"I was thinking of Allen," she explained in response to their rather startled glances, "and the time when we thought he was missing. If this thing is true about Professor Dempsey's sons I think I shall be able to sympathize with him, almost better than any of you." "I guess you will, honey," said Mollie soberly, putting an arm about her chum. "It was a terrible time for us all--there at Bluff Point. But it was almost worth the suffering when we found out that Allen was alive and well and never had been missing at all Do you remember how happy we all were then?" "Happy," Betty repeated, shaking off her depression and smiling at the memory. "I'll say we were the happiest girls on earth--especially after we recovered the twins. But what," she said, coming back to the present subject, "are we going to do about Professor Dempsey? We ought to do something, you know." "I suppose we ought," said Grace, a little vaguely, "but I'm sure I don't know just what." "I think," suggested Amy practically, "that the best thing would be to try to find out first of all whether these poor boys who were killed are really Professor Dempsey's sons or not." "Humph, that sounds all right," observed Mollie. "But has any one here any suggestion as to just how we will go about it? I'm sure I don't know any one who is acquainted with Professor Dempsey--or his family either." "I've got it," said Betty, leaning forward eagerly. "It may not be much of an idea, but then again it may." "Speak up, speak up, what's on your mind?" urged Mollie slangily. "Well," said Betty, "there is Mr. Haig, principal of Deepdale High. He knows pretty nearly every one at the university where Professor Dempsey used to teach and he is more than likely to know whether the professor has any sons and what their names are." "Yes, that is all right as far as it goes," broke in Mollie impatiently. "We all know Mr. Haig--" Amy began, but this time it was Grace who interrupted. "Yes, we all know him," she said. "But I'd like to know if there is any one of us--except Betty perhaps--who would have the nerve to go to him and ask him a question like that--" "Say, who's telling this story I'd like to know," broke in Betty impatiently. "I'm not asking any one to go to Mr. Haig with that question or any other--although I would be perfectly willing to brave the lion in his den if there were no other way. My plan is this. Dad knows Mr. Haig, you know--went to school with him--old college chums and all that. I'm sure that if we asked him real pretty he would go to Mr. Haig and find out about Professor Dempsey for us." "Then suppose we find out that Professor Dempsey hasn't any sons by the name of James and Arnold?" suggested Grace. "Then we shall be mighty glad we took the trouble to find out and set our minds at rest," answered Betty soberly.