“That’s very true,” said Migwan, “but it is likely there is no connection between the two mysteries. It’s just a coincidence. I for one am going to be sensible and stop worrying about that noise in the ground.” And most of them followed Migwan’s example.
The next morning was such a beautiful one that they could not resist getting up early and running out of doors before breakfast. “Let’s play a game of hide-and-seek,” proposed Sahwah. The others agreed readily; Hinpoha was counted out and had to be “it,” and the others scattered to hide themselves. One by one Hinpoha discovered and “caught” the players, or they got “in free.” Calvin startled her nearly out of her wits by suddenly dropping out of a tree almost on top of her.
“Are we all in?” asked Migwan, fanning herself with her handkerchief. She was out of breath from her strenuous run for the goal.
“All but Sahwah,” said Hinpoha. She started out again to look for her, turning around every little while to keep a wary eye on the goal lest Sahwah should spring out from somewhere nearby and reach it before she did. But Sahwah was evidently hidden at some distance from the goal, and Hinpoha walked in an ever increasing circle without tempting her out. The others, tired of waiting for her to be caught, joined in the search and beat the bushes and hunted through the barn and looked up in the trees. But no Sahwah did they find.
Breakfast time neared and Hinpoha called loudly, “In free, Sahwah, game’s over.” But Sahwah did not emerge from some cleverly concealed nook as they expected.
“Maybe she didn’t hear you,” said Migwan. “Let’s all call.” And they all called, shouting together in perfect unison as they had done on so many other occasions, making the combined voice carry a great distance. An echo answered them but that was all. The girls looked at each other blankly.
“Do you suppose she’s staying hidden on purpose?” asked Calvin.
“No,” said Nyoda, emphatically, “I don’t. Sahwah’s had enough experience with causing us worry by disappearing never to do it on purpose again. She’s probably stuck somewhere and can’t get out. Do you remember the time she was shut up in the statue and couldn’t talk? Something of the kind has occurred again, I don’t doubt. We’ll simply have to search until we find and release her.”
They began a systematized search and minutely examined every foot of ground. Thinking that the barn was the most likely place to get into something and not get out again, they opened every old chest there and pried into every corner, and moved every article. They went up-stairs and looked through the lofts and corners. The roof being partly off, it was as light as day, and if she had been there anywhere they would surely have seen her. But there was no sign of her. They looked under the roof of the barn that lay on the ground, thinking that she might have crawled under that and become pinned down, but she was not there.
“Could she have fallen into the river?” asked Calvin.