“I’ll lug the package,” offered Joan, “if you’ll steer Tommy.”
They looked around for the little boy—but he was gone!
Why, he had been right there just a moment ago, while they were waiting for the package. They hadn’t taken their eyes off him for more than a second, really. Yet he was gone.
They roamed about aimlessly, calling and peering behind counters and back of the life-sized dolls that stood about, stiffly displaying children’s frocks.
“The little boy?” questioned one salesgirl who looked no older than Amy. “Maybe he wandered over into the Misses and Small Women.”
They went over into that department, shouting “Tommy!” at every few steps and glancing behind all the figures. They even peeped into the fitting rooms—little curtained-off places. In one, a stout mother, who was watching her young lady daughter try on a dress, screamed as Joan suddenly popped her head in. She murmured an apology, explaining that she was hunting for a little boy.
“Well, we haven’t got him,” came the cross answer.
“That woman almost had a fit, as well as a fitting, the way you scared her!” giggled the salesgirl.
She could joke. Tommy hadn’t been in her charge. She hadn’t lost him. Why, it was a terrible thing that had happened, Joan slowly began to realize. They had searched the entire floor, and Tommy simply wasn’t there. They had lost him—and he was a ward of the city. Mrs. Hollis had impressed that fact upon her when they were making their arrangements to take Tommy by the day. What would happen to them? Would they be sent to jail themselves? And his poor mother! How would she stand the shock?
“He looked like he was a millionaire baby in those clothes,” reflected Joan. “Maybe he’s been kidnaped, and we’ll have to pay a ransom.”