"Of course she's somewhere, Tom, but she never did anything like this before, and I can't understand it. The only thing I can think of is, that she's gone down on the pier. But she never goes there alone."
"Well, there's lots of things she might be doing. Come on, let's go down on the pier and take a look."
The two boys walked out to the end of the pier and back again, but saw no sign of Marjorie.
On their way home, Tom turned in at his own house.
"Good-by, old chap," he said; "don't look so worried. Midget will be sitting up laughing at you when you get home."
King said good-by, and went on. He felt a strange depression of heart, as if something must have happened to Midget. He knew his mother felt no alarm, and perhaps it was foolish, but the fact remained that Midge had never acted like that before. Mr. Maynard came home at six o'clock, and Marjorie had not yet made an appearance.
He looked very much alarmed, and at sight of his anxiety, Mrs. Maynard grew worried.
"Why, Ed," she exclaimed, "you don't think there's anything wrong, do you?"
"I hope not, Helen, but it's so unusual. I can only think of the ocean. Does she ever go down and sit on the beach alone?"
"No," said King, positively; "she never does anything like that, alone. We're always together."