Pagina 29 van 416

"Bless me if I know," stammered Burns weakly. "Last I saw of him

he was under that cherry-tree where you told him to stay until

you got the others. It wa'n't more'n five minutes ago I seen him

there. He must be around somewheres. I'll look."

Without another word he hurried off in a frantic search, looking

to left and right, behind every bush, and among the crowd,

bellowing the boy's name at the top of his voice.

Code walked up to the frantic girl and went straight to the

point.

"Hello, Nellie!" he said. "Where do you cal'late little Bige

might be? I hear you've lost him."

"Yes, I have, Code. I stood him under that cherry-tree and told

him not to move. When I got back he was gone. He was seven, and

just old enough to run around by himself and investigate things.

Oh, I'm so afraid he's gone--"

"Listen!" Code's sharp, masterful tone put a sudden end to her

sobbing. "Was there anything in the house he valued much?"

Suddenly she drew in her breath sharply.