Mrs. Orban took Peter back with her into the dining-room, and he sat cuddled up on her knee while she finished dinner.
They were all sitting listening to just one "good-night" story before going to bed, when Mary came into the room, gave a frightened glance round, and exclaimed,—
"Lor', ma'am, haven't you got Miss Becky here? I made sure you had."
Every one stared at Mary, and thought she looked rather white and queer.
"Did you, Mary?" asked Mrs. Orban rather hurriedly. "Why?"
"Well, ma'am," said Mary in an unsteady voice, "because she isn't in her bed."
Mrs. Orban sprang to her feet.
"Not in her bed?" she exclaimed. "My good woman, what do you mean?"
Setting Peter down on the ground, she turned swiftly and left the room.
"I just went in to turn down the beds," explained Mary to the twins as they hurriedly followed, "and went over to Miss Becky's corner to take a look at her, and she wasn't there. I didn't stop a minute, I was so took aback, but came straight off to see if maybe she was in the dining-room. You might have knocked me down with a feather when I saw she wasn't."