Almost on the same instant the door was thrown open, and, panting and
excited, Nick Ribsam entered.

But he was alone, and the expression of his face showed that he had
brought bad news.




CHAPTER V.

THE PARTY OF SEARCH.


When Nick Ribsam set out to find his missing sister Nellie, he made the
search as thorough as possible.

The first house at which he stopped was that of Mr. Marston, which, it
will be remembered, was only a short distance away from his own home.
There, to his disappointment, he learned that their little girl had not
been at school that day, and consequently they could tell him nothing.

Without waiting longer than to give a few words of explanation he
resumed his trot, and soon after turned into the lane leading to the
home of Mr. Kilgore. He found that both Bobby and Sallie had been to
school, but they had nothing to tell. When we are more than usually
anxious to learn something, it seems that every one whom we meet is
stupid beyond endurance. If we are in a strange place and apply for
information, the ignorance of nearly every person is exasperating.