“Because it is rather far-fetched and absurd, I suppose,” said Grace, the suggestion of a sneer in her voice bringing a quick flush to Amy’s face. “I don’t see that it is so far-fetched! or absurd either,” Betty broke in quietly. “Remember, we are only a little over fifty miles from the place where Professor Dempsey had his cottage, and it would be easy for him to wander this far.” Here Frank broke in on behalf of the very much mystified boys. “Before you stage the hair-pulling contest,” he said, “would you mind telling us poor benighted males what it is all about?” So the girls told them all about Professor Dempsey, and while they talked the boys became more and more excited. Finally Will could keep quiet no longer. “Say,” he asked, leaning forward, “did the two sons of the cracked old professor happen to bear the names of James and Arnold?” The girls gaped at him, “Yes,” they breathed. “How did you know?” “Because,” said Will, “those very same fellows were in our regiment. In fact, I was beside Arnold when he was wounded in that last engagement. Strange thing that James was wounded at the same time.” “Wounded?” repeated Betty, who like all the girls was feeling rather dazed at this new development. “Then they weren’t killed?” “Not a bit of it,” Will replied vehemently. “Why, even their wounds weren’t serious enough to lay them up for long. The last I heard of them they were coming over on a hospital ship and expected to be here almost as soon as we were. For all I know, they may have landed by this time.” “Oh,” said Amy, still too dazed to take it all in. “Then all this time we have thought of them as dead, they were alive!” “Very much so,” said Will, with a grin, “and probably kicking too! just like us!” CHAPTER XXI. OUT OF THE DARK It took the Outdoor Girls a moment or two to digest this rather startling information. And when it did finally seep into their consciousness, their first feeling was one of joy for the poor professor whose sons would be restored to him after all. But quick on the heels of this thought came another. How could the sons be restored to their father, if the father were nowhere to be found? “You say the old chap skipped out, decamped?” Will broke in on their meditations. “That sort of complicates matters, doesn’t it?” “Rather,” agreed Roy, frowning. “It is going to be rather tough on those fellows, James and Arnold, to come home, expecting to be welcomed by a rejoicing parent, only to find said parent missing.” “Humph, that’s the first time I’ve thought of the boys’ side of it,” said Betty. “We have been too much occupied right along in being sorry for the poor old professor.”