"No; he has not been here."
"I told you he must have gone outside," said Kathleen, peeping over his shoulder.
"Not he," replied Rupert. "Don't you remember we all three promised we would not go out of the house? He must be somewhere inside? let's hunt again."
Half an hour passed, and then my cousins came back. I signalled to them that Jack was still asleep, and they could take me out of the room.
"We can't find him anywhere," said Rupert, as they carried me downstairs.
"Don't be anxious," I replied. "He must have gone outside; he will come back when he finds you do not go after him. Or shall you go into the garden to look for him?"
Rupert looked at me in amazement.
"Didn't I tell you we all promised not to go out?" he said. "I don't believe Harold is outside; if he is, I'll never speak to him again."
Of course, we laughed at the hasty speech which had ended in a promise that the speaker would certainly never keep. But by-and-by, as the light began to fade, and Harold made no appearance, we grew anxious about him.
"Supper will bring him; he will be tired and hungry by that time," we said; but we had finished our supper when the door was pushed open, and Jack entered in dressing-gown and slippers.