The triplets did not see Susan go to the fence. They were too intent on what was to happen to Mr. Williams. When, at length, he came along safely through the darkness, they were bewildered.
“You didn’t tie that string well in the middle,” growled Pewee at Riley.
“Yes, I did,” said Riley. “He must have stepped over.”
“Step over a string a foot high, when he didn’t know it was there?” said Pewee.
“Let’s go and get the string,” said Ben Berry.
So out of the gate they sallied, and quickly reached the place where the string ought to have been.
“I can’t find this end,” whispered Pewee by the fence.
“The string’s gone!” broke out Riley, after feeling up and down the tree for some half a minute.
What could have become of it? They had been so near the sidewalk all the time that no one could have passed without their seeing him.
The next day, at noon-time, when Susan Lanham brought out her lunch, it was tied with Pewee’s new top-string,—the best one in the school.