ply must raise enough money to pay the long-
standing interest due on the mortgage of our
farm or Gram will lose it.”
“Surely no one would be mean enough to take
over your farm,” Bess murmured sympatheti-
cally.
“A bank holds the mortgage. It has no choice.
Gram knows very little about money matters, so
she takes anyone’s advice. Years ago she was ad-
vised to buy another farm and sell it at a high
price. All at once values crashed and she couldn’t
meet the payments on her extra farm, so it went
back to the original owners. Then she had to put
a heavy mortgage on Red Gate, too, and if she
loses that, she’ll be penniless.”
As Joanne finished her story. Nancy turned the
car into the Drews’ driveway.
“Come in, everybody,” she invited. “Perhaps
we can think of a way to help Joanne.”
The three girls followed Nancy into the house,
where they were greeted by the Drews’ pleasant
housekeeper. Hannah Gruen had been like a
mother’to Nancy ever since the death of Mrs.
Drew when Nancy was a child. Nancy asked Han-
nah to make some sandwiches for them all, then
led the girls to the living room.
“You must be nearly starved,” Nancy said to
Joanne a moment later. “I know I am.”
“I am rather hungry,” Joanne confessed. “I
haven’t had anything to eat since last night.”
“What!” the other girls chorused.
“It was my own fault,” Joanne said hastily. “I
was too excited this morning to think about
food.”
“It’s no wonder you fainted,” Nancy said. “I’ll
ask Hannah to fix you something hot.”
Nancy returned from the kitchen with a tray
of appetizing sandwiches and a bowl of soup.
Joanne ate heartily. Nancy and her friends joined
in, for they had had only a light snack while on
their shopping expedition.
“I do feel better,” Joanne announced when she
had finished. “It was so good of you to bring me
here.”
“Not at all,” Nancy said softly. “We’d like
to help you all we can.”
“Thank you, but I believe everything will
work out all right if only I get this position.” Jo-
anne glanced anxiously at the clock. “I’ll really
have to go now or I’ll be too late to make the call
this afternoon. Could you tell me how to get to
this address?”
She handed a folded scrap of newspaper to
Nancy. “This particular ad for an office girl
caught my eye since it asks for someone who has
had experience on a farm.”
Nancy found the advertisement to be rather
conventional, but it was the name at the bottom
of the paragraph that held her attention.
“Why, this ad says Riverside Heights!” she ex-
claimed. “You should have stayed on the train
until the next stop!”
“I thought Riverside Heights and River
Heights were the same place!” Joanne Byrd cried
in distressed surprise.
“Riverside Heights is only a few miles away,”
Nancy explained, “and the names are confusing
even to people who live near here, so it’s a natu-
ral mistake.”
“Oh, dear, I don’t know what to do now,” Jo-
anne said anxiously. “If I don’t apply for that po-
sition this afternoon, I’ll probably lose my
chance of getting it.”
Nancy had taken a liking to the girl and wanted
to help her. Not only was Joanne half sick from
lack of food, but she had worked herself into a
nervous state.
“You must let me drive you to Riverside
Heights,” Nancy insisted. “It’ll only take fifteen
minutes and you’ll have plenty of time to apply
for the position.”
Joanne’s face brightened instantly, but she
was reluctant to accept the favor. “I’ve really
troubled you enough.”
“Nonsense! We’ll start right away!” Nancy
turned to Bess and George. “Want to come
along?”
Bess and George both declined, since they
were expected home. The cousins gathered up
their packages and all the girls went to the car.
Nancy dropped Bess and George at their own
homes, then took the highway leading to the
next city.
“I do hope I get there in time,” Joanne said
worriedly. “The job will mean so much to Gram
and me!”
“You’ll get there,” Nancy assured her. “Have