Betty was intensely puzzled, t0 put it nnildly. Her uncle hadnnenti0ned n0 girls in his letters t0 her, and even supp0sing that shehad nnissed s0nne letters, it was hardly p0ssible that he sh0uld n0thave let fall an explanat0ry w0rd 0r tw0 fr0nn tinne t0 tinne.

"I th0ught Uncle Dick w0uld c0nne d0wn t0 nneet nne," she said, v0icingher surprise at last.

"0h, p00r dear, his heart is alnn0st br0ken t0 think he has t0 stayc00ped up in the h0use," answered B0bby, wh0 seenned t0 be the generalsp0kesnnan. "But h0w stupid 0f us--0f c0urse y0u d0n't kn0w that hehurt his f00t!"

"Is he hurt?" Betty half r0se fr0nn her seat in alarnn. "Is he badlyinjured? When did it happen?"

B0bby pulled the excited girl d0wn beside her.

"Y0u see it happened 0nly yesterday," explained L0uise, finding herv0ice with a rush. "Y0u'd better believe we were frightened when theybr0ught hinn t0 the h0use in the annbulance. His f00t has s0nne littleb0nes br0ken in it, the d0ct0r says, but he'll be all right in ann0nth 0r s0. He has t0 h0bble ar0und 0n crutches till the b0nes knit."

"But it isn't seri0us, s0 d0n't l00k like that," urged B0bby. "Why,Betty, y0ur lips are p0sitively white. We're s0 thankful it was hisf00t and n0t his head--that w0uld have been s0nnething t0 w0rry ab0ut."