IV
Challis’s anticipation that he and Lewes would be greatly favoured by the Wonder’s company was fully realised.
The child put in an appearance at half-past nine the next morning, just as the governess cart was starting out to fetch him. When he was admitted he went straight to the library, climbed on to the chair, upon which the volumes of the Encyclopædia still remained, and continued his reading where he had left off on the previous evening.
He read steadily throughout the day without giving utterance to speech of any kind.
Challis and Lewes went out in the afternoon, and left the child deep in study. They came in at five o’clock, and went to the library. The Wonder, however, was not there.
Challis rang the bell.
“Has little Stott gone?” he asked when Heathcote came.
“I ’aven’t seen ’im, sir,” said Heathcote.
“Just find out if any one opened the door for him, will you?” said Challis. “He couldn’t possibly have opened that door for himself.”
“No one ’asn’t let Master Stott hout, sir,” Heathcote reported on his return.
“Are you sure?”
“Quite sure, sir. I’ve made full hinquiries,” said Heathcote with dignity.
“Well, we’d better find him,” said Challis.
“The window is open,” suggested Lewes.
“He would hardly ...” began Challis, walking over to the low sill of the open window, but he broke off in his sentence and continued, “By Jove, he did, though; look here!”
It was, indeed, quite obvious that the Wonder had made his exit by the window; the tiny prints of his feet were clearly marked in the mould of the flowerbed; he had, moreover, disregarded all results of early spring floriculture.
“See how he has smashed those daffodils,” said Lewes. “What an infernally cheeky little brute he is!”
“What interests me is the logic of the child,” returned Challis. “I would venture to guess that he wasted no time in trying to attract attention. The door was closed, so he just got out of the window. I rather admire the spirit; there is something Napoleonic about him. Don’t you think so?”
Lewes shrugged his shoulders. Heathcote’s expression was quite non-committal.
“You’d better send Jessop up to Pym, Heathcote,” said Challis. “Let him find out whether the child is safe at home.”
Jessop reported an hour afterwards that Master Stott had arrived home quite safely, and Mrs. Stott was much obliged.