"Let Louise and Ikey go, and I will put up some cakes and peppermints for him," said Miss Brown.
Ikey, though shy when left to himself, was always willing to follow Louise, and they went off together in high spirits, not in the least subdued by Aunt Zelie"s remark that she hardly thought she would care for a visit from two such geese.
John was still at his window waiting for the meeting to be over, and laughed at the sight of Louise chasing Ikey around the garden. They seemed to be disputing over something that was done up in a napkin. It ended by the former getting possession, and then, still laughing, they came out of the gate and crossed the street.
John"s heart almost stopped beating for a second. Could they be coming to see him? He felt both glad and frightened when the maid announced that some children wanted to see him, but he told her gravely to ask them up. Louise"s friendliness was irresistible, and when she came straight to his side holding out her hand and saying, "How do you do, John? We have been having a meeting at Miss Brown"s, and she has sent you some sugar cakes. Ikey and I have brought them," John forgot his shyness and felt that she was an old acquaintance. He could not think of much to say, but he smiled cordially at them.
When the cakes were undone it was of course necessary to explain the meaning of so many M"s and K"s, and this led to an account of the other club, and the Order of the Big Front Door. It was like finding the missing pages of a fascinating story.
"And that is what you were doing this afternoon?" asked John, admiring the little keys. "I did so wonder what was going on when I saw the boys go in."
"I didn"t know you were watching us," said Ikey.
John"s face flushed as he replied, "I hope you do not mind. I often do."
Mind! Of course they did not!
The visit was a decided success. When Mrs. Armstrong came hurrying in, feeling that she had left John a long time alone, she found him with very bright eyes, eating sugar cakes.
This was only the beginning; it soon became an established thing for one or two of the Order to spend an afternoon each week with the lame boy; and at such times the pleasure was by no means all on one side.
CHAPTER XVII.
A PRISONER.
"I believe I"ll go to see little John this afternoon," said Louise.
"You can take him the last "St. Nicholas" if you do. I"d rather have you go there than to Dora"s or Elsie"s, for then I shall not wish so much that I could go with you," answered Bess, who was to spend the afternoon at the dentist"s.
Louise found the magazine and then walked as far an the Armstrongs"
gate with her sister and Joanna.
"Good-by," she said; "I hope Dr. Atmore won"t hurt you."
Several hours later Bess entered the room where Mrs. Howard was taking off her wraps, and asked, "Do you know where Louise is, Aunt Zelie?"
"Why, no, I have only just come in; can"t you find her?"
"No, Auntie, and I have looked everywhere."
"Surely she must be in the house; it is nearly dark. Did you have your tooth attended to?"
Bess forgot everything else in the interest of relating her afternoon"s experience, but when the story was finished she began again to wonder what had become of Louise.
"I think Carl has just come in--I hear his whistle; perhaps she is with him," said Aunt Zelie. But upon inquiry he had not seen her since lunch.
"And you have looked everywhere? In the star chamber, and the library, and--"
"Yes, and I have asked Sukey and James, and they have not seen her,"
Bess replied.
"It is a little strange, for she knows I do not like to have her out late. She was going to John"s, wasn"t she?"
"I know she went there, for she walked as far as the gate with me.
Perhaps some of the boys are there and will bring her home," said Bess.
"We will wait a quarter of an hour, and if she does not come I"ll send over to the Armstrongs"," said Mrs. Howard.
The minutes slipped away, but no Louise; and Joanna, who was sent in search of her, returned with the news that she had left there about four o"clock.
"Oh, dear! She must be lost!" Bess exclaimed.
"Louise get lost! Nonsense! She could find her way anywhere," said Carl.
"I hardly think she can be lost, but I am worried about her. Joanna, you"d better go to Mrs. Warner"s, and, Carl, suppose you run over to Miss Brown"s, she may be there," and Aunt Zelie walked to the window and looked out into the darkness. "It is beginning to snow," she said.
Neither Miss Brown nor the Warners had seen Louise, nor had she been heard of at the Morrises", and they were trying to think what to do next when Mr. Hazeltine came in.
"Father, she must be lost, don"t you think so?" asked Bess, when matters were explained to him.
"I don"t know what to think," he answered. "Louise is not the kind of a child to get lost easily."
"So I say," added Carl.
"Then somebody has stolen her like Charlie Ross, and I"ll never see her again."
"It is too soon to despair, dearie," said Aunt Zelie, as Bess looked ready to cry.
"Suppose we have some dinner, and then if we hear nothing in the meantime, I"ll go to the Armstrongs" and try to find a clue to start with," said Mr. Hazeltine.
It was not a cheerful meal, in spite of Aunt Zelie"s effort to hide her anxiety and talk of other things. It seemed as if Louise"s bright face must appear each minute; but dinner was over and no word of her.
The snow was falling fast when Carl and his father started out. Little John could tell them nothing more than that Louise had been there for an hour, and then said she must go, as there was something she wanted to do. He watched her out of the gate and thought she went home.
"It is a great puzzle," said Carl when they were on the street again.
"It is indeed," his father replied, looking up and down irresolutely.
"Are you worried? What do you think can have happened to her?"
"I don"t know, my son; yes, I am very much worried. I wish William was not away from home. I think, perhaps, the best thing I can do is to see Roberts." Roberts was a detective, and Carl began to feel that the situation was serious.
There was nothing for Aunt Zelie and Bess to do that long evening but wait and try to be patient. Mr. Hazeltine promised to telephone the moment he discovered the least clue to her whereabouts.