“I do not see him,” cried Fanny, and ran down stairs as fast as possible.
She looked round but he was not in sight.
“He was here just this minute,” said Charlotte; “he was looking at a snail which was crawling by that monkshood.”
Fanny now began to be frightened, and ran to the kitchen window to see if Charles was there. The cook had not seen him; she then ran round the garden, but he was not to be found. The cook now came, and they looked in the yard, and examined the dog kennel, for Charles had once gone and laid himself down along with “Captain;” but now Captain was asleep in his kennel quite alone.
They then thought he might have gone to the kitchen garden, but the door was locked, and Mrs. Sinclair had taken the key. Fanny next examined the shrubbery at the end of the garden, and the gate which opened into the meadow, but that was shut.
You may suppose how anxious Fanny now felt; the sun was just setting, and not a sound was heard except the mill, and the sheep-bells at a distance. At this moment, Mr. Sinclair, who had just returned, met her, and asked what was the matter, and where the children were.
Fanny, (bursting into tears.) O, Sir, Charlotte is up stairs; but—
Mr. Sinclair. But what! Where is Charles?
Fanny cried very bitterly, and could not answer.
Mr. S. Where is he? What is the matter?