  “Gone!” echoed Jack, staring blankly around the room. “Where could she possibly go?” “I don’t know; but you see she isn’t here.” There were few places to look. Jack peered under the big bed, while DesirÉ looked in the clothes press and a deep chest. “What shall we do?” she whispered, twisting her hands together and trying to force back the tears. “Is RenÉ in your room?” as a sudden thought occurred to her. With two steps, Jack crossed the hall and stuck his head into the room opposite. “Yes; he’s in bed.” Mrs. Riboux, sensing that something was wrong, came out of her room, followed by her husband. Their exclamations brought Prudence and Ormand to join the group. A few minutes of excited consultation resulted in Mr. Riboux going out to notify the authorities that a child was missing. While the women searched the house from top to bottom, Jack and Ormand, aided by the feeble rays of a lantern, looked about the barns and yard. A group of men and boys from the town were soon scouring the nearby woods, and DesirÉ, who had returned to her room after the fruitless trip through the various rooms, could see the moving lights and hear occasional shouts. The forced inaction maddened her. If there were only something she could do besides wait. What danger might not Priscilla be in while she stood helpless here? After a long time Mr. Riboux, followed by Jack and Ormand, crossed the yard, and she ran downstairs hoping for news. Her brother merely shook his head gravely when they met in the kitchen where Mrs. Riboux was making coffee and setting out a lunch for the men who were still in the woods. One by one they straggled in, reporting no luck at all. DesirÉ’s own acute distress was increased every time she looked at Jack’s stern, set face. Well she knew by the deep lines between his eyes that he was blaming himself for Priscilla’s disappearance. Although it had been a great relief to have RenÉ sleep through the first excitement, now it was a distinct pleasure to hear his voice from upstairs and be able to run up and see what he wanted. At least it provided something to do. “I’m coming,” called DesirÉ, stopping in her room to get a lamp. “Don’t want you,” replied RenÉ rudely, as she entered. “Want Prissy. She was going to catch the mouse,” he added. “The mouse,” repeated his sister in bewilderment, feeling his head to see if he were feverish. “Yes,” said the little boy, jerking fretfully away from her and pointing to the corner behind the bed. There lay Priscilla, curled up on the floor, fast asleep, with Polly, the big grey house cat, clasped tightly in her arms. The animal blinked at the light and uttered a loud “Me-o-w!” DesirÉ, together with Jack who had by that time followed her, stood speechless, looking down at the sleeping child. “I want to know if she caught that mouse,” demanded RenÉ in positive tones. At that moment Priscilla, aroused by the sound of voices, opened her eyes, a bit bewildered by the sudden awakening. She looked blankly from one to another, her gaze finally centering on Jack’s face. “I didn’t disobey you,” she said. “RenÉ called me because he was frightened of a mouse. You said I might leave the room if he wanted anything.” “But what are you doing down here on the floor, darling?” asked DesirÉ softly; for Jack could not speak. “I got Polly and sat down here by the mouse’s hole so’s she could catch him when he came out again; and we all kept so quiet I guess we went to sleep.” Jack picked the little girl up, carried her to the room across the hall, and held her close for a moment before laying her on the bed. “Both of you get to sleep as soon as you can,” he directed. “I’ll go down and tell the family she’s found.” “Is Jack angry at me?” inquired Priscilla, sleepily. “Not a bit, dear. We thought you were lost. Everybody has been looking all over for you, out in the barn, in the woods, and—” “And here I was all the time,” giggled the child, wholly unconscious of having been the cause of great anxiety and effort. Along the shore, the next morning, as the Wistmores started out after parting reluctantly with the Riboux family, were hundreds of gulls looking for food, and the air was filled with their harsh croaking cries. Out on the blue waters floated others, at rest on the ripples. In the meadows herds of black and white cows wandered about, cropping the grass heavy with dew, their bells tinkling constantly as they sought for choicer tidbits. “Before we get to Saulnierville we make our first stop,” said DesirÉ, consulting the list she had taken from Jack’s pocket. “We’ll be there shortly.” “Oh, I hope we sell just lots of stuff!” cried Priscilla, who was quite herself again. “Yes, lots of stuff,” echoed RenÉ, grabbing Jack around the neck. “Don’t choke brother,” laughed DesirÉ, loosening the embracing arms. Before many minutes passed, they came in sight of a small grey house. An immense grey barn stood behind it, its double doors freshly painted a brilliant red. The farm was enclosed by a grey fence with double gates of pure white. “Why don’t the gates and the doors match, I wonder,” remarked Priscilla, who had an eye for color combinations. “I haven’t the faintest idea,” replied Jack, bringing the wagon to a stop before a path bordered with clam shells. The path led up to the front door, and another row of clam shells surrounded the house, which was built, like so many others in Nova Scotia, with overlapped shingles on one side and clapboards on the other three. “Let the youngsters run about a bit while I go in,” directed Jack, preparing to climb over the wheel. At this moment the sound of galloping horses on the road over which they had just come made everyone turn; and they saw another wagon, the counterpart of their own, swaying crazily from side to side as the driver urged on his excited animals. “Runaway!” squealed RenÉ delightedly. “They’ll hit us!” shrieked Priscilla. Jack deftly pushed off the road into a field, and jumped from the wagon ready to be of assistance. His keen eye saw at once, however, that the approaching team was not out of control. As soon as it came abreast of the Wistmore “store” the driver pulled up with a suddenness which threw the animals on their haunches; and, leaping from his seat, he faced Jack belligerently. |
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