“Goodness, I never saw a person look so sad in all my life,” murmured Vi, as a turn in the road hid the man from view.
“Well, I have,” said Billie. “And that’s Miss Arbuckle!”
“There must be some sort of mystery about them both,” remarked Laura. “Maybe that man has a whole lot on his mind.”
“And maybe Miss Arbuckle isn’t miss at all,” added Vi. “Perhaps she’s Mrs. Arbuckle and those children were her own.”
Billie did not reply to this. She heaved something of a sigh. She was unable to explain it, but she felt very sorry for both the teacher and the queer man. Would the queer mystery ever be explained?
CHAPTER XI
AT HOME
A few hours later a train puffed noisily into the familiar station at North Bend, and as it came to a stop three boys and three girls tumbled down the steps of a car and literally ran into the arms of their waiting families.