“To Nome! You want to go to Nome? You’re off, child! You’re off right now. There’s just room for one more. Got the Bowmans to take up, three of ’em. Big reindeer people. Grand folks! Just room for you.”
“Tha—” Florence could not finish. She had choked again, but not on a doughnut. Mutely she held out the crumpled bill.
“Put it in your pocket, child,” his tone was gruff but kind, “you’ll need it. But say! Why do you want to go to Nome?”
“Got a grandfather up there.”
“And haven’t seen him for a long time,” he added for her.
“Never saw him!”
“What? Never saw your grandfather? Say! That’s terrible. I had two of ’em. Grand old sports. Both gone now. Say! That’s great! And you’re going with me to hunt up your grandfather. That, why that’s like moving pictures. Going? Of course you’re going! Due to take off at nine a. m.” He slid off the stool, then held out a hand. “Glad to have met you. Meet you again right here at 8:30 tomorrow morning. Will you be here?”
Would she? If necessary she would form a one-man line and stand right here in the snow and cold until the sun rose and the clock said a half hour after eight.
CHAPTER X
IN SEARCH OF A GRANDFATHER
Nothing very serious had happened to the blue and gray plane that was carrying Mary and her friends toward their home.