy watched her read it.
“This is very strange,” she murmured as she glanced through the short note.
“Mother, what is it?” asked Rick. “Has anything happened—anything to Uncle Tod?”
“Nothing serious I think—at least not yet,” added Mrs. Dalton as once more she glanced over the letter. “He’s just gone, that’s all. He left in a hurry, too. I didn’t notice him go. I wonder if he took any of his things with him?”
“I didn’t look to see,” the boy answered. “I just hurried down when I saw the letter. Say, what has happened, anyhow?”
“You may read the letter,” offered Mrs. Dalton as she started up stairs toward Uncle Tod’s room. “Don’t let the potatoes burn,” she called to Mazie who was in the kitchen.
“All right, Mother, I won’t,” was the answer. “But what’s the matter? Why don’t you all come to supper? Here’s daddy,” she went on, as she caught a glimpse of her father coming in the front gate.
“I hope he can puzzle this out,” murmured Mrs. Dalton, as she entered Uncle Tod’s room, while Rick remained in the hall outside to read the letter left by the man whose strange actions, following that mysterious message, had created a worry in the family.
The letter that Uncle Tod had left for his niece was short. Rick read this: