The next afternoon something queer happened. Teddy and Janet had not yet come home from school, and Mrs. Martin and Nora were in the kitchen baking the last of the things for Thanksgiving and getting things ready to roast the big turkey which would come the next day.
The front doorbell rang and Mrs. Martin said:
"You'd better answer, Nora. My hands are covered with flour."
"And so is my nose," answered the maid with a laugh. "You look better to go to the front door than I do."
"Well, I guess I do," agreed Mrs. Martin with a smile. She paused to wipe her hands on a towel and then went through the hall. But when she opened the door no one was on the steps.
"That's queer," she said to herself, looking up and down the street. "I wonder if that could have been Teddy or Jan playing a joke." Then she looked at the clock and noticed that it was not yet time for the children to come home from school.
A man passing in the street saw Mrs. Martin gazing up and down the sidewalk.
"Are you looking for someone?" he asked.
"Well, someone just rang my bell," answered Mrs. Martin. "But I don't see anyone."
"I saw a lame boy go up on your veranda a few minutes ago," went on the man. "He stood there, maybe four or five seconds and then rang the bell. All at once he seemed frightened, and down he hurried off the steps and ran around the corner, limping."