"Are you sure he didn't go to the home of some neighbor or of a
relative?" asked Mrs. Brown. "Children often do that, never thinking how
worried their fathers and mothers are."

"No, Fred is too old to do that," said Mrs. Ward, wiping the tears out
of her eyes. "He has gone, intending to stay a long while."

"What makes you think so?" asked Mrs. Brown.

"Because of this note he left," answered the father of the boy next
door. "You see, Mrs. Brown, I had to correct Fred for doing something
wrong. He spent some money to buy a banjo that he had promised--I had
told him I would get him a fine banjo next year, but----

"Well, he disobeyed me, and I felt I had to punish him. So I sent him up
to his room to stay all day. He went to his room, and that is the last
we have seen of him. He left this note, saying he was never coming
back."

"Read Mrs. Brown the note," suggested Mrs. Ward. "Maybe she can think of
some plan to get Fred back."

Mr. Ward was about to read the note when Mr. Brown's voice was heard
under the dining-room windows saying:

"Hello, Mother, and Bunny and Sue! Mary told me you had come over here,
so I thought I'd come to pay a visit too. I've news for you."

"Oh, it's daddy!" cried Sue, and she ran to let her father in through