human
Here's Billy Long's sister, Alice,
gpt
Oh, dear me! replied Dorothy.
human
I suppose she has had to work late at the paper box factory. And how she must feel----
gpt
Alice Long! ejaculated Dora.
human
You're crying. What's the matter?
gpt
Oh, girls! you know about Billy, don't you?
human
They haven't caught him?
gpt
No, no! I almost wish they would, sobbed Alice Long.
human
We don't know where he is. I've just been down to Mr. Norman's to see if the boat has been found.
gpt
And it hasn't?
human
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.
gpt
We want to tell you, Alice dear, said Dorothy with a glance at her sister,
human
Thank you, Miss, said Alice, eagerly.
gpt
I was sure his schoolmates would stand by him. But he was very foolish to run away--if he has run away.
human
Otherwise, what has happened to him?
gpt
That is what is worrying father and me. The boat was old. Something might have happened. He might be drowned,
human
Oh, no, Alice! Billy was a good swimmer.
gpt
I know that. But often good swimmers are taken with cramps. And if the boat overturned, or sank, out in the middle of Lake Luna----
human
That's too dreadful a thing to think of! cried Dora.
gpt
I believe he ran away because he was afraid of being arrested. Everybody was talking about his having a hand in that robbery.
human
Well, he never did it. I could testify that he wasn't out of his bed Tuesday night when the robbery took place. I told the policemen so. But, of course, Billy could have gone out of the window and down the shed roof--and got back again, too--without our knowing it. He has more than once, I suppose,
gpt
You see, on Wednesday Stresch & Potter sent their store detective to see Billy, and he bulldozed him and threatened him. I expect the boy was badly frightened, although the man was only a cheap bully. So we don't know what to think--whether Billy has deliberately run away, or that some accident happened to him on the lake.
human
Chet and Lance Darby were looking for him Saturday over at Cavern Island, said a twin.
gpt
But they met with an accident. We're all going over to the island again this coming Saturday, and we'll search the east end for him.
human
How would he live over there?
gpt
Oh, there are berries this time of year. And of course, he could fish,
human
There's a man hiding there, anyway,
gpt
We'll do everything we can to find Short and Long, Dora assured the boy's sister.
human
And we are telling everybody that we don't believe Billy would do such a thing as they say. As though there wasn't any other boy in Centerport who could have crawled through that window at Stresch & Potter's.