CHAPTER III - WILL'S LETTER

CHAPTER III WILL'S LETTER Amy's announcement—unexpected as it was—had two effects. L'annuncio di Amy, per quanto inaspettato, ebbe due effetti. It dispelled, for a time, the gloom that had come with the news of Will Ford's disappearance, and it gave the girls something to talk about, to speculate over and to plan for. Questo dissipò, per un po' di tempo, la tristezza che aveva accompagnato la notizia della scomparsa di Will Ford, e diede alle ragazze qualcosa di cui parlare, su cui speculare e per cui pianificare. "I must confess," admitted Betty, "that our strenuous life this Fall and Summer, living in the outdoors, has unfitted us for the hum-drum sort of existence that used to satisfy us. "Devo confessare", ha ammesso Betty, "che la nostra vita faticosa di quest'autunno e di quest'estate, vissuta all'aria aperta, ci ha reso inadatti al tipo di esistenza umile che ci soddisfaceva. We seem to want some excitement all the while now." Sembra che ora vogliamo sempre un po' di eccitazione". "That's so," agreed Mollie. "But outdoor life is a little too chilling these days." "Ma la vita all'aria aperta è un po' troppo agghiacciante in questi giorni". There had been a series of storms and cold weather in Deepdale, ever since the girls had returned from the logging camp. Da quando le ragazze erano tornate dal campo di disboscamento, a Deepdale c'era stata una serie di tempeste e di freddo.

"But it must be perfectly lovely in Florida now," spoke Grace, who found that by joining in the conversation she did not think so much about her missing brother. "Ma ora in Florida dev'essere tutto molto bello", disse Grace, che si accorse che, unendosi alla conversazione, non pensava più tanto al fratello scomparso. "The weather there in our winter season is delightful. Where is Mr. Stonington's orange grove, Amy—near Palm Beach?" "No, it is somewhere in the Indian River section, I believe. "No, è da qualche parte nella sezione di Indian River, credo. I don't know just where." Non so dove". "And do you really mean to say you can take us there?" "E intende davvero dire che può portarci lì?". asked Betty. "Oh, you're a dear!" "Oh, sei un tesoro!". "Uncle Stonington said he would be glad if I could take you girls," said Amy. "He got the grove through some sort of a business deal. "Ha ottenuto il boschetto attraverso una sorta di accordo commerciale. He doesn't know anything about raising oranges, but there are men in charge who do. Lui non sa nulla di come si coltivano le arance, ma ci sono uomini al comando che lo sanno. There is quite a big sort of place—a ranch I believe they call it." "Oh, no!" exclaimed Betty. "Ranches are only in the West. They are inhabited by—cow-punchers," and she seemed very proud of her knowledge. Sono abitate da "mucche-pugnalatori"", e sembrava molto orgogliosa della sua conoscenza. "Why do they have to punch the cows?" asked Mollie. "Westerners use such funny words." "Gli occidentali usano parole così strane". "Oh, they don't really punch them," said Grace. "I've heard Will and the boys talk about it. It's just a name. But there are no ranches in Florida." "Well, then it's just a plain orange grove," said Amy. "Beh, allora è solo un semplice aranceto", disse Amy. "There is a large house, some bungalows and other buildings. "C'è una grande casa, alcuni bungalow e altri edifici. And there is a river and a lake——" "My motor boat!" cried Betty.

"What's the matter with it?" demanded Mollie. "Do you see it?" "No, but I wonder if we could take it along?" "No, ma mi chiedo se possiamo portarlo con noi". "I'll ask Uncle Stonington," said Amy. "I'm sure you can. Oh, I do hope you girls can go! Do you think you can?" "I'm going—if I have to walk!" "Io ci vado, anche se devo camminare!". declared Betty. "I can send my boat by freight, and we can have the most delightful times ever! "Posso inviare la mia barca per il trasporto, e potremo passare i momenti più belli di sempre! Oh, Amy!" and she hugged her chum again. e abbracciò di nuovo il suo amico.

"I'm not sure I can go," observed Grace, slowly. "If poor Will is in trouble——" "We'll get him out!" "Lo tireremo fuori!" cried Mollie. "Of course you'll go. And I'll go, too! We'll all go. We'll be outdoor girls down where there's no winter!" Saremo ragazze all'aria aperta laggiù dove non c'è inverno!". "It sounds—enticing," murmured Grace, who did not like the cold weather. "Sembra interessante", mormorò Grace, che non amava il freddo. "Think of orange blossoms——" "Pensate ai fiori d'arancio...". "And brides!" "E le spose!" completed Betty. "Oh, girls!" "Silly!" "Sciocco!" chimed in Mollie. ha aggiunto Mollie.

"Is Mrs. Stonington very ill?" asked Betty. "You said something about her going down there." "Hai detto qualcosa sul fatto che è andata laggiù". "She is not at all well," spoke Amy. "Uncle Stonington is quite worried about her. "Lo zio Stonington è molto preoccupato per lei. I think when it came to getting the orange grove he took it as much on her account as on his own. Credo che quando si trattò di ottenere l'aranceto, lo fece sia per conto di lei che per conto proprio. The doctor said the air down there would do her good." Il medico ha detto che l'aria laggiù le avrebbe fatto bene". "Is it as bad as that?" "È così grave?" asked Mollie, in a low voice.

"Well, she is not at all well," Amy replied. "Beh, non sta affatto bene", rispose Amy. "But we all have hopes that a change will benefit her. I do hope you girls will come with me. I'll be so lonesome without you." Mi sentirò così sola senza di te". "Oh, we'll come," said Mollie, with much confidence. They talked of the Florida possibilities at some length, and Betty was a bit anxious as to how she could get her motor boat down to the Land of the Everglades. Parlarono a lungo delle possibilità della Florida e Betty era un po' ansiosa di sapere come avrebbe potuto portare la sua barca a motore nella terra delle Everglades.

"You'll have to consult that sea-going uncle of yours," suggested Mollie. "Dovrai consultare quel tuo zio navigatore", suggerì Mollie. "Perhaps I shall," Betty agreed, with a smile. "Papa and Uncle Isaac are rather long," complained Grace. "Papà e zio Isaac sono piuttosto lunghi", si lamentò Grace. "I wonder what they are going to do?" "Mi chiedo cosa faranno". "If your father has to go South I'm sure Uncle Stonington would be glad to have him stop at the orange grove," said Amy. "Se tuo padre deve andare a Sud, sono sicura che lo zio Stonington sarebbe felice di farlo fermare all'aranceto", disse Amy. "I don't know that he'd have time," remarked Grace. "Non so se ne avrebbe il tempo", osservò Grace. "If he has to search for poor Will——" "Se deve cercare il povero Will...". She was interrupted by the footsteps of her father and uncle as they came from the private library. Mr. Ford—as I shall indicate Grace's father—was speaking. Il signor Ford, come indicherò il padre di Grace, stava parlando. "Well, I don't see anything to do but to take a trip down there," he said. "Beh, non vedo altro da fare che fare un viaggio laggiù", disse. "When I'm on the ground I can decide what course to take. "Quando sono a terra posso decidere che strada prendere. Writing is only nervous work. And yet I don't see how I can spare the time now." Eppure non vedo come potrei trovare il tempo per farlo ora". "Perhaps I could manage for you," said Uncle Isaac. "Forse potrei occuparmene io", disse lo zio Isaac. "If I find Will I can bring him back to the mill, and make him work harder than ever. "Se trovo Will, posso riportarlo in fabbrica e farlo lavorare più duramente che mai. Hard work——" "No, no!" exclaimed Mr. Ford, quickly. "I think Will has been punished enough. I want to get him home, and then we'll map out a course of procedure. Voglio portarlo a casa, e poi definiremo la procedura da seguire. Perhaps I gave him too heavy a sentence," and, almost unconsciously, he glanced at his brother. Forse gli ho dato una sentenza troppo pesante" e, quasi inconsciamente, lanciò un'occhiata al fratello. Certainly Mr. Ford, Sr., looked like an inexorable judge who would exact the last farthing of a debt, or the final round of punishment. Certamente il signor Ford Sr. aveva l'aspetto di un giudice inesorabile che esigeva l'ultimo spicciolo di un debito, o l'ultimo giro di punizioni. Will had evidently had no easy time. Evidentemente Will non ha avuto vita facile.

"Well, I must think about this Southern trip," went on Will's father. "Why, you girls look as though you had been talking secrets!" "Ma come, voi ragazze avete l'aria di aver parlato di segreti!". he exclaimed, not wanting to inflict too much of his family troubles on the visitors.

"We have!" cried Betty.

"You are not the only one going South, Mr. Ford. We may go too." "Go South? What do you mean?" he asked.

"Mr. Stonington has purchased an orange grove in Florida," Betty went on, "and Amy has asked us all down there. Do, please, say that Grace can go!" Dite, per favore, che Grace può andare!". and she blew him a kiss, for the four chums shared their parents and friends as they did their—well, let us say—chocolates. e gli diede un bacio, perché i quattro amici condividevano i genitori e gli amici come i loro... beh, diciamo i cioccolatini.

"Florida," spoke Mr. Ford, musingly. "La Florida", ha detto Mr. Ford, con aria pensierosa. "I wonder if, by any chance, Will could have gone there? "Mi chiedo se, per caso, Will possa essere andato lì? Many young men go down South in the winter to work as waiters in the big hotels. But I hardly think he would be so foolish. Well, of course if Grace wants to go——" "I do want to, Daddy, but poor Will——" "Oh, I'll find him. He has just gone off on some little trip, perhaps. Forse è appena partito per un piccolo viaggio. Very likely he has written to us and the letter has miscarried. È molto probabile che ci abbia scritto e che la lettera sia andata a vuoto. Or he may be carrying it around in his pocket, thinking he has mailed it. Oppure potrebbe portarla in tasca, pensando di averla spedita. Yes, I think you may go, Grace, if the others do. Don't worry about your brother. We'll have trace of him soon." "I'm sure we all hope so," said Mollie, impulsively. "We are thinking of taking Betty's boat down with us." "A good idea. I wish I could go. Vorrei poter andare. And it is fortunate that, on account of a change in the school system, you will not miss a term." Ed è una fortuna che, a causa di un cambiamento nel sistema scolastico, non perderai un trimestre". For following a shift in the educational work of Deepdale, had come a reconstruction of the system. Infatti, a seguito di un cambiamento nel lavoro educativo di Deepdale, è stata effettuata una ricostruzione del sistema. The outdoor girls were sufficiently advanced to permit of their taking several months' vacation, and still remain up to the standard required by the State regents. Le ragazze all'aperto erano sufficientemente avanzate da permettere loro di prendere diversi mesi di vacanza, e sono ancora in grado di soddisfare gli standard richiesti dai reggenti dello Stato. "And to think of going to Florida!" cried Betty, as she walked about the room. gridò Betty, mentre camminava per la stanza. "I know we shall just love it there." "So che ci piacerà molto lì". "Young folks waste a lot more time than I did when I was young," said Mr. Ford, Sr., with a sniff. "I giovani perdono molto più tempo di quanto ne perdessi io quando ero giovane", ha detto il signor Ford senior, con un sospiro. "Perhaps we should have been better off if we had 'wasted' a little more time, as you call it," remarked his brother, as he thought of his missing son. "Forse sarebbe stato meglio se avessimo 'perso' un po' più di tempo, come lo chiami tu", osservò il fratello, pensando al figlio scomparso. "Humph!" snorted Uncle Isaac.

"Well, let's get down to my office," suggested Will's father, after a pause. "I'm going to have my hands full. "Avrò il mio bel da fare. To trace a missing boy—though really I don't imagine that will be serious—and have a daughter go to Florida is 'going some,' as the boys say. Rintracciare un ragazzo scomparso - anche se in realtà non immagino che sia una cosa seria - e avere una figlia che va in Florida è "un po'", come dicono i ragazzi. But I guess I can manage it. Now, Isaac, if you're ready——" He was interrupted by a ring at the bell, and the shrill call of the postman's whistle. "I'll go," Grace exclaimed, intercepting the maid. "Vado io", esclamò Grace, intercettando la cameriera. She brought back several letters, and at the sight of the handwriting on the envelope of one she exclaimed: Riportò diverse lettere e, alla vista della calligrafia sulla busta di una di esse, esclamò:

"It's from Will! It's from my brother. Oh, Daddy, here's a letter from Will!"