powers of solving. Then a sudden thought struck her:

"Where's Laddie? We haven't seen him either."

"Praise be!" exclaimed Bridget. "The dog'll be wid Grizzel, an'
that's sure. Blessin's on ye for the thought, Miss Mollie, for it's
scared I was an' there's no use denyin'."

"Thank goodness! If the blacks had come Laddie would have barked,"
Prudence said, taking a long breath of relief. "How on earth did I
not miss him myself!"

"Your mind was so full of Grizzel you had no room for another
thought, but now--where is she, and how did she get down?"

"We _must_ find her before Mamma comes home. Mollie, you are clever;
think some more."

Mollie thought her hardest, but, as she explained, it was difficult
to make suggestions when she knew neither Grizzel nor the
surroundings very well. "She had no hat on; let us go and see if she
has taken a hat. Would she be likely to go out without one?"

No, they said, going out without a hat was unheard of. So a search
was instituted in the girl's room, and to their relief Grizzel's
garden hat was missing--somehow, even to Mollie, it seemed less
alarming to be missing with a hat than without one. In fact, if it
had not been for the mystery of the tree--which certainly _was_ very
inexplicable--Mollie would not have disturbed herself. Grizzel had
gone out, wearing her hat, carrying her basket, and accompanied by