April 17, 2025 • 11 mins
A Florida vacation becomes an adventurous journey when the Outdoor Girls explore orange groves and trek into the mysterious interior. Sun, surprise, and southern charm await!
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
By Laura Lee Hope, suspicious characters. What shall we do?
Whispered Grace, glancing at Betty, who stood at the wheel
seemingly as calm and unperturbed, as though she had the
(00:22):
gym out for a little run on Rainbow Lake. Oh
what shall we do do? Echoed Molly. Wait until there's
something to be done, of course. But those men, they
are heading right for us, and we don't know them.
(00:47):
And we didn't know mister Belton when he came to
our rescue, replied Molly, So that doesn't count. But neither
of these men is mister Belton, went on Grace. Oh,
I don't like Florida as much as I thought I would.
(01:08):
I'm sorry, spoke Amy gently. I I didn't mean just that,
my dear, answered Grace impulsively. But they are heading for us, Betty.
Of course they are, said the little Captain. But that
doesn't mean I'm going to stop for them. Betty Nelson.
(01:32):
Do you mean you aren't going to stop? Gasped Grace.
That's what I do mean. I don't see why we
should halt our boat just because two strange men signal us. Indeed,
I'm not going to, and Betty turned on more power.
(01:53):
She gazed straight ahead as though she did not see
the men in the approaching craft, who are now now
wildly waving their hands and turning their rather disreputable looking
craft in the direction of the gem. Betty, nothing, you
are splendid, cried Grace impulsively, as she moved forward and
(02:17):
threw her arms round about her. Chum, I wish I
had your courage. Don't hug me too tightly, begged Betty
with a laugh. I may have to steer out of
their way. Indeed it did seem so, for the other
craft was coming about so as almost to cross the
(02:40):
bowls of the boat of the outdoor girls. Then one
of the men called, I say, young ladies, will you
stop a minute. We want to speak to you. Betty
never turned her head, but gazed on down the river,
as though intent on not grounding on a sand bar
(03:00):
or running into an alligator. Her tombs followed her example,
but Grace could not forbear giving them in one glance.
They're talking together, she reported, in a low voice. Let
em talk as long as they don't talk to us,
(03:21):
answered Molly. The men seem to have decided on something
after a conference, for the one who had first, hailed
the girls. Now call, I say, young ladies. We don't
mean to be impolite or to bother you, but we're
looking for a boat, and this boat isn't for sale,
(03:44):
said Betty in a non committal tones. We have no
time to stop. But you don't understand, cried the man,
seemingly growing desperate. One of our boats was taken last
night by a young fellow, and he came down the river.
(04:06):
We followed him, but we must have passed him in
the night. Now we're on our way back, and he
may have hidden some by you and be on his
way down further upstream. All we want to know if
you've seen a tall, young fellow with blue eyes and
a smile skiff. Betty returned no answer. It was not
(04:32):
a question strictly speaking. The men had merely said they
wanted to know, and Betty saw no reason for gratifying
their want. Hi, can't you just stop an answer a
civil question, cried the second man. His voice was angry.
(04:52):
If you don't, we may. Betty's cheeks flushed. Without tur
turning her head, she answered, you'd better be careful how
you make threats. Where from mister Stornington's orange grube and
mister Hammond there. I knew you'd make a mess of it, bill,
(05:14):
said the other man, the one who had first spoken,
and he turned accusingly to his companion. Well, I don't care.
Why don't they answer? I wager they've seen that fellow
and won't tell. Why should they tell, asked the first man,
(05:39):
in a low voice, But he had forgotten how well
even low tones carry over the water. They are strangers here.
I'm certain they can't know the loon, so we're perfectly
safe questioning them. Yes, but they won't answer. Over closer,
(06:01):
and maybe we can make him, Oh, gasped Grace startled.
They'd better not try, cried Molly, with a sparkle in
her eyes. We're not very far from home, and this
folk can go twice as fast as theirs. Don't be alarmed,
(06:22):
said Betty. I've got some speed in reserve. Yet. The
men consulted together again. They had put their boat about now,
and we're coming down after the gym. But it was
easy to see they had no speed, I say, called
(06:43):
out the man who had first hailed. Won't you tell
us if you've seen a ragged lad in a boat?
We don't mean any harm. Just stop a minute. We
have no time, said Betty sharply, and if you persist
in following us, say look care, blessed the second man.
(07:04):
If you can't, don't let up on that line, Bill
cautioned the other We don't mean any harm, he proceeded.
My friend here is a bit rough. I'm no bearer
than you, retorted his companion. We're willing to pay for
(07:24):
the information, went on the first man. It won't take
but a minute, but Betty stayed to hear no more.
She opened wide the throttle of her motor and the
gem shot head, leaving the other craft far behind. There
was some evidence in the quicker, staccato exhaust of the
(07:48):
pursuing boat that the occupants tried to get more speed
out of her, but they failed, and a little later, Amy,
turning around, saw them circling back upstream. One man stood
up and shook his fist vindictively. Grace gasped when she
(08:08):
saw this. Oh, I'm sure they mean us some harm,
she cried. Nonsense, asserted Betty. We're far enough off now,
but if we come out again, Amy suggested, I think
we'll take one of the men from the Orange Crape factory,
(08:31):
suggested Molly. Mister Hammond will spare us one. I'm sure,
and it would be too bad if we had to
give up our trips on the river just because the
men are hunting a fugitive, and I wonder what they
want of him, asked Grace. He seemed harmless enough, They
(08:54):
said he had their boat supplied. Amy, yes, that was
probably to escape, and suggested Grace, he was going for
help for some one, maybe a friend of his was hurt.
I wish someone could take help to my brother. Oh,
(09:16):
it's dreadful to think he may be in need of
it and we're unable to get to him. It certainly
is agreed, Betty, But fretting will do no good. We
may have news of him any time now. A little later,
(09:37):
the girls tied up at the Orange Grove dock. They
made light of their adventures, even the one with the
sea cow, and did not mention the ragged youth at all,
except astray a stranger had recovered their boat for them.
For there is no need of telling too many persons
(09:58):
that we saw him, Betty said later. Some of the
hands might hear of it, and without meaning to betray
his secret, but we don't know where he went, said Grace, No,
and I don't want to. Then we can't tell under
any circumstances. We'll just keep quiet about it. For a
(10:23):
day or so. The girls did not venture far from
the bungalow on the river, but soon they tired of
comparative inactivity and planned a little cruise downstream, this time
past Lake Chad and up another river that emptied into it.
(10:43):
But you had better take one of my young helpers along,
suggested mister Hammond, when the girls had made Knowlan their plan.
There have been a couple of suspicious characters hanging around
of late, and I don't want you taking any chances.
I'll give you a young fella you can depend on.
(11:07):
End of Chapter sixteen.
By Laura Lee Hope, suspicious characters. What shall we do?
Whispered Grace, glancing at Betty, who stood at the wheel
seemingly as calm and unperturbed, as though she had the
(00:22):
gym out for a little run on Rainbow Lake. Oh
what shall we do do? Echoed Molly. Wait until there's
something to be done, of course. But those men, they
are heading right for us, and we don't know them.
(00:47):
And we didn't know mister Belton when he came to
our rescue, replied Molly, So that doesn't count. But neither
of these men is mister Belton, went on Grace. Oh,
I don't like Florida as much as I thought I would.
(01:08):
I'm sorry, spoke Amy gently. I I didn't mean just that,
my dear, answered Grace impulsively. But they are heading for us, Betty.
Of course they are, said the little Captain. But that
doesn't mean I'm going to stop for them. Betty Nelson.
(01:32):
Do you mean you aren't going to stop? Gasped Grace.
That's what I do mean. I don't see why we
should halt our boat just because two strange men signal us. Indeed,
I'm not going to, and Betty turned on more power.
(01:53):
She gazed straight ahead as though she did not see
the men in the approaching craft, who are now now
wildly waving their hands and turning their rather disreputable looking
craft in the direction of the gem. Betty, nothing, you
are splendid, cried Grace impulsively, as she moved forward and
(02:17):
threw her arms round about her. Chum, I wish I
had your courage. Don't hug me too tightly, begged Betty
with a laugh. I may have to steer out of
their way. Indeed it did seem so, for the other
craft was coming about so as almost to cross the
(02:40):
bowls of the boat of the outdoor girls. Then one
of the men called, I say, young ladies, will you
stop a minute. We want to speak to you. Betty
never turned her head, but gazed on down the river,
as though intent on not grounding on a sand bar
(03:00):
or running into an alligator. Her tombs followed her example,
but Grace could not forbear giving them in one glance.
They're talking together, she reported, in a low voice. Let
em talk as long as they don't talk to us,
(03:21):
answered Molly. The men seem to have decided on something
after a conference, for the one who had first, hailed
the girls. Now call, I say, young ladies. We don't
mean to be impolite or to bother you, but we're
looking for a boat, and this boat isn't for sale,
(03:44):
said Betty in a non committal tones. We have no
time to stop. But you don't understand, cried the man,
seemingly growing desperate. One of our boats was taken last
night by a young fellow, and he came down the river.
(04:06):
We followed him, but we must have passed him in
the night. Now we're on our way back, and he
may have hidden some by you and be on his
way down further upstream. All we want to know if
you've seen a tall, young fellow with blue eyes and
a smile skiff. Betty returned no answer. It was not
(04:32):
a question strictly speaking. The men had merely said they
wanted to know, and Betty saw no reason for gratifying
their want. Hi, can't you just stop an answer a
civil question, cried the second man. His voice was angry.
(04:52):
If you don't, we may. Betty's cheeks flushed. Without tur
turning her head, she answered, you'd better be careful how
you make threats. Where from mister Stornington's orange grube and
mister Hammond there. I knew you'd make a mess of it, bill,
(05:14):
said the other man, the one who had first spoken,
and he turned accusingly to his companion. Well, I don't care.
Why don't they answer? I wager they've seen that fellow
and won't tell. Why should they tell, asked the first man,
(05:39):
in a low voice, But he had forgotten how well
even low tones carry over the water. They are strangers here.
I'm certain they can't know the loon, so we're perfectly
safe questioning them. Yes, but they won't answer. Over closer,
(06:01):
and maybe we can make him, Oh, gasped Grace startled.
They'd better not try, cried Molly, with a sparkle in
her eyes. We're not very far from home, and this
folk can go twice as fast as theirs. Don't be alarmed,
(06:22):
said Betty. I've got some speed in reserve. Yet. The
men consulted together again. They had put their boat about now,
and we're coming down after the gym. But it was
easy to see they had no speed, I say, called
(06:43):
out the man who had first hailed. Won't you tell
us if you've seen a ragged lad in a boat?
We don't mean any harm. Just stop a minute. We
have no time, said Betty sharply, and if you persist
in following us, say look care, blessed the second man.
(07:04):
If you can't, don't let up on that line, Bill
cautioned the other We don't mean any harm, he proceeded.
My friend here is a bit rough. I'm no bearer
than you, retorted his companion. We're willing to pay for
(07:24):
the information, went on the first man. It won't take
but a minute, but Betty stayed to hear no more.
She opened wide the throttle of her motor and the
gem shot head, leaving the other craft far behind. There
was some evidence in the quicker, staccato exhaust of the
(07:48):
pursuing boat that the occupants tried to get more speed
out of her, but they failed, and a little later, Amy,
turning around, saw them circling back upstream. One man stood
up and shook his fist vindictively. Grace gasped when she
(08:08):
saw this. Oh, I'm sure they mean us some harm,
she cried. Nonsense, asserted Betty. We're far enough off now,
but if we come out again, Amy suggested, I think
we'll take one of the men from the Orange Crape factory,
(08:31):
suggested Molly. Mister Hammond will spare us one. I'm sure,
and it would be too bad if we had to
give up our trips on the river just because the
men are hunting a fugitive, and I wonder what they
want of him, asked Grace. He seemed harmless enough, They
(08:54):
said he had their boat supplied. Amy, yes, that was
probably to escape, and suggested Grace, he was going for
help for some one, maybe a friend of his was hurt.
I wish someone could take help to my brother. Oh,
(09:16):
it's dreadful to think he may be in need of
it and we're unable to get to him. It certainly
is agreed, Betty, But fretting will do no good. We
may have news of him any time now. A little later,
(09:37):
the girls tied up at the Orange Grove dock. They
made light of their adventures, even the one with the
sea cow, and did not mention the ragged youth at all,
except astray a stranger had recovered their boat for them.
For there is no need of telling too many persons
(09:58):
that we saw him, Betty said later. Some of the
hands might hear of it, and without meaning to betray
his secret, but we don't know where he went, said Grace, No,
and I don't want to. Then we can't tell under
any circumstances. We'll just keep quiet about it. For a
(10:23):
day or so. The girls did not venture far from
the bungalow on the river, but soon they tired of
comparative inactivity and planned a little cruise downstream, this time
past Lake Chad and up another river that emptied into it.
(10:43):
But you had better take one of my young helpers along,
suggested mister Hammond, when the girls had made Knowlan their plan.
There have been a couple of suspicious characters hanging around
of late, and I don't want you taking any chances.
I'll give you a young fella you can depend on.
(11:07):
End of Chapter sixteen.
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