“Yes, father, certain. Here, I will call Dean.”
The latter came trotting up in answer to his cousin’s whistle, heard what was wrong, and corroborated Mark’s words.
“But are you sure it was last night?”
“Yes, uncle, certain. I did mine at the same time. You must have had it out, Mark. It can’t be lost.”
“I haven’t had it out,” cried the boy angrily. “I had breakfast, then went and had a talk with Dan, and then went to get the rifle, and it was gone.”
“Well, let the matter drop for a time,” said Sir James quietly.
“Is anything wrong?” said the doctor coming up.
“Yes, my rifle’s gone;” and after hearing what each had to say the doctor turned to Mark.
“You feel sure about it now, my boy, but we all have such fits as that sometimes; then all at once the fact dawns upon us that we have put away the missing article to be safe, or for some other reason, and then we wonder how we could possibly have forgotten it.”
Mark nodded his head, looked at his cousin, and they went off together.