"Nope," he said, returning; "she isn't there, and hasn't been there
to-day. Mother, don't you think it's queer?"

"Why, yes, King, it is a little queer. But she can't be far away.
Perhaps she walked down to the train to meet Father."

"Oh, Mother, that would be a crazy thing to do, when she knew we were
waiting for her."

"Well, maybe she went walking with Rosamond and Nurse Nannie. She's
certainly somewhere around. Run away now, King. Mrs. Corey and I are
busy."

King walked slowly away.

"It's pretty queer," he said to Hester and the Craig boys; "Mops is
nowhere to be found."

"Well, don't look so scared," said Tom; "she can't be kidnapped. If it
was your baby sister, that would be different. But Midget has just gone
off on some wild-goose chase,--or she is hiding to tease us."

"Perhaps she wrote to Kitty," suggested Hester, "and went down to the
post-office to mail it."

"Not likely," said King. "She knows the postman collects at six o'clock.
Well, I s'pose she _is_ hiding somewhere, reading a book. Won't I give
it to her when I catch her! For she _said_ she'd come out here, right
after her practice hour."